Year: 2021

07 Dec 2021

$19 Million Research Project Seeks to Understand How Management Impacts Soil Health, Farmer Well-Being

$19 Million Research Project Seeks to Understand How Management Impacts Soil Health, Farmer Well-Being

For original article, click here

MYRTLE BEACH, SC – An international coalition announced a $19 million research project aimed at understanding how a farmer or rancher’s grazing management decisions impact soil health on pasture and rangeland (commonly called grazing lands) and – in turn – how soil health can positively impact a producer’s land and well-being.

Entitled Metrics, Management, and Monitoring: An Investigation of Pasture and Rangeland Soil Health and its Drivers, the project was announced today at the National Grazing Lands Coalition triennial meeting. The Foundation for Food & Agriculture Research awarded Noble Research Institute a $9.5 million grant to lead this critical research that is improving soil health on grazing lands. Noble Research Institute is providing $7.5 million to this project with additional financial contributions by Greenacres Foundation, The Jones Family Foundation and ButcherBox.

Pasture and rangeland soils contain about 20 percent of the world’s soil organic carbon stock but have largely deteriorated in many regions due to poor management, fragmentation or conversion to cropland. As soil health decreases, the land loses its viability to grow healthy plants, maintain flood- and drought-resilience or filter water.

For decades, farmers and ranchers who have implemented soil health principles have improved the overall health of their land and have experienced more profitable operations, however, these observations have – to this point – been largely anecdotal. This research is quantifying these observations and examining how management decisions on grazing lands are connected to the overall health of the ecosystem, including the social and economic well-being of the farmer, rancher and land manager.

“Enhancing soil resilience and productivity necessitates a major investment in research that provides farmers and ranchers with the best tools and information to make informed decisions benefitting their operations, said FFAR Executive Director Dr. Sally Rockey. “FFAR is proud to fund this audacious research that supports thriving farms and ranches while improving overall environmental health for the betterment of society.”

The project brings together researchers from 11 nonprofit organizations, for-profit businesses, private research institutes and public universities in the United States and the United Kingdom. Led by Noble Research Institute, Michigan State University, Colorado State University and the University of Wyoming, collaborators include Oregon State University, National Grazing Lands Coalition, USDA-ARS (Maryland, Colorado and Wyoming), Savory Institute, Snaplands LLC,  The Nature Conservancy and  the UK’s Quanterra Systems.

The project will provide farmers and ranchers tools that simply and accurately measure outcomes of soil health in grazing land environments to guide management decisions and quantify the impact of intentional management. Measuring soil health requires techniques that are often site-specific and costly for ranchers.

“Our focus is to develop strategies to increase the value of measurement, reduce the labor and cost of measurement, and increase our understanding of soil health beyond a single site to the ranch as a whole,” said Rhines president and CEO of Noble Research Institute. “This information – in conjunction with working directly with land managers – will help us better understand the drivers that inform producers to adopt and implement soil health-focused management practices.

The study is unique in that it will focus on the soil health of grazing lands. Most soil health initiatives explore cropland, failing to address the hundreds of millions of acres of degrading pasture and rangeland. These acres are best suited for livestock production and are incapable of sustained production of crops for human food.

Pasture and rangelands are among the largest ecosystems on the planet, covering 70 percent of the world agricultural area. There are 655 million acres of pasture and rangeland in the United States. This is 41 percent of the land usage in the continental United States, making it the single largest use of land in the nation – more than row crops, cities and timberlands.

“Improving the ecological management of these hundreds of millions of acres, farmers and ranchers can be catalysts for sequestering carbon, better managing fresh water, reducing typical greenhouse gas emissions and building soil health, which all benefit society at large,” said Dr. Jason Rowntree, professor of Sustainable Agriculture at Michigan State University and project co-lead. “In addition, applying these core agricultural principles also helps producers be more sustainable and profitable, ensuring they can leave a legacy of healthy land and brighter futures for their children. It’s a win-win.”

The project is exploring why some producers adopt soil health building principles, such as adaptive grazing management, while others do not. It is also examining social and economic sustainability (commonly called producer well-being), which have rarely been studied in agriculture, or in particular, livestock agriculture. Anecdotally, producers report that their profitability and/or quality of life improve when they adaptively manage their assets, including the soil, plants and grazing animals, according to Rowntree.

MEDIA INQUIRIES:

Colleen Klemczewski
Foundation for Food and Agriculture Research
Phone: 574.386.0658
Email: cklemczewski@foundationfar.org

Adam Calaway
Noble Research Institute
Phone: 580-224-6209
Email: jacalaway@noble.org

10 Nov 2021

Thanksgiving Product Availability

Thanksgiving Product Availability

We’re proud to offer generatively grown vegetables and pasture raised meats to your family all year long, but especially around the holidays. Even if you haven’t pre-ordered a Thanksgiving turkey, you’re welcome to place a pre-order for Thanksgiving week.

Pre-orders have closed, please join us in-store!

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Farmstore hours Thanksgiving week:
Monday November 20: 12pm – 6pm
Tuesday November 21: 8am – 5pm
Wednesday November 22: 8am – 3pm

Items on this page will be available the week of Thanksgiving. We will also have items available for in-store shopping that are not on this list, as they become available. Please note that small numbers of eggs will be available for in-store shopping, but pre-orders are not available for eggs this year.

Spinach

$6 per 1/2lb bag

Swiss Chard

$5 per 1/2lb bunch

Fennel
$5/lb
Please specify how many bulbs

Lettuce

$5 per 1/2lb bag

Curly Kale

$4 per 1/2lb bunch

Sweet Potatoes

$3/lb
Please specify quantity and size preference

Green Cabbage

$2/lb

Napa Cabbage

$4/lb

Marinara Sauce

$10/jar
Enjoy the flavors of our summer harvest all year

Carrots

$6/lb

Red Beets

$3.50/lb

Meats

See our daily availability page for cuts and pricing

100% grassfed, grass finished beef, pasture raised Berkshire pork, pasture raised chicken

White Salad Turnips

$4/lb
Tender and mild, good raw or cooked

Garlic

$3.50 per 1/2lb

Herb Bundle

$5 each
A generous bunch of rosemary, thyme, and sage

Red Radish

$3.50/lb

Watermelon Radish

$3.50/lb

Celery

$4/bunch
Large stalks with big leaves, perfect for stuffing and seasoning.

Honey Nut Squash
$2/lb
Smaller and sweeter than Butternuts. Specify quantity.

Red Potato
$3/lb

Yellow Potato
$3/lb

Red Onion

$4/lb

Yellow Onion
$4/lb

Butternut Squash

$2/lb
Small to medium size. Specify quantity and size preferences.

02 Nov 2021

2024 Turkey Order Confirmation

2024 Turkey Order Confirmation

Thank you for your Thanksgiving pre-order!

As we get closer to Thanksgiving, we’ll have a variety of additional items available for pre-order, including beef, chicken, pork, eggs, vegetables, and flowers. You can prepay for quick and convenient pickup, or shop in-store when you collect your turkey. We’ll also reach out with details about the order pickup process as the holiday approaches. For any questions about the process or our turkeys, please refer to our Frequently Asked Questions below. section below.

FAQ

What is your process for filling turkey orders?

Turkeys and pickup times are offered to customers in the order in which we received your pre-order.

Can I pickup my turkey early?

We do not have any fresh turkeys available before November 25th as they are processed as close to Thanksgiving as possible.

What about vegetables, flowers, eggs, and other meats?

We will have a wide assortment of vegetables and meats available for your feast! Sweet potatoes, potatoes, carrots, greens, fresh herbs and more, as well as fresh flower bouquets and pasture raised eggs. In mid-November we will email you a list of everything we will have available, with the option to pre-order.

What can I expect at pickup?

We will reach out closer to the holiday to coordinate your pickup time with you you. When it is your pickup time and you arrive at the Farmstore, you will be greeted by a Greenacres staff member. They will retrieve your turkey and any other pre-ordered items, and assist you with checkout. We accept cash and credit card. The Farmstore will also be open for in-person shopping, with our full selection of 100% grassfed beef, pastured pork, chicken, eggs, vegetables and flowers. Curbside-only pickup is available, just let a staff member know when you arrive. Please keep in mind this process may change, and we will let you know via email of any changes.

I see feathers on my turkey, is this normal?

The turkey you typically buy at the grocery store has been bred to have white feathers, a genetic trait selected so feathers aren’t as visible after defeathering. These type of selective breeding practices can come at the expense of overall turkey health and flavor. Choosing turkeys with genetic traits closer to their wild ancestors means that our turkeys will have bronze feathers, but are better suited to thrive outdoors and have great flavor. These bronze feathers may occasionally be visible on the turkey you bring home – simply remove before cooking.

Do I need to prepare this turkey any differently because it’s fresh and pasture raised?

Nope! Your turkey will be fresh, so no thawing is necessary. Prepare as you would any other turkey (but it’s going to taste better!). For basic oven roasting, plan on 13 minutes per pound at 350º, until the thickest portion reaches an internal temperature of 165º

What if I need to cancel or change my order?

We do our best to accommodate these situations, but please keep in mind that changes may not be possible. Please get in touch with us so we can find the best solution for you. If you need to cancel, let us know ASAP so we can offer your turkey to another customer, and we will refund your deposit.

Getting to the Farmstore

The Farmstore is located in Indian Hill. Look for a white ranch style building and a sign that says “Greenacres Farm Store”. If you get lost, please call 513-891-4227 and press 1.

8255 Spooky Hollow Rd.
Cincinnati, OH 45242
Click here to get directions

Contact Us

Phone: 513-891-4227 press 1

Email: farm@green-acress.org

8255 Spooky Hollow Rd

Cincinnati, OH 45242

14 Oct 2021

Diversity and Phytonutrients

Diversity and Phytonutrients

A recent study published in Frontiers of Sustainable Food Systems adds credence to the value of diversity. The study compared meat and milk from livestock that had grazed pastures with a diversity of plants species (grasses, forbs, and legumes) to meat and milk from livestock that had grazed pastures with limited to no diversity of plants (i.e. a monoculture). What the study found was that products coming from livestock that graze diverse pastures are often higher in health-promoting phytonutrients such as terpenoids, phenols, carotenoids, and a variety of antioxidants – when compared to those coming off of monoculture pastures. Products from animals fed grain contain a reduced amount of these compounds or are absent from them entirely. The study also iterated that several phytochemicals found in grass-fed meat and milk are often found in quantities comparable to those found in plant foods and are known to have anti inflammatory, cardio-protective and anti-carcinogenic effects.

The way food is produced, and how those practices impact ecology, environment, and the health of consumers is of importance. This is something that we focus a lot of attention on at Greenacres, including funding and performing research to help us better understand these connections. Diversity is one of the attributes we study as a key indicator of the health of our pastures and woodlands. Based on the findings of this recent study, diversity has a large role in the nutritional quality of our products as well.