For beginning farmer Andrew Smith, the goal of owning a farm with his family was a simply a dream that seemed unreachable. However, this dream became a reality in 2020.
During the quarantine of 2020, Andrew and his wife frequently took walks along the river in Moley, MI. While on one of their many walks, they spotted a large plot of land with an old farmhouse. They joked that it would be the perfect property for their dream farm, but they assumed it would be impossible to buy. Out of curiosity, Andrew looked up the property on their local township website. To their surprise, the property was up for auction in a few days!
Even though Andrew had never attended an auction before, he decided to go and give it his best shot. The decision to attend the auction was the choice that changed the trajectory of their lives. Andrew was the only buyer to show up that day, and he bought the property for a great price. Their once unreachable dream turned into their new reality!
Fast forward to today, Andrew and his family own and operate Heart and Soul Farm. They currently raise chickens, and Hereford and Highland cattle. As new first-generation farmers, they are always looking for ways to grow their knowledge of agriculture and improve their farm.
Hereford cow at Heart and Soul Farm
Andrew used the CultivateGrowth Grant to attend a regenerative agriculture class. The land at Andrew’s farm was unhealthy and low in nitrogen, making it hard to get good plant growth on the land. The goal for Andrew was to learn how to revive the health of his soil to ensure the overall health of his farm. Soil is important for every aspect of the farm; it provides the grass where the cattle graze and the organisms the chickens consume. With poor soil health, the entire farm suffers.
The regenerative agriculture class covered the important topics of rotational grazing, the microorganisms in soil, the best grasses to plant based on your location, and how to measure soil health progress.
“My biggest takeaway from the class was the idea that rotational grazing is the fastest way to improve soil health; I really wanted to learn how to quickly regenerate my soil for the health of my current livestock,” explained Andrew.
Andrew learned how to rotate his cattle between pastures, the amount of time the cattle should graze on each pasture, and the amount of cattle to keep in each area.
The class was full of surprising information for Andrew., “I was surprised to learn that it is actually better to keep more cattle in each area and then rotate them more frequently. The more cattle you have in each section, the more manure is produced and then the nutrients soak into the soil faster. As you intentionally rotate them frequently, you’re able to affect your entire field positively quickly,” Andrew said.
“I also was surprised to learn about the fencing used for rotational grazing. Before entering the agriculture industry, I assumed that you needed large and permanent fencing to keep cattle securely. But I was shocked to learn that the temporary and smaller fencing works just as well. Especially as the grass improved, I noticed my cattle wouldn’t even try to venture outside the fence - I guess the grass isn’t always greener,” Andrew shared.
Andrew implemented all of the information he learned onto his farm, and he immediately saw improvement. “Within a few weeks, the grass would grow back within a few days of switching pastures. I also noticed an increase in nightcrawlers. Before rotating, my daughters only be able to find a few nightcrawlers for our fishing trips, but after implementing the changes they found buckets full. They probably find enough nightcrawlers to sell to the local bait shops,” Andrew said with a laugh.
This success story was made possible through the CultivateGrowth grant. GreenStone understands the challenges young, beginning, and small farmers face when starting their own farm or taking on ownership of a multi-generational farm and as such, we work to provide the educational and financial resources needed to help establish a solid foundation. To apply today, click here.
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