Five regenerative farms
These are the kind of people who grow the food you want to be eating.
In more than a decade of making intentional decisions about food, we’ve come across some remarkable farms run by incredibly passionate people. In the face of unimaginable adversity, they persevere, bringing years of education, personal experience, and often generations of agricultural wisdom to the food they grow. Here’s a shout-out to all the growers of food around the world who are doing their part to build a more resilient system. We would like to help tell your story!
White Oak Pastures
White Oak Pastures has been a family-run farm in Bluffton, Georgia since 1866. In 1995, Will Harris began a bold transformation away from industrial agriculture methods and back to a multi-species model in which the farm operates as a living ecosystem, rather than an industrial factory.
Among the many positive outcomes of this experiment: Reduced carbon, recharged waterways, restored habitats and a measurable impact on the local economy. The farm has become a zero-waste operation, meaning that everything raised is either consumed, crafted, rendered, or composted to fertilize the soil. If you are fortunate enough to live within the two-day shipping radius, look into ordering direct from the farm store. Otherwise, follow @whiteoakpastures to see what’s next for this “radically traditional” farm.
Sawkill Farm
The first thing you will notice about Sawkill Farm is the beautifully colored skeins of yarn made from the wool of a flock of sheep that owners Michael and Kallie breed, raise, and shear on their 200-acre property in the Hudson River Valley of New York State. Since its opening in 2013, their Farm Store has been a community gathering place, where locals stop in to pick up shares of 100% grass-fed and grass-finished beef, woods-raised pork, pasture-roaming eggs, and heritage breed roasting chickens, as well as handcrafted farm soaps. We’ve enjoyed visiting the farm and procuring supplies from the store during extended stays in the area.
Pasture 42
In the Capay Valley near Sacramento, Pasture 42 is the gold standard for an integrated, sustainable way of producing food. Milk-fed pigs, grass-fed lamb, raw dairy, pastured poultry, organic navel oranges, persimmons, an almond orchard, and olive grove are just the beginning of what this small family farm grows each year. We visited and volunteered when we lived close enough to be in their CSA, and at one point, nearly 80% of our household food came from this one farm alone!
From the Myrin family at Canyon Meadows Ranch, we’ve seen what’s involved in raising cattle entirely on pasture in the mountains of northern Utah - and building out a network of restaurants, farmers markets, boutique shops, and direct end customers to get the highest quality beef to people who recognize its value. The entire family gets involved, and the hard work never stops, even when Mother Nature brings drought, fires, floods, or blizzards. CMR produces the beef that we offer though the Senza app for keto and our Planet Keto store.
Madsnacks Produce
High-altitude farming will test the patience of the most experienced farmers, but the young couple behind Madsnacks Produce is embracing the challenge to grow nutrient-dense produce outside of Salt Lake City. What started as a passion project turned into a full-fledged farming operation in the Kamas Valley five years ago. With a commitment to healthy soil management, they rely on compost teas, biodynamic preparations, cover-cropping, and organic seed to grow a variety of tasty vegetables. Their summer CSA shares include roots, greens, aromatics, and herbs - and provides members with a great way to stay out of the supermarket, keep the food supply local, and limit food transportation miles. Community residents also can purchase produce at the weekly farmers market. We are delighted to be joining this program for the first time during the 2023 growing season!
We are hoping to expand this initial article into a directory of farms and ranches across our global community. Want us to add a farm near you? Drop a note in the comments and we will follow up!
Shirttail Creek Farm in Brenham Texas engages in regenerative farming practices