"Dirt to Soil": Regenerative Agriculture

I am so excited to revisit this post in 3-4 years.

I read a book last year called "Dirt to Soil" by Gabe Brown and it jumped started my plan for the farm. This book is about how regenerative agriculture practices saved Gabe's farm by growing topsoil, improving natural ecosystems, and increasing his profit. Growing topsoil was a foreign concept to me because all I've known about farming is the traditional monocrop model, which is growing the same crop type year after year. An example of this are the wheat and cotton farms you see while driving from Tucson to Phoenix. I don't want to diminish the significant contributions these farms make but in reference to growing top soil and the sustainability of the soils nutrients, the monocrop model does not add nutrients to the soil.

"Polyculture" involves cultivating various crops on the same land, with each crop contributing uniquely to soil nutrients. Once one crop is harvested, a cover crop is planted on the same land to safeguard soil health by maintaining moisture, suppressing weeds, and enhancing soil biodiversity.

What does this have to do with Still Western Farms? Great question because I'm a hog farmer. Lol.

It's not only important to rotate crops on the land, it's also important to rotate animals.

Rotating animals through different pastures imitates the natural movement of wild animals. For example, the antelope in Sonoita have free range access to miles and miles of land. They move in search of water or get pushed off certain areas by predators and they might not return to one particular area for weeks, allowing that land to rest and regrow. Replicating that movement on 1, 5, or over 20 acres is feasible and involves moving the animals through several pastures each week.

Aerial view of my property.

Not only do I want the land to rest, I also want to add nutrients back into the soil. Each animal I add to the farm has a unique purpose to accomplish this. Right now my soil is dry, compact, and in some areas, lacking so much nutrients that weeds don't even want to grow. When it rains the water rolls right off my land and into the nearby wash. We all know how precious water is in Arizona so every millimeter counts!

My goal for 2026 is to add chickens to the mix. Did you know one chicken can effectively fertilize 50 sqft in one month? Chickens are excellent at naturally tilling the soil to enhance water infiltration. Additionally, they assist in spreading manure by digging through it to consume bug larvae (natural fly control? Even better!). They're kinda the farm super power. Next, I plan to introduce lambs because they are gentler on the land compared to cows. Their lighter weight results in less soil compaction. Additionally, they can be harvested earlier, reducing the need for feed, and they offer a good price per pound.

By managing the land this way, the soil will become more nutrient-dense, the plant roots will begin to expand and retain more water, and I will have more feed for the animals. And that is kind of what this is all about: creating a cycle in which plants and animals feed each other.

This post just barely scratches the soils surface (lol) but I highly recommend reading "Dirt to Soil" by Gabe Brown. Regardless of your location or the prevailing weather conditions, managing the land in this manner has been shown to assist in restoring natural cycles and enhancing both health and productivity. Right now I have 13 pigs, 2 goats, a horse and a mini mule. They're not quite enough to get the job done but don't worry there is more to come ;)

Next, I will talk about why I chose to raise my hogs on pasture...