The Complete Guide to Regenerative Farming: Scale Your Farm’s Sustainability and Profits

by Brent Moore

Chapters

Introduction

There’s no way around it: Farming takes a heavy toll on the environment. Crops siphon nutrients from the soil, fertilizers and pesticides harm wildlife, and repetitive grazing makes it impossible for native plants to regrow. 

But what if there was a way to harvest farm-fresh produce and meats without these problems? 

Fortunately, there is: regenerative agriculture. 

In this guide, we’ll cover everything you need to know about this innovative (and profitable) approach to farming, including: 

  What regenerative farming is and why you should embrace it

  Specific regenerative methods of raising livestock and planting crops

  A curated list of regenerative farming resources

  Our tips for turning your farm-fresh products into profit

Let’s dig in!

What Is Regenerative Farming?

Let’s start by defining regenerative agriculture. 

Adopting a regenerative agriculture approach means prioritizing plentiful yields and protecting the environment. Every choice you make — whether preparing your fields, planting new crops, or grazing herds — should reflect your commitment to the local ecosystem. 

We’ll cover specific practices in later chapters, but for now, here are some core tenets of regenerative farming. 

  • Prioritize soil health: Healthy harvests depend on healthy soil, which is why regenerative farmers use practices like minimal tillage, cover crops, and crop rotation to maximize the amount of nutrients and water in the soil. 
  • Limit chemical use: Regenerative farmers prioritize the long-term health of their land instead of using quick fixes like chemical-heavy pesticides and fertilizers. These products cause pollution, harm wildlife, and increase operational expenses. 
  • Protect grazing lands: Regenerative farmers commit to ethical, sustainable methods of raising livestock. They revitalize their pastures with methods like rotational grazing. 

In short, regenerative agriculture hinges on the idea that planet-friendly and profit-friendly practices go hand in hand. When your farmland is at its full potential, you’ll enjoy higher yields and revenues. 

 

The Benefits of Regenerative Farming

Adopting a regenerative farming approach is planet-friendly, but the benefits don’t stop there. 

Let’s take a closer look at who benefits from regenerative agriculture. 

  • Consumers: Today’s consumers are more concerned about their food’s environmental impact. Starting a regenerative farm gives them an eco-friendly way to stock their refrigerators with farm-fresh meats and produce. 
  • Your community: Starting a regenerative farm can make it easier for your community members to access fresh, healthy meats and produce, especially in rural areas or food deserts. 
  • You: Regenerative farming practices increase yields and decrease operational costs, leading to higher profits in the long term. 

Adopting a regenerative approach is a win-win for you, your community, and the environment. 

An Introduction to Regenerative Farming Practices

Now that you have a basic idea of what regenerative farming is and why it’s worthwhile, let’s dig deeper. 

In the following chapters, we’ll explore specific regenerative strategies for raising and growing crops and provide tips for a smooth transition from regenerative to conventional farming practices. 

A Regenerative Approach To Raising Livestock

First, let’s talk about your farm’s biggest money maker: meat. 

Conventional livestock farming methods fall short in a few key ways. Animals are often confined in pens, fed grain instead of being allowed to graze naturally, and given artificial growth hormones and antibiotics instead of real nutrients. 

As a result, conventionally farmed meats aren’t as healthy, humane, or sustainable as they could be. In contrast, regenerative livestock practices offer a way to improve your animals’ quality of life and the quality of your farm’s meat. 

Let’s look at three beginner strategies for regenerative livestock raising. 

Rotational Grazing

Rotational grazing is the foundation of regenerative livestock farming. This practice involves moving your livestock through a series of pastures, allowing them to graze in one area while other areas recover. 

Rotational grazing mimics the natural movement patterns of wild herds and prevents problems associated with conventional grazing methods, such as overgrazing, soil compaction, and erosion. 

Here’s how to implement this strategy: 

  • Divide your pasture into distinct paddocks using temporary or permanent fencing. 
  • Make sure your animals have access to shade and water in each paddock. 
  • Create a grazing schedule, moving your livestock from paddock to paddock regularly. 
  • Keep an eye on the health of your soil and quantity of forage, and adjust your schedule accordingly. 

With an intentional grazing plan, you can protect the health and biodiversity of your pastures and feed your livestock high-quality forage.

 

cows grazing

Composting

Composting is a farming practice that transforms livestock manure and other organic waste into a natural, nutrient-rich soil amendment. 

This regenerative approach to waste management eliminates the need for harmful waste lagoons and lets you fertilize crops without harmful chemicals. Composting also drastically increases the amount of organic matter in your farm’s soil, leading to healthier land and higher yields. 

The Organic Agriculture Community has an excellent resource on how to make and use compost on your farm. 

Inventory Management

Committing to sustainable farming practices means committing to effective inventory management. After all, every spoiled piece of meat wastes money and resources. 

While tracking your stock levels by hand is an option, this approach is time-consuming, leads to errors, and makes it tough to run a profitable farm store. 

That’s why we recommend investing in a farm inventory management tool to help you track your meat inventory and turn every last ounce of meat into profit. Look for features like perishable inventory tracking, weight-based sales, and barcode label printing to ensure your farm inventory tool is up to the task.

A Regenerative Approach To Growing Produce

Conventional methods of preparing fields, planting crops, and harvesting produce can wreak havoc on your farm’s ecosystem. Excessive tillage, overuse of artificial fertilizers and pesticides, and monoculture cropping leach valuable nutrients out of your soil and lead to smaller harvests in the future. 

That’s why soil health is the number one priority on regenerative farms. Let’s look at three ways to invest in the long-term fertility of your farmland. 

No-Till Farming

Traditional tillage disrupts the soil surface, leads to erosion, and misplaces essential nutrients needed for healthy crops — which is why regenerative farmers opt for no-till methods or minimal tillage. 

Along with higher-quality soil, no-till farming can save you money and time when you’re ready to plant new crops. You’ll spend less money on fertilizer and fewer hours on plowing. 

A no-till approach requires two things: a weed management plan and the right planting tools. 

Planting cover crops can prevent weeds from taking over your soil and protect your fields from erosion between planting seasons. If you want to take your weed management plan a step further, invest in a crimper to remove unwanted weeds without hurting your cover crop. 

When it’s time to plant, use a seed drill or transplanter to plant seeds quickly and gently.

Crop Rotation

Crop rotation is another critical regenerative farming practice. Instead of a monoculture approach, which involves planting the same crop again and again, crop rotation requires you to alternate the type of crop on a particular plot of land. 

This technique breaks the cycle of crop-specific pests and diseases, eliminating the need for heavy-duty pesticides. It also ensures nutrients are used more evenly over time, minimizing soil depletion. 

To implement a crop rotation strategy, be intentional about which crops you plant and where. For example, legumes like lima beans fix nitrogen from the air, enriching the soil for future plantings that require more nitrogen, such as leafy greens or corn.

Cover Cropping

Cover cropping works hand in hand with no-till and crop rotation practices. Cover crops are specific plants designed to rejuvenate the soil rather than harvested and sold. 

These crops, such as clover, rye, or vetch, are planted during off-seasons when soils might otherwise be left bare. They protect against erosion, suppress weeds, and can improve soil fertility when they decompose — acting as a living mulch that regulates soil temperature and moisture levels. 

When used in a no-till system, cover crops can be crimped or rolled down to form a protective mat for the soil, preventing weed growth and turning into a slow-release fertilizer as they decompose.

Organic Opportunities

There’s significant overlap between regenerative and organic farming methods — which can be a promising opportunity for your farm. 

While embracing regenerative farming can help you attract environmentally conscious consumers, committing to organic standards can expand your reach even further. 

As you move away from chemical-based fertilizers and pesticides in favor of practices like cover cropping and minimal tillage, consider formally adopting organic standards to open more doors for your farm. 

Tips for a Smooth Transition to Regenerative Farming

If you’ve been farming for years, embracing these new techniques might seem intimidating. After all, you’ll have to abandon some of your tried and true methods and take a leap of faith. 

That’s why we’ve put together our best advice for a painless transition between conventional and regenerative farming practices. 

  • Do your research: Before taking concrete steps toward a regenerative approach, thoroughly research methods like cover cropping, no-till systems, and rotational grazing. Since you’re reading this guide, you’re on the right track! 
  • Set aside funding: While regenerative farming is often more affordable in the long run than conventional methods, you might have to invest in new equipment like no-till seed drills, initial cover crop seeds, and temporary fencing for rotational grazing. 
  • Get your team on board: Convincing your team to commit to regenerative practices is crucial — especially on a family farm. Share resources like this guide with them to help them understand why and how to make the change. 

These tips will set you up for success on your regenerative farming journey.

 

framing

 

Resources for Regenerative Farming

While this guide is a great place to start when learning about regenerative farming practices, you shouldn’t stop here! To guide your research, we’ve curated this list of the best resources to learn the how and why of regenerative farming. 

  • The Noble Research Institute offers educational resources to farmers who want to protect their soil health and profits. 
  • The American Farmland Trust offers educational blog posts and podcast episodes, provides networking opportunities, and supports planet and farmer-friendly initiatives. 
  • The USDA’s organic standards are a must-read if you’re hoping to transition to regenerative and organic farming practices. 
  • The Regenerative Agriculture Podcast includes over 100 in-depth episodes covering regenerative farming practices and stories from farmers like you. 
  • Your local extension office is an excellent source of information and support as you start your regenerative farming journey. 

Looking for real farms that have successfully implemented regenerative farming practices? Check out White Oak Pastures and Polyface Farms for inspiration! 

How To Sell Regeneratively-Farmed Meat and Produce

Regeneratively produced, farm to fork products are in demand — but how can you seize this opportunity?

In this chapter, we’ll walk through the basics of turning your farm products into profit. 

1. Make a Compliance and Food Safety Plan

Before selling your first steak, thoroughly research your area’s laws and regulations. Most states require farms that sell perishable goods like meat and produce to obtain a license and comply with strict safety regulations, so start the process early in your farm store journey. 

Regardless of your area’s laws, food safety and inventory management should be top of mind as you set up your farm store. Invest in reliable refrigerators and freezers, label products with their package and expiration dates, and use farm inventory software to ensure freshness. 

2. Set Up Your Farm Store

Now that you’re on the right side of the law, get ready to make your first sale. 

Invest in shelving, create signage, and set prices to create the ideal shopping experience for your customers. 

You also need a point of sale (POS) system to process sales transactions and keep your farm store running smoothly. Since farm stores are unique, look for a system with specific features like perishable inventory tracking and weight-based sales. 

3. Expand Your Reach and Market Your Farm Store

The next step on your regenerative farm journey is to create a marketing plan. Farm store success depends on your ability to connect with and cultivate a loyal customer base. 

Here are some of the most effective ways to expand your reach and win over shoppers. 

  • Embrace e-commerce: Make shopping at your farm store convenient by launching a website and accepting pickup and delivery orders. 
  • Start a blog: Share insights and behind-the-scenes looks at your regenerative practices to build trust with customers. 
  • Launch a loyalty program: Reward customers with exclusive discounts for shopping at your farm. 
  • Offer subscription boxes: Earn steady revenue by offering recurring deliveries of your customers’ favorite farm-fresh products. 

Implementing these marketing strategies might sound daunting, but the right farm store software makes it easy. Simply look for one with a seamless e-commerce platform, a built-in customer loyalty program, and subscription management. 

Achieve Your Regenerative Farm Goals With GrazeCart

Ready to start your regenerative farming journey? We’re here to help. 

GrazeCart is an all-in-one POS solution and e-commerce platform designed specifically for farmers like you. With our software, you can manage inventory, sell products online or in person, and grow your customer base to build a thriving farm operation. 

Plus, our team of farm industry experts is available 24/7 to answer your questions, solve problems, and support you as you pursue your small business goals. 

See GrazeCart in action by signing up for your free, two-week trial today.