article thumbnail

Introducing the 2025 California Farm Champions!

Caff

LEGACY FARMER OF THE YEAR: Russ Lester, Dixon Ridge Farms Russ Lester, co-owner of Dixon Ridge Farms and a fourth-generation California farmer, has been a pioneer in organic farming since 1989, shaping innovative practices for sustainable orchard management.

Farming 105
article thumbnail

Hay Y'all! Estimating Your Hay Needs

Farmbrite

Estimating how much hay you need for the winter is an important factor in most cattle, horse, goat, and sheep operations. It is typically utilized as animal fodder for livestock, such as cattle, goats, sheep, and horses, but can also be used for smaller animals such as rabbits. How much hay do you need to store for the winter?

Orchard 54
Insiders

Sign Up for our Newsletter

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

article thumbnail

The Best Types of Hay to Choose for Your Livestock

Farmbrite

Ruminants like cattle, sheep, and goats have certain protein needs for growth, reproduction, and milk production. Orchard grass hay is soft as well as palatable and good for animals with respiratory issues or animals that are picky or need variety in their meals. Orchard Grass Hay: Similar to Timothy, but softer and more palatable.

article thumbnail

In Bad Naturalist, an Author Settles on a Mountain Top and Tries to Farm

Modern Farmer

Two hundred years ago, many of these hillsides were timbered for orchards. Around forty years ago, most of the orchards were replaced with cattle pasture. In the past decade, farmers stopped grazing cattle on the mountain. Wherever people go, they reshape the land, and on this mountain its no different.

Meadow 45
article thumbnail

Guest Post: Is the Future of Organic Food at Risk? Research Funding Holds the Answer

National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition

OREI also prioritizes research that takes place on working farms, like this research project that investigated the pest management services a robust bird population can provide orchards. Scientists and farmers in Mississippi have identified sheep resistant to gastrointestinal nematodes (GIN) , a significant hurdle in organic sheep production.

Food 111
article thumbnail

Regenerative Beef Gets a Boost from California Universities

Civil Eats

Food grown in local fields, orchards, and pastures with healthy soil management practices simply make for healthier, more nutritious, and more flavorful meals, he says—the perfect ingredients for changing the “stigma” associated with hospital fare. Cumulatively, the U.C. Currently, the vast majority of U.S. herding around 50 heads.

Pasture 142
article thumbnail

Farmer Conservation Stories: Why Inflation Reduction Act Funding Must Remain Focused on Climate Change

National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition

For example, at Eckert’s Farm in Belleville, MO, Chris Eckert has seen extreme freezes killing off parts of his peach orchard. Not only does his cattle system capture carbon, but he also improves water infiltration and water holding capacity in his soils. Rotationally grazed cattle behind an electric fence.

Pasture 116