Integrating animals into a vegetable operation. I think most vegetable producers would read that statement and decide right away that it’s not a good idea. Why would somebody add another layer of complexity to the operation? The simple answer is that animals eat things that we don’t. We have plenty of protein and fiber that plants on the farm produce that doesn’t get consumed by you and I, so the animals eat it and convert it quickly into fertilizer for the plants. So, I think that answers the why, but answering how is allot more complex when you’re dealing with autonomous beings! We do love our chickens and sheep, but they can be quite frustrating when they don’t behave the way we expect. It’s our job as farmers to make the animals happy so that they will perform profitably. What am I getting at? We are adding more sheep! Which means that next season we will be offering grass fed lamb meat and tons more local Icelandic yarn. Cool, eh?
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Integrating Animals
About the farm
Wild Coyote Farm is a Certified Organic small family farm in beautiful Southwest Michigan, dedicated to organic, regenerative, and sustainable growing practices to produce delicious and nutritious produce and eggs. No synthetic fertilizers, pesticides, herbicides, GMOs, or anything harmful to any part of the precious land and environment we steward. We grow everything in soil (no hydroponics) and focus on soil health to grow the most nutritious produce. The animals we raise (chickens and sheep) rotate as part of our soil health plan, are pastured and humanely cared for.
It’s a win win for all - the environment, the farmers, and you, the eater!
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It’s a win win for all - the environment, the farmers, and you, the eater!