{"id":6552,"date":"2024-10-04T14:14:47","date_gmt":"2024-10-04T18:14:47","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/ctfarmland.org\/site\/?p=6552"},"modified":"2024-10-09T15:13:40","modified_gmt":"2024-10-09T19:13:40","slug":"agriculture-as-part-of-the-climate-solution","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ctfarmland.org\/site\/agriculture-as-part-of-the-climate-solution\/","title":{"rendered":"Agriculture as Part of the Climate Solution"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">From Soil to Cheese: The Stewardship Behind Cato Corner Farm&#8217;s Flavors<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>By Layla Ennis and Cat Wang<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed-youtube aligncenter wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Soil Health Shorts: Cato Corner Soil Health Practices\" width=\"1170\" height=\"658\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/f9YjxPqoVdM?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Soil health may not be the first thing that comes to mind when thinking about climate change, but its significance is unmistakable. The healthier the soil, the more nature can capture carbon from the atmosphere. Healthier soils offer increased resilience to sudden flooding events like southeastern CT experienced in August. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Fortunately, healthier soils lead both to environmental health and economic prosperity too! <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>When Catherine Wang, Connecticut Farmland Trust\u2019s Conservation and Stewardship Coordinator, spoke with Liz MacAlister, the owner of Cato Corner Farm, her granddaughter Charlotte Gillman-Boggs, and farm manager David Hevner, she discovered the farm\u2019s strong commitment to soil stewardship\u2014a commitment the farmers believe directly influences the health of their herd and the quality of their cheeses.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Liz MacAllister bought the Cato Corner Farm property in\n1979, though the land has been farmed since 1720. Remarkably, the soil has\nremained untouched by pesticides or chemicals since Liz\u2019s acquisition, if not\nbefore. \u201cWe&#8217;re not certified [organic], but we\u2019ve never used chemicals, and I\ndon\u2019t believe they were used before we came either.\u201d Liz explained. She is\nadamant that no chemicals will be used to maintain the grass and control weeds\nin the pastures where her herds graze.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Initially, Liz focused on raising sheep and goats, but in\n1997, she expanded the farm\u2019s infrastructure to include cheese production.\nToday, the farm has 70 cows, with 43 producing milk. In the summer, the herd\ngrazes in the pasture, coming in only for milking every eight hours. Rotational\ngrazing is key to their operation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Liz described to us how the process works: \u201cWe have all the\nfields divided into paddocks, and the milkers are put into those paddocks for\none half of the day, so they move twice a day. After every milking, they\u2019re put\ninto new grass. That\u2019s very beneficial for them and also very beneficial for the\ngrass because it doesn\u2019t get eaten down too much.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The rotational process is flexible to accommodate changes in\nweather and season. \u201cWe are able to manipulate the size of the fields by\nopening up the fences,\u201d David added. In the dairy barn, a comprehensive grazing\nschedule chart helps streamline the process of moving the herd between milkings\nand adjusting paddocks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"821\" height=\"463\" src=\"http:\/\/ctfarmland.org\/site\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/Charlotte-with-the-schedule.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-6559\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ctfarmland.org\/site\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/Charlotte-with-the-schedule.png 821w, https:\/\/ctfarmland.org\/site\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/Charlotte-with-the-schedule-300x169.png 300w, https:\/\/ctfarmland.org\/site\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/Charlotte-with-the-schedule-768x433.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 821px) 100vw, 821px\" \/><figcaption> <em>Charlotte Gillman-Boggs, farm employee and grand-daughter of Liz MacAlister, demonstrating how their rotational grazing schedule works.<\/em> <\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Cato Corner\u2019s rotational grazing began in the 1980s when Liz\nfirst learned about the practice during pasture walks in Vermont and through\nreading materials from New Zealand \u2018gurus.\u2019 \u201cThere\u2019s a lot of information out\nthere&#8230; We aren\u2019t the only people,\u201d Liz emphasized, highlighting how\ninformation sharing has supported the farm\u2019s practices.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Farm manager David brought 20 years of experience in\ncommercial dairy farming to Cato Corner. \u201cI can compare what the animals are\nlike on a conventional dairy farm to what [Cato Corner\u2019s] animals are like. Our\nanimals here, I will argue with anybody, have a much better life not being on\nconcrete,\u201d David stated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The herd not only rotationally grazes all summer but also\navoids contact with concrete during the winter. Cato Corner received funding\nfrom the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) to install a hoop house\nwhere the cows stay in winter on a composted bedded pack. Instead of removing\nmanure, the farm adds more bedding and tills the surface so the material\ncomposts. When the cows return to the fields in spring, the compost remains\nunder the hoop house, protected from the elements, until fall, when it\u2019s spread\nback onto the fields.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThat means that all our manure stays on the farm and it\u2019s\nwhat we use for fertilizer,\u201d Liz explained.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Charlotte added, \u201cAnd then that re-enriches the soil because\nthe soil here is really sandy, and so if you add the manure back to it, it just\nmakes everything a lot better, and it adds moisture and minerals.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Liz agreed, \u201cWhen a lot of inorganic matter like hay and\nshavings go back into the soil they improve the soil quality. It doesn\u2019t get\nworn out.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>David also noted that the composted bed method benefits the\nherd\u2019s health. \u201cCows have cloven hooves that are not designed to be on\nconcrete,\u201d he explained, adding, \u201cOur cows get the advantage of walking on soft\nsurfaces, of going outside and walking outside in the sun and all night long,\nand being more like real cows.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The well-being of the cows is a crucial factor in the\nsuccess of Cato Corner\u2019s operation. Not only are these personal values within\nthe staff, but on a small farm like theirs, the health of the cows is essential\nas it would only take a single cow\u2019s bad milk to contaminate an entire tank of\nmilk. The experience of meeting the herd, seeing them relax amongst one\nanother, and being approached by multiple cows who wanted to be pet and lick\nvisitors was definitely a testament to how these cows were raised.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"597\" height=\"796\" src=\"http:\/\/ctfarmland.org\/site\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/Dave-with-a-milking-cow.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-6560\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ctfarmland.org\/site\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/Dave-with-a-milking-cow.jpg 597w, https:\/\/ctfarmland.org\/site\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/Dave-with-a-milking-cow-225x300.jpg 225w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 597px) 100vw, 597px\" \/><figcaption> <em>Dave Hevner explaining rotational grazing with a milking cow sleeping at his feet and another asking to be pet.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>While Cato Corner has practiced soil health techniques since\nits inception, Liz emphasized the impact of climate change on farming.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cI think people just need to be aware of the difference\nclimate change is going to make. It\u2019s going to change the kinds of grasses that\ncan grow in the northeast, it\u2019s going to change rain patterns and heat\npatterns, and it will change almost everything eventually,\u201d Liz emphasized.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>There\u2019s concern that cows contribute to climate change due\nto the methane they belch as ruminant animals. Liz learned that a Vermont farm\nwas feeding their cows kelp, which modifies the cows\u2019 system so that they\nrelease less methane. It wasn\u2019t long after learning this that she readily took\non the practice at the farm. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The changing climate has also affected grass growth on the\nfarm. This year, with support from a small American Farmland Trust grant, Cato\nCorner reseeded 8 acres of pastures with grasses more resilient to heat.\nPreviously, the farm primarily grew cool-weather grasses that struggled in the\nsummer heat. This change aims to ensure that Cato Corner can adapt to the\nclimate and continue rotational grazing even in hotter summers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"http:\/\/ctfarmland.org\/site\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/Charlotte-petting-cows-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-6558\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ctfarmland.org\/site\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/Charlotte-petting-cows-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/ctfarmland.org\/site\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/Charlotte-petting-cows-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/ctfarmland.org\/site\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/Charlotte-petting-cows-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/ctfarmland.org\/site\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/Charlotte-petting-cows-272x182.jpg 272w, https:\/\/ctfarmland.org\/site\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/Charlotte-petting-cows.jpg 1079w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption> <em>Charlotte petting one of the milking cows out in the pasture.<\/em> <\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Though Cato Corner is a small farm with a relatively minimal\nimpact on the climate, it was important to Liz that they did their part in\nmitigating their own impact on climate change when possible. Charlotte also\ncommented that there is an added beauty when making these changes; Not only do\nthese practices improve conditions on the ground for both the soil and the\ncows, but it also enables them to partake in a movement to help the broader\nworld fight against climate change.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>With the soil being the source of vitality on the farm, it has\nbecome clear that the health of the soil and the cows is closely intertwined at\nevery stage. Charlotte emphasized the unique connection between the land and\ntheir cheese, saying, \u201cBecause the cows are eating from all of our land, the\nmilk that they produce then has components from all the different pastures that\nthen becomes the cheese that sort of represents the farm in that sense.\u201d The\nflavors of the cheese can vary slightly depending on the pasture where the cows\ngraze. Charlotte shared a story about when the herd grazed on a neighboring\nfarm\u2019s empty pasture, which resulted in the cheese having a hint of\nonion\u2014thanks to the green onions growing in that field.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cYour cheese will taste like all of your land,\u201d Charlotte\nreflected, \u201cwhich is a really beautiful thing, I think.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Thank you to Cato Corner Farm for this interview! If you\u2019d like to try their cheese, visit their website at <a href=\"http:\/\/catocornerfarm.com\">catocornerfarm.com<\/a> to see their hours of operation and which farmer\u2019s market they sell at.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Want to learn more about soil health? Try the following: <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p> Soil health basics and benefits: <a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/redirect?event=comments&amp;redir_token=QUFFLUhqbVc0dDIyc3R3QmdRZjlYM1BzQmlqdHQtbWN1QXxBQ3Jtc0tsVzB2bVJCbFBlRUFHTno0Q0IxRFJFSG5jMTM2ZDVBRVYyREZwdHZOMExMdFRKNldJUHg1TVNZaUQ1TFpZODhFaVhwSDdiU0xkbUR0ME5DQmpEQ0Y5b01KSW52VUlVb2tGS3ZPUGxUemZrUTRVakZ2NA&amp;q=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.farmers.gov%2Fconservation%2Fsoil-health%23soil-practices\" target=\"_blank\">https:\/\/www.farmers.gov\/conservation\/soil-health#soil-practice<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/redirect?event=comments&amp;redir_token=QUFFLUhqbVc0dDIyc3R3QmdRZjlYM1BzQmlqdHQtbWN1QXxBQ3Jtc0tsVzB2bVJCbFBlRUFHTno0Q0IxRFJFSG5jMTM2ZDVBRVYyREZwdHZOMExMdFRKNldJUHg1TVNZaUQ1TFpZODhFaVhwSDdiU0xkbUR0ME5DQmpEQ0Y5b01KSW52VUlVb2tGS3ZPUGxUemZrUTRVakZ2NA&amp;q=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.farmers.gov%2Fconservation%2Fsoil-health%23soil-practices\" target=\"_blank\">s<\/a><a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/redirect?event=comments&amp;redir_token=QUFFLUhqblhCLWRfMzdFSTZ3TjRHNDc1WHUyelZpZndnUXxBQ3Jtc0trSXdpaWM0cmM5QkZicW9zVVRwcTJseG5Ua1JLdUN1c29kRUdHb0ZoT3ZJY0RnLXJuN1lIMDNBMVJhR0dETjdlZjg1WWZrVXFtRjRqSnhFa2J1bm5FTzQ1d2J2VkxsSUVEdHBtRGRCMnNSc0NuYXE4dw&amp;q=https%3A%2F%2Ffarmlandinfo.org%2Fpublications%2Fnrcs-soil-health-fact-sheets%2F\" target=\"_blank\">https:\/\/farmlandinfo.org\/publications\/nrcs-soil-health-fact-sheets\/<\/a> <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>USDA service centers and conservation programs: <a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/redirect?event=comments&amp;redir_token=QUFFLUhqbWRhck1uTkhkSzNPUVlOM2FjMnpBNXdleVpMd3xBQ3Jtc0tua0s3Und3VHlsNG5pWWxmQmJCSmw2QkJVZVUxMmc0ZjlyNUQzNlRDdXJDdmNwbGRnVVhxU0hPTUdhRFV0MUt6M0F0d2NXeXlaSkdaeklhUGsxcFFvX2NhSXRRWXc5cE9WNkdwMFpyZTI5aEUyc2Rhcw&amp;q=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nrcs.usda.gov%2Fgetting-assistance%2Fget-started-with-nrcs\" target=\"_blank\">https:\/\/www.nrcs.usda.gov\/getting-assistance\/get-started-with-nrcs<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/redirect?event=comments&amp;redir_token=QUFFLUhqa183cTlpaEJuQUtYdUI4ejh1SWE2dko4allqZ3xBQ3Jtc0tubnFibjZHUF9zREpDNVY3Mjc5TmVESnJoMks2NlY4bkFjbjJpRU44TGx2ajQyc0NzU3d1X2h2TGluTkk4b3hDVFFVZ3FkR1BVR0FKNXg2bUtyR1d3VEgwOUdtcUlSQk5ZNG9QdTg1OW1LTWJRWncwTQ&amp;q=https%3A%2F%2Foffices.sc.egov.usda.gov%2Flocator%2Fapp\" target=\"_blank\">https:\/\/offices.sc.egov.usda.gov\/locator\/app<\/a><a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/redirect?event=comments&amp;redir_token=QUFFLUhqbjQtSkdYMXJiVFdJdUdvUXowdGxaSFRMR1pEZ3xBQ3Jtc0ttSm1NaEF5bkMtdkYxbkhFYjdkWG0wdVQzaWZ0Z0dYcDhzU2hrYlJTQ292MkhUa1lqRXlCNlE1RkkzY0duUndpNy1BeVIyZlRoTkR3YlNmVUI0a0Iydm5NQmFPY2Q4YW12SFdVMGFlMzFFV2luSzk4OA&amp;q=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nrcs.usda.gov%2Fprograms-initiatives\" target=\"_blank\">https:\/\/www.nrcs.usda.gov\/programs-initiatives<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Conservation Districts resources: <a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/redirect?event=comments&amp;redir_token=QUFFLUhqbEVIb1JoT2FRVmp1R1hyREt4aFl3NlRpSExNd3xBQ3Jtc0tuZm4yT21xcmVlVHc1bzBrS00zLUlLNE4zRDFNZ1VRZ0FBdTlTLXdYdW1PZlRtMlRxNXI0Q09PMGZnSHVGY3lUMTlHN2FRN0JFdnUyZGZjVjhVVDhIc1N6UE5JSnkzb2lDV1BVeW1MSXNrTURyVTdJYw&amp;q=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nacdnet.org%2Fgeneral-resources%2Fconservation-district-directory%2F\" target=\"_blank\">https:\/\/www.nacdnet.org\/general-resources\/conservation-district-directory\/<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/redirect?event=comments&amp;redir_token=QUFFLUhqbUFYMGtOcFFrelE4MTE4UlQ4ZnZUR0pHZnBZUXxBQ3Jtc0tsM2lHejMyQ0tOZDdiZDduUjFXYzEtaC0xZ3hoZlFkVnREckFnNXNjcVJ0SWdPLVdVVE96ZE8zU0EzQWc1MERxSHZad2QxbThMNUxVT0RSZjlnSDNMYmxwWU9XenhIdUVUd1Bldm1sT3ZfaENqUzVRSQ&amp;q=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nacdnet.org%2Fabout-nacd%2Fwhat-we-do%2Fsoil%2F\" target=\"_blank\">https:\/\/www.nacdnet.org\/about-nacd\/what-we-do\/soil\/<\/a> <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Soil Health Institute resources: <a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/redirect?event=comments&amp;redir_token=QUFFLUhqbDlraFNhdHRFMkdZb0lMVXFSbnZudUFTT0lsd3xBQ3Jtc0trbXFxQUdUVkY0ZGFzY2FnUVlUWllhYWRicEhvYjFHYm9vOTNWV21Wc3BiN0dkTnU1QTMwdmpGaFlFcG16OVFLSXNYS3RqY3J5MElYRFJEZ182VmpET25wa3FkOVdkNU1LeU1BZmRST0VhUEN6NlpLZw&amp;q=https%3A%2F%2Fsoilhealthinstitute.org%2Four-work%2Finitiatives%2Feconomics-of-soil-health-systems%2F\" target=\"_blank\">https:\/\/soilhealthinstitute.org\/our-work\/initiatives\/economics-of-soil-health-systems\/<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/redirect?event=comments&amp;redir_token=QUFFLUhqa2tjcUZYZEtsb1hVRkVaRnFNN2NEYVI0ZVNOZ3xBQ3Jtc0tsVnEwX1VVVndPWW1iN2NUWEQ1VXFJa2RNWmxZLTltdjRydEFESGxMaFBzUnZMb21yMEVNZXVXVzhJM19sSHJTTDhWaGExT2dnVzBjbUVEeVZXREYzTlNxX1dsNUhOeEZMbThFUWg2d3oyb1J2ZUItYw&amp;q=https%3A%2F%2Fsoilhealthinstitute.org%2Fresources%2F\" target=\"_blank\">https:\/\/soilhealthinstitute.org\/resources\/<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>From Soil to Cheese: The Stewardship Behind Cato Corner Farm&#8217;s Flavors By Layla Ennis and Cat Wang Soil health may not be the first thing that comes to mind when thinking about climate change, but its significance is unmistakable. The healthier the soil, the more nature can capture carbon from the atmosphere. Healthier soils offer [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":6558,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"ngg_post_thumbnail":0,"_exactmetrics_skip_tracking":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_active":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_note":"","_exactmetrics_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-6552","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/ctfarmland.org\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6552","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/ctfarmland.org\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/ctfarmland.org\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ctfarmland.org\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/6"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ctfarmland.org\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=6552"}],"version-history":[{"count":12,"href":"https:\/\/ctfarmland.org\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6552\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":6579,"href":"https:\/\/ctfarmland.org\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6552\/revisions\/6579"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ctfarmland.org\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/6558"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/ctfarmland.org\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=6552"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ctfarmland.org\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=6552"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ctfarmland.org\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=6552"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}