Resources for Farmers - And a Passion for Grassin'

So we’ve talked the last few days about grazing and why graze. I’d like to tilt the viewfinder a little today and give farmers out there some resources for grazing. Here’s one I found right off this morning that looks pretty fun, full of how-tos and fencing. http://www.ibiblio.org/farming-connection/grazing/home.htm. That one looks to mostly cater to beef, but a useful poultry resource for us has been http://www.attra.ncat.org/attra-pub/poultry/. Purdue also has some great info on grazing and pasture management http://www.agry.purdue.edu/ext/forages/rotational/index.html.

So hopefully that’s enough to get you started. I’ve got tons more resources, of course, but that’s enough to wade through for now, I think. One thing about it, it’s never hard to sell farmers on the benefits of grass. I think most of us would rather see our animals out on pasture more than anything else. The problem is that’s not where the demand of the market is. The demand is for cheaply raised meat that grows quickly and that’s exactly what the public has gotten, full of antibiotics and hormones. But, that is what they asked for.

Last I heard, less than 2% of the population is involved with food production in America, with fewer young people getting involved as the years go by. And when you think about it, why should they get involved? There’s little money and long hours involved with farming, passion for grassin’ or not. The key now is niche markets and educating the public on where their food comes from. I’m continually amazed at how many people my own age have never even been up close to a horse, let alone a cow. They have no clue about grass-fed versus grain-fed and no incentive to care. But food is the basis of everything. Without food, there’s no room for civilization. Farmers are integral to everything. I mean, how many people, realistically, can feed themselves without a grocery store? So there’s the incentive to learn about where your food comes from: no store, no eat. Scary. So my advice to aspiring and current farmers? Business planning.

I’ve mentioned Annie’s Project on the blog before, but for those who didn’t catch that post, it’s a nationwide class held to educate women in agriculture about opportunities and management in agriculture. For it, I picked up a lot of information on how to manage and build your farm on paper. This aspect of ag is actually a post or two all in itself so I’ll leave off today with a few starting resources on ag business and pick up tomorrow discussing the importance of business planning and how it can benefit your ag business.

http://www.michigan.gov/mda/0,1607,7-125-1568_2388---,00.html Haven’t explored this one yet, but does look to have some useful info.

The best site for farmers interested in business planning is https://www.msu.edu/~steind/. Dennis Stein is part of Michigan State University’s Extension Service and a great personality.

Here’s a link for beginning farmers and looks great for people just thinking about adding farming to their repertoire. After all, the reason most small businesses fail is poor planning. http://beginningfarmers.org/farm-business-planning/

Sorry for the tangent today, folks, but I get excited about ag and all its facets. I’ll try to be more focused tomorrow and more interesting to those who yawn their way through my rhapsodies over turf grass. Cheers.

Basics of Grass-fed Beef

I’d like to switch gears today and talk about ag, mostly grass-fed beef. I’m passionate about raising natural, happy beef. Cattle raised on grass are healthier, happier, and lead more fulfilling lives. Why is this important? you ask. Why should I care how my beef lives?

Here’s why.

Cattle raised on hormones and antibiotics typically live in stressful, crowded feedlots. While these types of situations are necessary to raise beef on a massive scale, smaller, more sustainable alternatives are available. While the demand for cheap, low-grade beef drives the market, if people demand higher quality meat, most farmers I know would love to oblige.

So check out this video from Purdue on the basics of grass-fed beef and we’ll resume this conversation.

So what’s the big deal about receiving nutrition from forages rather than grain? First of all, grass is healthier. According to eatwild.com, grass fed beef contains far higher levels of vitamin E, vitamin D, omega 3 fatty acids, beta-carotene, and conjugated lineoleic acid, or CLA, which has been linked to lower risk of cancer. Grain to cattle is like potato chips to us. It provides energy and puts on weight, which is good for cattle and bad for us. So if people consume beef that’s been raised on a poor diet, they have a poor diet, essentially eating what the cattle ate. Ruminates, such as cattle and sheep, are amazing in that they can convert grass, something humans can’t digest, into meat, which is something people can. Corn is highly inefficient for both people and animals. It’s hard to digest and is essentially made up of sugars that store to fat instead of muscle. The main benefit of grass-fed beef is that it is made up of salad greens instead of sugar cane.

This says it much better. Get back to basics, reality, and quality of life.

Tomorrow I'll talk about environment and how a grass-fed basis benefits humans and animals alike.