voice (262)
642-8753About Nokomis EcoDairy,
a Model Biodynamic Farm
by Walter Moora
For you to better understand the farm and the environmental
practices that will be pointed out on the Destiny Walk, we will give
you here an overall view.
In Biodynamic farming, we try to create a farm eco-system. We do
this by designing a crop rotation that enhances soil fertility and
has the right ratio of animals to the total farm acreage. We try to
grow all the food for the animals on the farm. Then, all organic
matter such as animal manure is returned to the land so that the
fertility and organic matter can be improved.
Sometimes I imagine the farm as a huge solar collector that works at
1-2% efficiency. The plants collect all the sun energy, the cows
convert this energy to food in the form of meat and milk and then
give manure that results in fertility for human food such as small
grains and vegetables.
This is a system that is self-sustaining and DOES NOT RELY ON FOSSIL
FUELS. In fact, from our acreage, we not only improve the land for
future generations but we produce a huge amount of food for human
consumption.
On our land, we milk about 120 cows and raise 100 heifers. We have
about 400 acres of pasture and hay. We work in close partnership
with Michael Fields Agricultural Institute, which advises us in our
growing of 200 acres of corn and soybeans, small grains and 20 acres
of vegetables. Although we have two separate farm businesses, we
consider the total acreage as one farm organism.
We rotate the crops through the two farms. Michael Fields gets most
of the composted cow manure and I get all the hay fields. Cows need
lots of food but this can be supplied by hay, which builds up the
soil whereas row crops and vegetables need compost and the soil
needs to be rested every few years and put back into hay.
Between the two farms, we farm about 600 acres, which provides 500
gallons of milk/day, 40 cows for meat per year, enough vegetables to
feed 150 families plus restaurants plus farmers markets, 50 tons of
soybeans for tofu, plus small grains such as wheat for Nokomis
Bakery. We can supply all this food very efficiently from sun
energy, rain and air, plus our husbanding the earth in the right
way.
In addition to the farm ecosystem concept that is so central to
Biodynamic farming, we use herbal preparations that work
homeopathically to enliven the soil. We also believe that the earth
is a living being and give respect to the nature spirits.
Below we describe our environmental measures.
Nokomis EcoDairy Environmental Measures
Soil Conservation
* Intensive rotational grazing, a modern method that restricts cows
to one part of the pasture at a time to allow maximum recovery of
the pastures.
* Crop rotation and permanent pastures on hillsides
* Research on the farm’s soil fertility by Michael Fields
Agricultural Institute
Humane Animal Care
* Bulls run with the cows and calves can run with their mothers as
newborns
* Balance between high milk production and animal health; we favor
grazing over grain-feeding
* Our loafing shed, with its roof, 3 walls and walk-around room, is
healthier for dairy cows than stalls.
Pollution Reduction
* Air quality is improved by growing hay and pasture grasses that
serve as a carbon sink, absorbing carbon dioxide from the air and
fixing nitrogen in the soil.
* Water quality is improved by conservation filtration strips along
the ditches to prevent soil erosion.
* Waste water from the milking parlor flows into 2 ponds, where
bio-organisms eat up manure on the ponds’ bottoms. 19 “Flow Form”
fountains clean the ponds’ water much as natural streams do,
customized for Nokomis Farm. Around the ponds, aquatic plants help
clean the ponds and prairie grasses provide lovely landscaping.
* Manure is fully composted with biodynamic preparations and the
biodynamic vegetable garden is rich with 20 years of compost.
Wildlife Enhancement
* Maintenance of hedgerows helps create the bird and wildlife
sanctuary amid the protected original savannah of oak trees native
to Wisconsin.
* 50 acres of wooded pasture with oaks and shag bark hickory trees
are maintained, offering shade and water amid the bio-diverse
fields, forest and wetlands.
* Beneficial insects are increased by providing habitat such as
hedgerows and harmful insects are decreased by a variety of crops
and crop rotations.
* A sustainable forest of 80 acres is maintained with clearings for
gatherings
Organic and Biodynamic Practices
* Biodynamic preparations are used to increase soil fertility (these
are special composts of stinging nettles, dandelions, chamomile, oak
bark, and valerian dissolved in water).
* Biodynamic corn and grains grown on the farm provide 80% of the
cows’ feed, aiming at self-sustainability.
* The biodynamic and organic certification process called Demeter is
maintained.
* Alternating row crops and hay achieves weed and pest control
* Festivals are regularly held on the farm to deepen relationships
between the community and the land.
* The farm is treated as one holistic ecosystem.
Education Programs
* “A Week on the Farm” provides education for children on
self-reliance and human-animal relationships. Farm animals for the
children’s program include horses, a cow, sheep, goats, pigs,
rabbits, chickens, geese, ducks, cats and dogs.
* A young-farmer internship program occurs annually.
Spiritual Practices
* Nokomis Farm offers meditation spots and Gaia ceremonies.