Blog - Wild Meadows Farm Ltd.

How We Wrap Up the Grazing Season Each Fall

As the days get shorter and colder, we are winding down our grazing season. The grass we have left is in areas where we've either had chickens on pasture over the past few years or bale-grazed last winter. This is a good news story for our farm. The regenerative practices we've been using have helped turn one of the weaker parts of our farm into one of the best parts. Because of that, we now have more and better grass. It also means a longer grazing season for our cows, and we will have to buy less hay this winter.

The Peanut Trap and "The One Bad Day" - Lessons from the Farm

Back in the days when I loaded my truck with coolers of orders and made deliveries myself, one of our customers gifted me a children’s book called The Peanut Trap. I remember reading it to our oldest daughter when she was just one or two years old. It's been in our bedtime story rotation here and there, but as she's grown older, it's been set aside for more “big kid” stories.

Stock or Broth? Here's the Difference

If you’ve ever boiled up a pot of bones for soup, you’ve probably heard people call it bone broth. But not all broth is the same, and there’s a big difference between meat stock and bone broth.

Why We Let Pigs Be Pigs: About Ethical, Pasture-Raised Pork

Eating grass, digging in the dirt, exploring their pasture, being social – this is how our pigs express their piggyness. When I watch them out in the fresh air, using their noses to root around, lounging in their wallows, or just hanging out together, I can’t help but smile. It’s one of the biggest differences between how we raise pigs and how pigs are raised in most commercial settings, and it’s obvious.

Free Range vs Pasture Raised: What's the Real Difference?

When you hear the term “free range turkey,” you might picture birds roaming across green pastures, pecking at bugs, soaking in the sunshine, and enjoying a natural turkey life. But as a farmer who raises animals in more traditional, outdoor-based systems, I can tell you that these marketing terms are not always as clear as they seem. I even find them a bit confusing at times.

Choosing Inefficiency: Thoughts on AI in Farming, and in the Future

A few weeks ago, I joined a call with a group of regenerative and direct marketing farmers from across the country. One topic that has been sitting with me ever since is how farmers are starting to use artificial intelligence (AI) in their operations and marketing. The general feeling on the call was clear. Like it or not, the world is changing. If you don’t embrace AI, you risk being left behind.

Regenerative Agriculture is More Than a Buzzword

As regenerative agriculture becomes more popular, the term is starting to lose some of its original meaning. Companies like Walmart, General Mills, and PepsiCo are now using it. What was once a grassroots approach focused on soil health, biodiversity, and community is now becoming part of corporate sustainability language.

Why We Do Pasture Raised Chicken Without the Gimmicks

Like any business, we pay close attention to what other farms and companies selling regeneratively raised meat directly to consumers are doing, especially their marketing. I’ll admit, some of the offers out there make me uneasy.

Author: Mike Dougherty