Healing Soil Heals Family Farms

Holistic Management grassfed beef producer and HMI board member, Jonathan Cobb, was recently featured in an ABC News Food Forecast segment with Ginger Zee on how grassfed beef is created through good land management practices that improve soil health and create healthy grass for the cattle to eat. Jonathan tells the story of coming back to the family farm near Rogers, Texas during the drought in 2011 and telling his father that there wasn't a future for the farm and he would not be taking it over. But after hearing about soil building practices like no-till, multi-species cover crops, and holistic planned grazing, he's rebuilding the family farm and is excited about the future. One step he took was to reduce the farm size from 2500 acres down to 410 acres. Working with his wife, Kaylyn, and his sister, Jennifer, (both women completed HMI's Beginning Farmer training in Texas in 2012), the Cobbs have moved away from row crops and have sold their tillage equipment. Their cash crops are now direct marketing pork, lamb, and beef through their Green Fields Farm label. With these changes, Jonathan is excited about being back on the farm, involved in regenerative agriculture, creating healthy soil and raising healthy animals to sell to his local community. He also is glad not to be growing GMO crops on more acres, working long hours with little reward. Through the training he and his family have received they have hope for the future and are excited about being involved in farming that is good for the planet, animals, and people. Visit HMI's Regenerative Solution page to learn more about how healthy soil leads to healthy plants and healthy food. Visit HMI's Training Program page to learn more the opportunities for Holistic Management training.