Cows, Crops, and Collaboration: Transforming Farmland Together

At Soil Health Labs, we love science, but we also love to share stories, both of successes and failures; how else will folks know what’s happening on real farmland?  It was a decade or more ago that I heard the saying “cows will save the world”.   Once I discovered that cattle could thrive on cover crops, I wanted to make that a reality and needed to find a willing farmer (maybe victim) who would work with me.

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Things finally began to take shape when Eastover, SC farmer, Jason Carter and I traveled to South Africa where we were inspired by some amazing high density grazing near the town of Reitz.  Upon our return, Jason, ever willing, offered a 20-acre field and started to install fence and water.  Since Jason is a row crop farmer, we were looking for stocker cattle and that’s where Kenny Mullis (Blythewood, SC) came in. Instead of starting a herd from scratch, we collaborated with him to use his steers, making our project more feasible and exciting.

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Once we kicked things off in March 2022, it became a hands-on learning experience for all of us. Jason worked hard to prepare the pasture, installing fencing and water sources. Our goal was to mimic the rotational grazing we’d seen, moving the animals often to maximize their benefits to the land. There were challenges along the way—managing hoses, ensuring shade for the cows, and navigating the dense forage—yet Jason adapted quickly, refining our approach as we went.

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Through trial and error, we discovered valuable insights about livestock management, soil health, and sustainable farming and grazing practices. By 2023, we were thrilled to see the positive changes in our pastures and soil, all thanks to the lessons learned from nature and each other.

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Now, we’re excited to share that our journey has been captured in a documentary film! We can’t wait for you to see it and learn about the innovative ways we can work with livestock to enhance our land and support our farmers. Check out the video here— this is a story you won’t want to miss!

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