So Many Pigs, So Little Fresh Air. Most farmers make great neighbors. But if your farm includes thousands of pigs confined to buildings, and stinky outdoor anaerobic lagoons to hold all the pig waste, it’s difficult to be neighborly. A jury just delivered a verdict worth more than $50 million to ten plaintiffs who live […]
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The invention of the plow was a key development in human history. It allowed the mass cultivation of land to grow food. Nevertheless, in hindsight, it was a case of overstepping nature’s guidelines. In all but the most brittle environments, nature covers untilled soil with a living green boimass, that acts like a sponge. Rain […]
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Despite all the talk about cows being a major culprit in our weather woes, cattle, AND thus humans eating beef, can be a force for good in the world. The negatives associated with cattle are a management matter rather than an inherent cow issue. Throughout all of history, milk, meat, hides and other cattle products […]
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We often talk about how through managed rotational grazing Pettit Pastures is improving soil health and the water cycle on our farm. In this article we go into more detail on how improved soil health and a functional water cycle are intertwined. Back in grade school, most of us learned about the water cycle. Rain […]
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NOAA scientists are reporting that this summer’s dead zone in the Gulf of Mexico, at the mouth of the Mississippi River, is the largest ever recorded – 8,776 square miles. That is approximately the size of the state of New Jersey. The dead zone occurs because excessive nutrient pollution (particularly nitrogen and especially phosphorous) […]
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In the past, the Pettit Pastures blog has mostly been an update about what has been happening on the farm. Starting with this post, we have decided to change the format a bit. We will still give an abbreviated farm update, but in addition, we will be adding information relevant to the way we farm, […]
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The fall weather has been beautiful and central Minnesota is in its peak of fall colors. The wet fall has our pastures and cattle in excellent condition and ready for the oncoming winter. Pettit Pastures has been rotationally grazing and winter feeding our cattle on pasture to improve soil health for several years now. Although […]
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Women’s Health Magazine had an excellent article on many of the benefits of Grass fed beef. This article touched on most of the reason Pettit Pastures chooses to raise Grass fed beef. They discuss the health and safety benefits, the benefits to the animals, and the environmental benefits. They even give some great tips and recipes for […]
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