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Breaking The BIG AG Mold - In 1977 then Sec of Ag Butz debated Wendell Berry (farmer, writer) where Butz defended the achivements of an industrial agriculture that replaced the longstanding structure of small family farms and rural communities. Butz policy shifts coincided with the rise of major agribusiness corporations, and the declining financial stability of small family farms. During the debate Wendell Berry described Butz's mantra to farmers "Get Big or Get Out" would destroy small family farms and rural communities. Some 50+ years later the facts prove that not only was Wendell Berry correct, but the big agribusiness corporations move from whole "real" food to "fake" processed foods has caused the major chronic illnesses faced by the majority of the US population.
Mississippi is a Food Desert! What else would you call it when only 2% of the food consumed in MS was raised or grown in MS? And, "food" imports into MS total more that $8.5 billion per year? And, the chronic illnesses of Mississippians are second highest in the nation! Within a few miles of me I can name a half dozen small family farms that once raised whole food that was sold into our local communities. Most of these farms are setting idle. Some had pine trees planted on their farms. My point is many small land owners are not likely to sell "family" land to large corporations. So, the land continues to sit idle.... waiting for a market?
However, there is an awakening happening in America!
Epoch Times TV has released a 25 minute video titled Heal the Dirt: How Farmers Are Detoxing America . The film is "An exclusive look into the fast-growing regenerative farming movement and how it focuses on fixing unhealthy food and chronic disease in America. Regenerative farming puts healthy soil at its center by using six main principles. Its methods produce healthy, nutritious food in line with ancient farming practices."
The film highlights several farmers who have "converted" to a Regenerative Model. The first is Mollie Engelhart, a self described "recovering vegan" who once owned five vegan restaurants in Los Angelos. Today, she owns Sovereignty Ranch in Bandera, Texas. May 1st Mollie opened up her ranch for a two day American Regeneration Conference that featured many leaders in the Regenerative Farming Movement as well as Sec. of Health Robert Kennedy Jr.
Rick Clark was another farmer attending the conference. He is an organic regenerative row crop farmer from Indiana who farms 6,500 acres. He spoke about how he has saved more that $2 million in fuel, fertilizer, and chemicals by using natural farming methods. In the film he shows how they plant a winter cover crop of Rye then in the Spring use a crimper to lay the Rye on the ground just ahead of the no-till drill planting soybeans. Rick says, "no Roundup, no herbicides, no insecticides, no fungicides, no seed treatments - we have not done any of that for 12 years now. When you reduce inputs or eliminate inputs like we have, the nutrient density of our food goes up. That's been proven. It's been tested."
Patrick Shivers was a former row-crop farmer in SW Georgia that I watch on YouTube. While not a totally Regenerative Farm (YET) he has certainly moved in that direction. He has broke the mold from BIG AG and no longer sells any of his crops to big agribusiness corporations. Instead, he makes peanut & pecan brittle from nuts he raises, harvest, shells, etc. then has shipped to all 50 US States and many International Countries. He grows 3 to 4 different peas, harvest them, shells them in a commercial sheller and sells direct to consumers. The same with butterbeans, potatos and recently mentioned fresh snap beans, harvested, snapped and bagged - all grown without any chemical usage. He makes cornmeal & grits from corn he raises and also sells in bulk to deer hunters for their feeders.
Breaking the Big AG Mold can be done! As more and more consumers look to their local farmers then more and more farmers will see the value of switching to Regenerative Farming. Follow the money - its that simple.
Now, What IS Regenerative Farming? Basically these six principles that all come back to soil health:
1) Context. You need to farm for where you are at - we use our animals to improve our soil, forages, and soil quality
2) Cover Crops. Keep the soil covered as many of the months of the year as possible with a living root.
3) Biodiversity. Have many different things growing together - avoid mono crops
4) No Tillage. As much as possible, you do not want to disturb the soil because it destroys that ecosystem
5) Animal integration. Again, diverse animals work to improve the ecosystem. We use Adaptive Grazing Management that focuses on goals for the area the cows are in now
6) No chemicals. When you use a chemical to kill one plant it also kills or injures many others. Same with pesticides -- when you spray for one pest you most often kill hundreds of beneficial insects.
Acres USA (the only magazine I read) also attended the Sovereignty Ranch conference. Recently, they did a five part series on Jay Fuhrer, NRCS from North Dakota, who was one of the first to define these principles as a whole. Acres USA has given me permission to share these articles with my customer base starting next week. Knowing what Regenerative Farming is and is not is important as more customers and farmers convert to Regenerative Farming.
So, stay tuned. These Regenerative Principles can apply to your home gardens and landscapes as well.
Half-Beef Custom Processed Orders - JULY harvest order window is open. Last order date is June 22nd. Harvest will be June 30th. Availability will be about July 20th. Thanks 😉
Follow this link
to check out our Custom Processing Ordering Tips, to place an order, and complete your individualized cut sheet. Please reply to this email with any questions.
And, when you buy a half or whole beef receive a Jarrard Meat Maximizer tenderizer at no extra charge. Jarrard is the choice of professional chefs and cooking enthusiasts for more than 40 years! The Meat Maximizer improves meat tenderness and texture, reduces marinating & cooking time, and is easy to clean and maintain.
Jana recently left us this ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Google Review "We’re on our fourth order of half beef. The quality and customer service is UNMATCHED. This is meat you can feel confident in knowing where it comes from and what it contains. We are so happy to know exactly what we’re feeding our family. We also love the eggs, sausage, and chicken!!! We’re so thankful for this farm and so thankful we get to enjoy gourmet food like this everyday."
Nature's Gourmet Farm product value proposition is to create a community that evolves around one of the most intrinsically important and critical needs of the ages, and that’s the provision of sustenance. That's our passion - to raise healthy animals to provide nutrient dense protein and saturated fat that nourish families and strengthens immune systems.
Our Beef is always grass finished with NO grains. Additionally, our animals are free of mRNA, GMO's (chemicals), Antibiotics, and Hormones. We ethically raise them on diverse forage pastures that regenerates our soils and protects our ecosystem.
Let me encourage you to "Be The Change" our food system needs by "Voting With Your Fork" at every meal.
** Product Availability Update **
NOTE: Restocks are made about 6 PM on the dates indicated below!
Chicken - Restocked June 10th. Next restock is June 24th
Turkey - Restocked April 22nd
Eggs - Restock each Tuesday prior to your delivery date.
Beef - Next restock is June 21st
Pork – Next restock was June 10th for fresh cuts. About two weeks later for smoked cuts
Lamb - Restocked September 29, 2025
Custom Half or Whole Beef- Next Order Window for custom half & whole beef is TBD. Harvest will be TBD. Yes, I want to Order Custom Beef & Pork
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