One of the “perks” of participating in farmer’s markets is that I get a healthy dose of contemplation time on the drives to and from the markets several times a week.  Lately, I’ve been thinking about my life’s purpose and how the dream for Wild Type Ranch arose out of a pledge to myself to live life with integrity. 

Early in life, I had very clear career goals, and most would call a success what I did and where I got to before Ralph and I started the ranch together in 2005.  It seems to me now, a greater success is being able to go through daily life inspired and enthused.  The roots of those words; “in spirit” and “in theos” (or “in God”) speak to a way of living where all aspects of life resonate with one’s “life purpose”.  In other words, integrity.

The more I do in a spirit of being “meant” to be doing whatever it is I am doing now, the more gratifying each activity is and the more my daily existance come into alignment with my values.   I am realizing that integrity has a lot more to do with the inspiration and enthusiasm than just being totally honest and up front.

I’ve experienced lots of inspiration and enthusiasm lately; spending time with my extended family, a new horse at our house, a pair of locavore/meet the farmer dinners and increasing demand for what we produce.   

My boys often say that they can “taste the love” in the food we eat, when it is grown or prepared ourselves or by someone we know.  I think there is truth in that:  If your food is produced with inspiration and enthusiasm, how can it not taste better?

 One of the most common questions our ranch gets from new customers is “Is your beef grass-fed?”  We are proud to raise our cattle entirely on pasture with a diet that is always primarily grass and hay.  But, we do not fit the USDA definition of “grass-fed”.  This is a conscious decision on our part.

 The guiding principle behind our management practices at the ranch is a dedication to the welfare of our animals and the quality of our product.  It is a fact of life in our region of Texas that we do not grow lush, green grass year round, year-in and year-out.  We are working hard at the ranch to build our soil and balance our cattle numbers so that we become relatively immune to our increasingly frequent droughts. 

In the meanwhile, we don’t feel it is in the best interest of our cattle, or our beef quality, to allow our cattle to lose weight or suffer due to poor quality or insufficient home-raised forage.  Consequently, we sometimes supplement our cattle with alfalfa hay or a minimal amount of feed that contains grain.  Ironically, the “grass-fed” rules allow supplementation with feeds such as cotton seed hulls and beet pulp but not oats and corn, which cattle would seek out and eat naturally if given the chance.  The problem with feeding grain comes when cattle are fed a diet that is primarily high-energy grain (such as corn) which changes the pH and natural flora of the cow’s digestive system.  This is not the way our pasture-raised cattle are fed.  We give our cattle the best quality of life possible and produce a healthy, high-quality product.

Yes, we have lost an occasional customer because of our philosophy.  It is a small price to pay for the quality of our beef and the welfare of the animals in our care.

Our home ranch is featured in this month’s Edible Austin magazine.  If you like the photos, they are a credit to my husband and partner, Ralph Mitchell.  He’s also the one responsible for doing the steak grilling for the taste-testing we do of each harvest of beef, not to mention the bulk of the ranch work.

This article presents an idyllic view of our life.  In reality, it is hard work almost every day.  It is also the most rewarding thing I’ve ever done in my life.

While I was in Washington D.C. last week, a cab driver from Mauritius, upon hearing that I ranched for a living, asked how many hours a week we worked and what we did for a vacation.  He seemed surprised when I explained we pretty much worked  while the sun was up and that time off the ranch was only by necessity.

I found myself explaining that although we work really hard almost every day, our “vacations” come in small moments that don’t happen during most people’s work life.   Often, in the midst of a stressful event, I’ll be caught by the beauty of a nighthawk chasing insects in the morning sun, or the smell of clover in bloom.  As it mentions in the article, we sometimes turn a routine chore like checking on the cows into a mini romantic interlude.  Honestly, if I had a week with no responsibilities or duties, I wouldn’t want to be anywhere but here on our home ranch.

I wonder how much different the world would be if most people were able to find the same kind of reward in their daily labor.

Back when President Obama got elected, he promised to include Washington outsiders in his new administration.  In that vein, anyone could go to the change.gov website and submit a resume to be “considered for a position in the Obama-Biden administration”.  I, along with a number of members of my church community, did so.  None of us really thought we were likely to be contacted, but the whole idea was still kind of cool.

In August of 2009, while I was selling our ranch’s beef at the Georgetown Farmer’s Market, I got a call from the White House personnell office asking if I’d be interested in following up on my application.  Once they convinced me they were for real, and that the position wouldn’t require me to leave my beloved Texas, I embarked on an 9-month process of interviews, FBI background checks, paperwork and more paperwork.  In the end, I became one of three Presidential nominees for the board of directors of the Federal Agricultural Mortgage Corporation, fondly known as “Farmer Mac“.  Tomorrow, I am scheduled to appear before the Senate Ag Committee to be confirmed.

Farmer Mac is the ag equivalent of the better known Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.  It is a publicly held (i.e. for profit) institution created by government mandate to help make loans available to rural america.  Of the 15 directors, 5 are appointed by the President.  The job of the Presidential appointees, as representatives of rural America, is to help make sure that Farmer Mac meets its mission.

I’ve been in Washington all week.  At 45 years old, I can safely say I am no longer a wide-eyed innocent, full of idealistic dreams.  However, my week here has made me excited to begin this new adventure.  It is encouraging that a small rancher, not to mention one who makes much of her living through farmer’s markets, would be chosen for this position.  These are interesting times for agriculture and for our economy.  The status quo is being examined and many new ideas are being thrown into the mix.  I look forward to listening, learning and doing my small part create solutions.

One of the top priorities for our direct-market beef customers is that we raise animals without the routine use of antibiotics. That concern is second only to their desire to purchase meat from animals that have not been raised in a feedlot.

We are not an organic operation, even though we use only organic fertilizer and mechanical (no herbicides) weed control. The main reason we are not organic is that I feel it is in our animals’ best interest to be able to treat them in whatever way needed if they get sick or injured.  Sometimes that means antibiotics.  If we were “no antibiotics” or “organic”, any animal we treated would have to be sold at the sale barn into a feedyard.  

In four years of selling beef, I’ve had only one or two customers who have said they specifically wanted beef from totally non-treated animals.  Since we maintain a production history on each animal and know from which animal each package of beef was harvested, we can accomodate these few.

Over the five years we’ve been stewards of our ranch, the need for antibiotics and other “non-organic” treatement has decreased dramatically.  Our soils have gotten healthier and we’ve developed a complex ecosystem of plants for the animals to graze.  We’ve culled (or harvested) animals that don’t do well with fewer interventions. 

But, what about the mainstream beef industry?  A report by the Pew Commission on Industrial Farm Animal Production included recomendations for a ban on non-therapeutic use of antibiotics. This in turn prompted pending legislation that would limit the use of antibiotics of for nontherapeutic purposes.   Nontherapeutic is defined as “any use of the drug as a feed or water additive for an animal in the absence of any clinical sign of disease in the animal for growth promotion, feed efficiency, weight gain, routine disease prevention, or other routine purpose.” 

Antibiotics, when used routinely in intensive production (i.e. confinement) do increase feed efficiency, increase growth rates, and lower the incidence of disease.  We designed our operation with a “no routine antibiotics” pledge not because we were against antibiotics, but because we felt that a situation in which routine antibiotics showed significant benefit was one in which the animals were under stress.  I doubt if our cattle would show any benefit from the addition of any antibiotic feed additive.

One doesn’t have to search far to find written opinions on this issue.  BEEF magazine has had articles and an editorial discussion of the PEW report on the issue.   From a bovine veterinarian’s point of view, banning antibiotic use would increase disease, animal suffering and human health risks. 

My own viewpoint is that this is a whole-systems issue, not one that can be addressed piecemeal.  A ban on routine antibiotic use must coordinate with adjustments in production systems resulting in less stress to the animal, less exposure to disease and an overall healthier environment.  These adjustments will also likely result in an increase in the price of meat.  If the ban is passed, there will be casualties; animal and business.  I think it’s an adjustment worth making, but it must be made intelligently and wholistically.

One of our customers is an aspiring writer who recently moved to Austin.  She is honing her skills and exploring our community all at the same time.

I spent some time with her in February talking about the ranch, our philosophy, etc.  She wrote a very nice piece about it on her blog.

Getting out and talking with people is one of my favorite parts of being a direct-to-consumer food producer.  I get a chance to be an educator (and often the pupil at the same time).  My days at the farmer’s markets always bolster my faith in humanity.  Even though I come home tired, I am also energized by the good people with whom I interact.

Now that spring is fully upon us and the produce is really starting to come in, many folks are beginning to think about finding or joining a CSA.  CSA stands for Community Supported Agriculture, and is basically a way of sharing in the farmer’s production year.   The basic idea is that one enrolls or purchases a share in the production of a farm for a year or a season.  In return, you are first in line for the production, but you also share in the risk of crop failures and the ups and downs of the season.  CSAs aren’t for everyone.  Typically you pay an enrollment fee and then receive either a weekly (in the case of produce) or monthly box of products.

We run one of the few meat CSAs in our area of the country.  Our CSAs enable our customers to get their beef at nearly the same price as purchasing an entire half beef, but they get it in 20 pound increments each month.  Since we need to estimate our beef needs 18 months ahead, having a core of CSA members really helps us to plan.  It is also much more efficient for us to divide a beef into 12 equal shares than to sell by the individual cut at the markets (although at least half of our business is still done by the cut).

Local Harvest had a great article on finding and choosing a more traditional garden produce CSA.   When considering whether or not to join a CSA,  there are a few questions that you might ask yourself.

• Do I like to cook and does my schedule allow me to make homemade meals most evenings?
• Will it be fun to vegetables that are new to me?
• How will I handle excess produce? (Do you have a neighbor who would like to get some if you get “behind”?) Feeling bad about wasting food is one of the top reasons former CSA members site for not renewing.
• Am I willing to accept the unknowns involved in “shared risk”?

Shopping around for a CSA is also a good idea.  It might be a good idea to ask if you can talk to some of the existing customers.  Also find out how long the farmer has been doing CSAs.  They can be a bit tricky to manage until the farmer gets the hang of planning.  It’s great to help out someone just starting out, but that should be an informed decision.CSAs can be a great fit and can benefit consumer and producer.

At Wild Type Ranch, our CSA customers usually get the best beef, and are the first ones in line when the supply gets tight.  Good luck and bon appetit!

How can we feed our world healthily, responsibly, ethically and economically?  That question could start many a heated debate.  It’s going to take some creative problem solving and a willingness to take a hard and realistic look at alternatives and the real (including environmental and social) costs of many production systems to create tomorrow’s agriculture.  Russ Parsons of the LA Times voiced many of my thoughts.  I’m going to quote liberally.

On the one side, the hard-line aggies seem convinced that a bunch of know-nothing urbanites want to send them back to Stone Age farming techniques. On the other side, there’s a tendency by agricultural reformers to lump together all farms (or at least those that aren’t purely organic, hemp-clad mom-and-pop operations) as thoughtless ravagers of the environment

I operate on both sides of this debate because we raise and sell registered breeding stock and sell pasture-raised beef and veal at local farmer’s markets.  I hear more than my share of biases and accusations. Here’s some things I think we all need to remember:

Agriculture is a business. Farming without a financial motive is gardening. …Not only do farmers have expenses to meet just like any other business, but they also need to be rewarded when they do good work.

…we also have to keep in mind that our first obligation is to make sure that healthful, fresh food remains plentiful and inexpensive enough that anyone can afford it.

The world is changing, and those who can adapt are the ones who will be successful.

What’s political is also personal. If you believe in something, you should be willing to make sacrifices to support it, even if it’s expensive or inconvenient. Wailing about farmers who use pesticides and then balking at paying extra for organic produce is hypocritical because the yields in organic farming are almost always lower.

Don’t assume that those who disagree with you are evil, stupid or greedy.

It is good to hear a voice for tolerance and moderation.  Consumers have legitimate desires and concerns, even when they don’t have all the facts.  Individual producers, as a whole, are producing our food in the best way they know and really do care about their animals and the environment.  Let’s fix the problem, not the blame.

This is a guest post by Hona Backstrom, a college student doing an internship at Wild Type Ranch.

When bought directly from its maker, there is a story behind each vegetable, fruit, baked good, or steak. The farmer, baker or rancher knows each article from its creation to its consumption. They have, usually with the help of their families, set up a small farm, kitchen or ranch in order to deliver high quality produce to the public through a farmer’s market.

During a farmer’s market, members of the community exchange money for fresh local produce. In this exchange, the supplier communicates and interacts with the customer on a personal basis. Rather than the impersonal relationship one may find in the rush of the grocery store checkout line, the farmer’s market offers a slower paced and more intimate connection with the artisan. By using this method of trade, customers tend to develop loyalty to specific farmers or producers, deepening the communication and rapport between the two. The produce is associated with a face and a family rather than a brand name and a price tag. Along with healthy locally produced foods, the farmer’s market also provides a place for the populace to meet on a weekly basis, often enjoying firm friendships and strengthening the community itself.

I am fortunate to experience the farmer-customer relationship first-hand. As an intern at Wild Type Ranch, a company that raises grass fed Angus in Cameron Texas, my responsibilities include assisting with the markets as well as aiding in cattle husbandry. I am a part of the process that gets the steak to the table. Because of my work on the ranch, I can truly appreciate the effort that goes into creating quality food. I am lucky to have formed friendships with customers as well as with other vendors and I enjoy being a part of the community each market provides.  Through my adventure here, it has become important to know where my food comes from and who raised it.

The family farm is a vital part, and starting point in the path that brings locally grown food to the table. As a new member of a family farm I have experienced and observed the morals and life skills instilled at a young age upon the adolescent boys here. I myself have learned along with them the value of a hard day’s work, and reaping the gratifying benefits afterwards. Working the farm as a family includes the children in the natural life cycle of the farms animals and they can appreciate life as well as accept death. As a family unit we are forced to depend on each other and function as a whole rather than separate parts in order accomplish a full days work. This reliance forms stronger bonds and we are more intimately connected.

Our hard work, love, environmental stewardship, and artistry are ingredients in the food we produce. The food we raise nourishes not only the body, but also the spirit while strengthening the community.

There was a very nice article about Joel Salatin (made famous to many in The Ominvore’s Dilemma).  There are lots of nice articles about Joel, but what made this one news-worthy to me is that it was picked up in the daily news feed of BEEF magazine.  BEEF is a mainstream beef industry publication. 

The beef industry, as does much of mainstream agriculture, often takes an atagonistic position relative to us “alternative production” types.  I found it encouraging that BEEF posted the article.  One of the things that frustrates me as a agriculturalist is this “either-or” tension between farmers growing for the local market and farmers growing for larger, more mainstream outlets.  Even though we raise registered Angus and Red Angus breeding stock, for sale to mainstream producers, we have on occasion been accused of “damaging the beef industry” because we also sell pasture-raised beef locally.

Kudos to BEEF magazine.  I’ll be interested in watching the comments.