Cropland Revival – Pasture Farming and Our Environment

September 17, 2020

Canada is known for its vast landmass and beautiful topography, but did you know that over a third of Canada’s agricultural land isn’t actually suitable for planting crops? Unsuitable meaning they are either too rocky, hilly, wet or dry. That’s around 22 million professional football fields’ worth of unplantable land out of the total 68 million hectares available. (p.s. 22 million professional football fields are near the size of the entire United Kingdom!) 

Rather than letting these areas sit and lay to waste, pasture-raising animal farmers are able to utilize this land and help local ecosystems flourish. Many different farmers, including some of ours like Carrie at Woolley’s Lamb, choose to plant native grasses and rotate their animals among pastures. 

By establishing safe distances from water sources to avoid pollution and soil run-off, the rotation of animals amongst pastures helps to fertilize and sustain wildlife populations in these local pasture ecosystems. Some species, such as grassland birds like the Bobolink or Eastern Meadowlark, rely on areas with tall grasses to nest. If farmers stop planting and maintaining grass crops, small shrubs and trees start to take over and those types of birds lose their habitats.
We take pride in knowing that our farm partners and their practices are doing their part in giving back to the environment. Our partner Carrie was recently featured in the Globe and Mail, and is one of the first silvopasture farmers in Canada. She is leading the industry in sustainable animal farming and you get to be a part of that and support her farm by ordering your first box from her today! Read more about her and her animals, or listen to her podcast where she talks all about how she started farming and her farming practices.