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Regenerative Farming Means Better Food

posted on

February 13, 2024

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At Colvin Ranch, we've been raising grass-finished beef even before that was an actual thing. But the way we do it has changed significantly over the past 40 years as we've implemented regenerative agricultural practices that have preserved some of the last remaining native prairies in Southwest Washington and enhanced habitats for the other native and endangered species that call the ranch home.   

What we’ve found over the many years we’ve been doing this is that when you manage the land in a way that’s best for the native species in danger, like the Pocket Gopher and Golden Paintbrush, it's actually better for the livestock, too. We’re getting better forage, and better-quality grass which is great for the livestock. And that enables us to raise exceptional high-quality beef that we can share with our community.

For more about our holistic approach to ranch management promotes soil health, reduces erosion, and sequesters carbon, see this article from Experience Olympia & Beyond.  

More from the blog

A Conservation Legend

Over the past 20 years, we've worked closely with Marty Chaney, a pasture management specialist with NRCS, on the implementation of our grazing plans. I don't know whether it was by luck or chance that we ended up with Marty in our corner of the field, but it was certainly our good fortune.

Conservation Grazing At Violet Prairie

Since I was nine years old, I would look out my bedroom window every morning and dream about grazing cattle on the hill across from the ranch, on land that was originally part of our family's historic homestead in the 1850s. Today, that land is part of the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife Violet Prairie Unit, and I'm grateful to be working with them to help restore the native prairie here using conservation grazing with our cattle as a management tool.

Resources for Ranchers

If you're want to learn more about ranching in Southwest Washington, there are a lot of really great resources available to help. We have a pretty great ranching community here with people who care a lot about the work, and we'd love to see more folks get involved!