Farmacy: The future of health and climate care.
Farmacy: The future of health and climate care
Hi y,all,
I’ve just returned from Bluffton, Georgia. I was told it is one of the poorest counties in the United States, yet there is a place there that enriches the lives of the economy, the local people, their environment, and the animals roaming its land.
I was excited to complete a two-day Immersive Introduction to Regenerative Agriculture at White Oak Pastures. You may be asking, what the heck is that, and why it may be important to my work as a health and fitness coach.
As many of you may know, how we move and participate in exercise and life is only as good as our overall health and well-being. I’m not only interested in food but also where it comes from. I genuinely believe we are what we eat. Our bodies are inextricably linked to our environment and what we consume: food, air and water.
Currently, we are the most obese, mentally and physically ill, addicted cohort in history. Not to mention, our planet is struggling with climate and environmental challenges. I believe farms like White Oak Pastures can play an integral part in helping to resolve both of these challenges. Farms like this may supply more in preventative medicine, so we will rely less on our overburdened health care systems and Big Pharma.
“Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food”.
Hippocrates
The story of White Oak Pastures:
Will Harris’s family has been farming White Oak Pastures in Bluffton Georgia, for five generations (6 if you include his grandkids). When Will took over the 3000-acre farm in 1976, he initially practiced industrial farming like his father before him.
Industrial farms include:
1) Factory Animal farms, where they raise and process animals in densely packed facilities. These animals are often fed feed unsuitable for their digestive capabilities and given antibiotics and hormones to promote growth.
2) Industrial crop farms are generally large-scale mono-crops. Monocrops primarily grow corn, soybean and wheat. Much of which is used for animal feed. Some estimates say that monocrops cover 80% of farmland in the US (1).
Industrial farming practices can include:
Inhumane animal husbandry.
Use of antibiotics and hormones.
Chemicals for fertilization and pest control.
Intense irrigation.
Tilling (mechanical agitation).
Use of Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs). As of 2020, 90-94% of industrial corn and soy are genetically modified. (9) A significant portion is sprayed with Round-Up, a herbicide hotly debated with health concerns, including being a possible carcinogen. (8)
Even though these practices create opportunities for maximum yields, they come at a cost, degrading the soil, polluting the water and increasing greenhouse gas emissions.
Regarding our animal products, there are currently 25,000 Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations (CAFOs) in the US.(2) The main objective of these operations is to maximize growth in a short amount of time. While these operations have high yields, they come at the expense of sick, unhappy (in many cases, tortured) animals and suffer the same health and environmental consequences as industrial monocrops. These animals have been shown to have more inflammatory fats in their meat than well-lived, anti-inflammatory animals.
When it comes to our produce, these practices deplete plant nutrition and taste while also providing a dose of chemical residue for us to ingest. For instance, approximately 45% of Americans are deficient in magnesium due to soil degradation. This mineral accounts for over 600 enzymatic actions in the body. Most notably, it’s a calming nutrient; without it, we can feel muscle tightness, stress, anxiety and fatigue.(7)
Regenerative Transformation
In 1995, Mr. Harris looked at his farm and decided it wasn’t right. He slowly shifted toward a more holistic land and animal management, eventually creating a fully functional regenerative farm today that employs 155 people, has 0 waste, 2 USDA-inspected abattoirs and 10 species of animals.
Mr. Harris mentioned he used many regenerative techniques from the Savoury Institute, a global non-profit organization focused on regenerating the world’s grasslands through holistic management and adequately managed livestock grazing. Yet, regenerative farming practices have no one-size-fits-all, mainly because each farm has a unique environment and potential for what can be grown and raised. White Oak’s approach to regenerative farming considers and manages several complex cycles of nature, including water, carbon, energy, minerals, and microbes. Mr. Harris states that regeneration is about mimicking nature by imitating natural ecosystems.
Regenerative Practices can include:
1. Use of cover crops.
2. Crop rotation.
3. Mimicking natural ecosystems as a way of restoration.
4. Avoiding chemicals for fertilization or pest control. I’ve asked two regenerative farms if they have an issue with ticks, and both said they don’t see them. This is, of course, anecdotal, however interesting.
5. No tilling or irrigation, which is hard on the soil and its microbes.
6. Humane animal husbandry: White Oaks cattle live well and in alignment with their physiological needs. When their time is up, they move out of the pasture into the abattoir right on the property where they are processed quickly and humanely.
And guess what!? Regenerative cattle do not contribute to climate change! They mitigate it. White Oaks has a net negative of -3.5lbs of carbon for every pound of beef produced. (3). The cattle digestive tract is an excellent way for grasses to be fermented and then pooped back onto the land, where it increases the soil biodiversity. Mr. Harris calls it liquid gold for the insects and microbes necessary for healthy soil, plants, animals and humans.
7. Community involvement: The rise of industrial farming led to economic decline and poverty in rural America. For instance, Mr. Harris and his father embraced the industrial revolution. Before going regenerative, White Oak employed three people. Today, it employs 155 people. It has a restaurant, general store and housing for visitors. Before this rebirth, you couldn’t buy more than a stamp in Bluffton. Additionally, the minimum wage in Bluffton went from approx. 9$ to 13$.
The Benefits of these practices:
Increase nutrition and health to plants, animals, and, inevitably, the people that eat them.
Eliminates the use of chemicals and their runoff into waterways. This video shows White Oaks’ runoff during rain compared to a neighbour’s monocrop corn pasture runoff. It’s startling to witness. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=85El8PzfKa4
Prevents soil erosion and reduces the need for water.
Sequesters carbon to help cool the planet.
Improves overall ecosystem health.
Foster healthy wildlife, from insects to birds.
Creates healthy and happy animals who end up on our plates.
The key seems to lie in enhancing the soil’s biodiversity, mainly in the soil’s organic matter. Organic matter % can vary; however, this is what it looks like to give you an idea. (4)
https://blog.whiteoakpastures.com/blog/the-cycles-of-nature-how-we-regenerate-land
Below is a picture of a monocrop purchased by White Oak and in the regeneration process. It’s dirt at .5% organic matter. The green above it is the regenerated pasture at 5% organic matter. Those ant-like things are cows spreading the fertilized manure. White Oaks rotates its cattle daily, allowing the land to regenerate for 60 days.
Is it Scalable for our Population?
From what I gather, it may not be. Yet there is hope.
The biggest challenge may be the cost. Sure, it’s more expensive, yet Mr. Harris highlights the largely unconsidered external costs from an unhealthy food supply. Besides the increase in health care costs, which accounted for 17.3% of the US GDP at a whopping 4.5 Trillion dollars in 2022, and the well-known challenges of carbon in our atmosphere, there are other challenges. Consider a dead zone in the Gulf of Mexico that harms marine life and fishing. Antibiotic-resistant bacteria and superbugs that can spread through our environment and enter the human food chain. Potassium and phosphate mining used for fertilizers, posing significant environmental challenges. Not to mention the cost of increased hurricanes, wildfires, and other unpleasant natural incidents.
There is some hope that it can grow at a community level, which many of my fellow students intended to do. Also, many non-farmers like myself, interested in longevity and reducing climate change, are starting to turn towards this type of food as a preventable form of health/earth care. I’d rather pay for expensive food now than pay later for poor health, increased healthcare costs and taxes for aforementioned natural disasters.
I also find hope in other ideas. Mr. Harris inferred on his podcast with Joe Rogan that it would be a good idea to convince Bill Gates to transform his 270,000 acres of farmland into a regenerative enterprise. (5)(6) He is, after all, the largest private owner of US farmland. This may only account for a small percentage, considering the US has 900 million acres of farmland. All the same, it could be a great start. What great advertising!
Lastly, we have individuals championing this form of agriculture at the US governmental level (I hope Canada is listening). There is apprehension about Robert Kennedy Jr.'s new appointment as Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services. Yet, he is a big proponent of regenerative farming and may be able to make it a household name. Other champions taking this to Congress include Dr. Mark Hyman, Casey, and Calley Means. The conversation has begun.
If you feel inspired by this information, here are a few suggestions on actionable steps:
1. Buy it: If we want to regenerate our minds and bodies with great nutrition and help heal the planet, we must pay for it. It’s not possible to buy chicken for 1.99 lbs when it takes Mr. Harris 4.50 cents to create it. Beef costs are 30% higher in regenerative farms. Again, I realize this isn’t possible for many, but for those who can, your dollar goes a long way when considering the external costs and inhumane industrial farming practices.
You probably won’t see much “regenerative” on produce or animal products yet, but looking for sustainable, organic, anti-biotic-free products is best. Here are a few options available in Ontario, Canada. You can always do your own search through your local grocers.
Animal Products:
Rowe Farms: https://rowefarmsonline.ca
Niku Farms: https://www.nikufarms.com
Butcher Box: https://butcherbox.ca
If you are visiting Grimsby, Ontario, my friend Lisa Sproston has a great regenerative-oriented store, Farm Gate to your Plate https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100057113156097
Produce:
As for produce, some of your local weekend Markets have some fresh organic produce. In Toronto, the Brickworks Market has some great regenerative products: https://www.evergreen.ca/evergreen-brick-works/
Most grocery stores carry organic products. Here are some the best in class:
Ambrosia: https://www.ambrosia.ca
Goodness Me: https://goodnessme.ca
Whole Foods: I still use Whole Foods Market, yet I have been sad to see over the years that their quality and range of organic produce have declined since Amazon purchased them. ]
2. Learn about it. Here are a few resources you can learn from:
Take an online regenerative farm course and see for yourself through Polyface Farms in Virginia: https://www.farmlikealunatic.com
White Oak Pasture blog: https://blog.whiteoakpastures.com/blog
Book: Dirt to Soil: https://www.amazon.com/Dirt-Soil-Familys-Regenerative-Agriculture/dp/1603587632
Web Site: Savoury Institute: https://savory.global
Podcast: Joe Rogan and Will Harris - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ozNK2sgJmcg
3. Talk about it: Ask your server at the restaurant or your grocer where the food comes from. Is it organic? Is it sustainable in some way? The more we ask for it, the greater the conversation grows.
My trip to White Oak Pastures confirmed what I’ve always felt true: we are what we eat, but it also provided much more. Like me, perhaps many of you feel overwhelmed, sad and powerless about global health and the planet. Yet, after this trip, I have come to feel hopeful. I can see how joining the ongoing conversation about regenerative farming can raise awareness of a much-needed shift and that we have tremendous power in how we choose to spend our money at the grocery store. Hopefully, this article left you inspired and hopeful too.
Till next time,
Sarah
Resources:
What Monoculture Farming Is, and Why It Matters: https://sentientmedia.org/monoculture/
The Environmental impacts of concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOS). https://vertexeng.com/insights/the-environmental-impacts-of-concentrated-animal-feeding-operations-cafos/
Study: White Oak Pastures beef reductes atmospheric carbon: https://blog.whiteoakpastures.com/blog/carbon-negative-grassfed-beef
The cycles of nature and how we regenerate land: https://blog.whiteoakpastures.com/blog/the-cycles-of-nature-how-we-regenerate-land
Joe Rogan and Will Harris 2022: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ozNK2sgJmcg
Joe Rogan, Will and Jenni Harris 2023: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SuouquRl3kg
Mark Hyman: The Warning signs of Magnesium Deficiency: https://youtu.be/vq27w7y1pdc?si=T-M4AF0uvvhLGpgG
Can weed killers containing glyphosate cause cancer: https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/does-roundup-cause-cancer
GMO Crops, Animal food and beyond: https://www.fda.gov/food/agricultural-biotechnology/gmo-crops-animal-food-and-beyond