What the Heck is Regenerative Agriculture?
As far as labels at the supermarket go, "regenerative" is one that has yet to be twisted to advantage by corporations
Methodologies are thrown around like religion by farmers and farm-marketers. With labels like “organic”, “cage-free” and “grass-fed”—it can be difficult and confusing for non-farmies to know what the latest trending terminology actually means. Though it’s hardly a new thing, regenerative agriculture has finally made it to your local grocery store, with egg and dairy cartons sporting a new buzzword. Having come full circle in my farming journey, I’ve been practicing regenerative farming nearly seven years at Runamuk Acres and I’m happy to share with you what I’ve learned…
Welcome to the latest from the Runamuk Acres Conservation Farm! If you are new here, I invite you to check out my About page to learn what this is, who I am and why I am doing this. Or just dive right in! At “Runamuk Acres” you’ll find the recantings of one lady-farmer and tree-hugging activist from the western mountains of Maine. #foodieswanted
In This Post:
What is Regenerative Agriculture?
Regenerative Farming is a System
Environmental Benefits
Social and Economic Benefits
The Proof is in the Pasture
It took 10 long years to qualify for financing to buy a farm of my own, so when the time came to go farm-shopping I was happy to take what I could get. The property Runamuk landed on has the benefit of being flat with very few rocks (a rarity in Maine), but the soil is somewhat sandy, low in nutrients, organic matter and soil-life. By employing methods of regenerative agriculture, I’ve been able to feed the soil and stimulate this ecosystem while simultaneously feeding my community.
What the heck is “Regenerative Agriculture”?
Regenerative agriculture (RA) is a farming system that works with nature, rather than against it. Its’ core principles are focused on restoring and enhancing the health of soil, ecosystems and communities while promoting sustainability and resilience. RA goes beyond sustainable farming to heal the landscape and improve the environment and community resilience.
Regenerative Farming is a System
Matching nature’s diversity, RA is a well-rounded system that includes:
Crop Rotation and Polyculture
Not only does rotating crops reduce the impact of those crops on the soil, it can disrupt the reproductive cycles of pests to those crops, thereby reducing pest pressure. By incorporating polyculture (aka: multicropping or companion planting) farmers can increase biodiversity both above and below the soil, improving soil health and reducing the need for chemical inputs.
Cover Crops
Using cover crops like oats, field peas and rye, not only prevents erosion, this practice can increase soil organic matter and improve fertility. By raising soil’s moisture holding capacity, cover crops prevent erosion, limit nutrient run-off, reduces soil compaction and can even help suppress some pests. Cover crops provide habitat and food for wildlife, can supply forage for livestock, and even increase crop yields.
Reduced Tillage
Also known as “conservation tillage”, low or no-till agriculture, reducing tillage upon the land has been shown to improve soil structure and increase organic matter. This biodiversity allows for better nutrient cycling and a resilience to challenging growing conditions, while [improving] crop production and habitat for wildlife.
Agroforestry and Silvopasture
According to the USDA:
“The key concept in agroforestry is putting the right tree, in the right place, for the right purpose.”
Agroforestry is the practice of combining trees with food crops to improve the environment and agricultural production. Protecting soil, animals, crops and homes from extreme weather, agroforestry enables the farmer to produce income, products and crops and improve habitat and sequester carbon and greenhouse gases at the same time.
Composting and Organic Amendments
Reducing waste and greenhouse gas emissions, composting improves soil health and plant growth. By applying organic amendments, farmers can help restore soil’s chemical and physical properties, thereby improving the overall health and well-being of the plot.
Holistic Grazing Management
Practicing holistic grazing on pastures enables farmers to improve soil health, plant growth and animal welfare. By reducing land degredation, we can actually improve the profitability of the land and provide a benefit to the ecosystem at the same time.
“In practice, animals move from paddock to paddock mirroring the natural herding behavior of animals. Grazing involves longer rotations of ideally 30+ days, which gives grass time to fully recover before being re-grazed.
Leaving the grass to rest for longer periods builds resilience in the soil. More energy is harnessed from photosynthesis, creating a stronger and deeper root system. This improves water infiltration and storage capacity, reducing flooding as well as making the grass more drought-tolerant.”
NOTE: For more on this: What is Holistic Grazing and What are the Benefits?
Environmental Benefits
Looking down through this list, you can see that regenerative practices are hyper-focused on building soil health and increasing biodiversity. Healthy soils serve as carbon sinks, helping to mitigate climate change by storing the carbon in the ground. Soil regeneration also improves water retention, reduces run-off and enhances water quality. Through RA we have the opportunity (in the agricultural sector) to reduce our carbon footprint and contribute to climate adaptation strategies.
Social and Economic Benefits
Regenerative agriculture allows us to revitalize small-scale farming and support local economies. By enabling farmers to create more diverse product offerings and fostering connections between farmers and consumers, farmers can cultivate community engagement through their local farmers’ markets, CSA programs and on-farm educational initiatives. This empowers the farmer to capitalize on the consumer’s growing interest in sustainably grown and regeneratively farmed products.
The Proof is in the Pasture
It’ll be 7 years come June that I’ve been working this patch of Earth using regenerative methods of agriculture to heal and nurture the landscape.
The change we’ve seen in our 10-acre pasture is proof of the efficacy of these practices. The before and after picture really says it all… On one side, the grasses look sparse, thin and listless. On the other side, it’s become a thick and lush pasture, vibrant and full of life.
And when you walk down through this field it truly is full of life.
Wildlife abounds in the form of birds small and large, deer, foxes, coyotes, skunks—even the elusive Canadian lynx—all benefit from this rich oasis.
Our sheep thrive on a seasonal routine that finds them rotationally grazing throughout the summer, then cozy in a shed all winter, where we collect their manure to spread on the gardens that feed our local customers.
Regenerative agriculture allows farmers the best of both worlds, I think. The ability to generate an income, while at the same time transforming the farm into a force for ecological healing and resilience.
As far as labels at the supermarket goes, the RA label is one that has yet to be twisted to advantage by the corporations holding the majority of large farms today and it’s one you can still trust. So, feel free to support those farms and their efforts to revolutionize agriculture in hopes of creating a more sustainable tomorrow.
Sending love and good juju to you and yours.
Your friendly neighborhood farmer,
Sam
Thank you for following along with the story of this lady-farmer! It is truly a privilege to live this life serving my family and community, and protecting wildlife through agricultural conservation. Check back soon for more updates from the farm, and be sure to follow @RunamukAcres on Instagram or Facebook!
I suppose you mean this old guy . Just got out of the garden .
Beautiful! I am learning about how to do all of this in my Sustainable Ag program at college! It’s a fantastic way to work with the plants and animals opposed to working against them.