Work and rest on the farm - why we take a break in the winter.

For two winters now, we've done something fairly radical. 

We've removed all animals from our farm for the winter. Roughly, this lasts from about mid December to early March. 

And if you think that sounds a little strange - a farm without animals for a period of time? - we felt that way at first, too. 

If you haven't heard me talk about this before, there's a few reasons why we do this. First, our cows graze on grass all winter, rather than hay, making them stronger and healthier when they return in the spring. 

And because we harvest bulk beef in the spring, that makes a big difference. We're taking animals to the butcher that are at the peak of their health, which means we're going to provide better, more nutritious meat for our customers who are making a year (or more) investment in their food. 

Likewise, our partner farmer, who grows crops, uses our animals to fertilize his soil and make it more resilient, diverse, and regenerative. It's a good way to use our favorite tools (animals) to make multiple farms healthier and more self-sufficient. 

And most importantly, we find time to do all the behind-the-scenes work (and get a little rest) so that our farm can hopefully remain resilient for years to come. 

We've found that farming is as much about what you DO as it is about what you ABSTAIN from, too. We're a fairly small farm - only 50 acres. We've found that giving our pastures and woods sufficient rest in the winter is as important as what we do in the spring and summer, when animals are here. 

And it matters for the mental health of farmers, too. Being burned out at the start of the season is a recipe for disaster, as we found out a few years ago. 

Because we're truly a small family farm - it's just the two of us, and our kids, plus one neighbor who offers part-time help - the work on our farm bleeds into our family life. Remaining in business is as much about good business practices as it is about maintaining strong and healthy family relationships. And if we're in a bad place mentally on the farm, it affects everything in our home life. 

So we're happy and grateful to say that the cows will be going south for the winter again. It's not a conventional approach, but it's one that's healthiest for everyone on our farm, animals and humans alike.