“The care of the Earth is our most ancient and most worthy, and after all, our most pleasing responsibility. To cherish what remains of it and to foster its renewal is our only hope.”
Wendell Berry
“Pasture-raised dairy can reduce environmental damage, improve animal health, and improve human nutrition.”
Union of Concerned Scientists report
The following resources range from government agencies and independent farmer groups to foundations and journalists.
About grass-based farming and sustainable agriculture
National Audobon Society – information on Meadowlarks — Like many grassland birds, Eastern Meadowlarks are threatened by changing agricultural practices. With the recent push for biofuels such as ethanol, there is a real danger that many acres that have been in the Conservation Reserve Program will be converted from the Eastern Meadowlarks’ prairie habitat to cornfields for ethanol production..
Center For Integrated Agriculture — the sustainable agriculture research center at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
The Cornucopia Institute — Cornucopia promotes economic justice for family-scale farming.
Eat Wild — Jo Robinson’s home website. Great info with lots of scientific backup.
Food Alliance —one of the nation’s leading certifying organizations for environmentally friendly and socially responsible agriculture products.
Food Routes — buying from local producers has never been more important or more enjoyable!
The New Farm — a global community of food producers to exchange valuable “farmer-to-farmer know-how” from the Rodale Institute.
Renewing The Countryside-- Aims to strengthen rural areas by highlighting the initiatives and projects of rural communities, farmers, artists, entrepreneurs, educators, and activists.
Sustainable Farming Association Of Minnesota — supports the development and enhancement of sustainable farming systems through innovation, demonstration, education, and farmer-to-farmer networking.
The Omnivore’s Dilemma, by Michael Pollan — a must-read for anyone interested in organic agriculture, pastured meat and dairy, and the food choices facing consumers.
USDA’s National Organic Program — certification, consumer information and more
Wisconsin Center For Dairy Profitability — Great Lakes Grazing Network
Also, see the Become One of Our Farm Families page for more links to organizations working to promote perennial pasture farming
About butter and cheese
American Cheese Society — ACS promotes and supports American Cheeses by providing American cheesemakers with educational resources and networking opportunities and encourages the highest standards of cheese making.
Butter — exploring the history and making of butter.
Clay Coyote — This Minnesota potter has some of the most beautiful French Butter bells around. It’s the perfect dish for storing butter at room temperature.
Wikipedia — has a great entry about butter.
About health
An increasing body of scientific evidence says we should be eating more good, healthy animal fats. We are beginning to understand that there was wisdom in our grandparents’ farm diet of pasture- raised meat and vegetables, and fresh local milk, butter and cheese.
We already have evidence that dairy products (not to mention meat and eggs) from 100% pastured animals are ideal for your health. They offer you more “good” fats, and fewer “bad” fats, and are richer in antioxidants in the form of CLA, and Vitamins A, D, E, and K.
Because living grass is richer in vitamins E, A, and beta-carotene than stored hay or standard dairy diets, butter from dairy cows grazing on fresh pasture is also richer in these important nutrients. The naturally golden color of grass-fed butter is a clear indication of its superior nutritional value.
Omega-3s are called “good fats” and raise your HDL. Sixty percent of the fatty acids in grass are omega-3s.
CLA (conjugated linoleic acid) is a potent antioxidant, a fatty acid most abundant in grass-fed products. Meat and dairy from 100% grass-fed cows are the richest sources of CLA. Two new European studies link a diet high in CLA with a lower risk of breast cancer.
PastureLand Cooperative is participating in several research studies to understand the nutritional benefits of grass-fed butter and cheese. We hope to increase the understanding of how a grass-fed diet improves human health and dairy herd sustainability.
Eat Wild — Jo Robinson is a friend of PastureLand, and her Eat Wild website is chock full of good scientifically based info on the health and environmental benefits of perennial pasture farming.
Nina Planck — food writer, entrepreneur, and the leading American expert on farmers’ markets and local food. Nina’s book, Real Food: What to Eat and Why (now in paperback) is about why beef, butter, eggs, and other traditional foods are good for you.
Weston A. Price Foundation — The Foundation is dedicated to restoring nutrient-dense foods to the human diet through education, research and activism. Specific goals include establishment of universal access to clean, certified raw milk and a ban on the use of soy formula for infants.
