Innovative methods protect land, air and water
We are always looking for ways that our farm can be environmentally proactive. Dairy farms are very visual. We know we’re under the microscope, so we have to take measures above and beyond to show we’re not just in compliance with governmental regulations, but that we work hard to exceed them.
Beyond that, we want to be good neighbors. This is our home, too, and we love living here. We’re in a beautiful part of Florida, surrounded by crystal clear springs and dense forests. We want these natural assets to stay as clean and unaffected as our neighbors do.
Most of the methods we use on our farm are based in sound science. We work closely with University of Florida researchers to seek the latest approaches to protecting and enhancing the environment.
At our farm, we have a cow manure composting program that is really exciting. We started a partnership with a local lawn and garden company in which we mix cow manure with sawdust and wood shavings. Once it is composted, we have a natural product that provides landscapers a high-quality alternative to commercial options.
Cow manure is a nutrient; a naturally occurring organic fertilizer. When you think about all of the good feed our cows get, it makes sense that we’re not only producing nutritious milk, but also organic materials that are good for crops and will help feed and grow healthy animals. You need to feed a cow healthy feed to produce healthy milk!
Another thing we do to protect the environment is keep a crop in the ground year-around, which helps in many ways. These crops provide a locally produced source of cow feed and they reduce our need to have feed trucked in from out of state. I guess you can say our cow feed has low “food miles.” Having a root system from the crops reduces sand and soil erosion too.
We also do rotate planting. Some fields look like a desert at certain times of the year when they don’t have a crop in the ground. All we’re doing is building the soil with natural fertilizer, making it better and not losing it. Instead of tilling the soil regularly, we use a soil conservation method called strip tilling. This also reduces our fuel use as we don’t have large tractors working the land. It’s a big-time savings for us and the environment.
We’ve also stopped spraying insecticide on our crops from airplanes – something we used to do twice every growing season. Now, we use genetically engineered crops that naturally repel pests without the need for chemicals.
I’m proud of how far we’ve come on our farm, but we’re not done yet. Dairy farms have coexisted quite well with the environment and we will continue to do so.
