FIRSTBORN Version 2

Eleven years ago, in 2013, the beef herd experienced the arrival of our FIRSTBORN calf. On Easter Day 2024, we are excited to announce the arrival of the FIRSTBORN lamb to the sheep flock.

Revitalizing a prairie using animals

Over the past decade the cattle herd has reformed the pastures from a stagnant, over rested grassland into a functional prairie. The return of large roaming ruminant animals have provided the animal impact that prairies need to function properly in this part of the world. The cattle are considered a keystone species for the prairie ecosystem. The four basic ecosystem processes of all working landscapes are:

• Water cycle
• Mineral cycle
• Energy flow
• Community dynamics

The cow herd alone was able to jump start these four processes, but only having cattle impact, year after year, is somewhat similar to only raising corn in a crop field year after year. One species of animals or plants managed well will not provide the diversity and resulting abundance of the creation we have been called to steward.

Multi-species grazing

Pasture chickens do provide some impact to our pastures on a limited scale near our facilities. The addition of pasture pigs two years ago has also provided new animal impact on portions of the pastures. Now with the sheep flock, we are able to impact all of the pasture area with a different grazing species. Grazing sheep provide diversity by:

• Graze plants differently
  • Sheep nibble on plants, cattle pull, tug and rip on plants
• Sheep manure has a different nutrient profile compared to cattle manure
• Sheep preferably graze/browse forbs and shrubs compared to cattle

Each additional animal species added to the pasture provides a unique impact to the land. This impact trickles down through the ecosystem enhancing diversity and resulting in abundance as designed by our Creator. We can actually add sheep to the pasture without having to reduce the size of the cow herd significantly. The two species compliment each other and harvest different parts of the prairie.

The Good Shepherd

We are trying our best to steward God’s creation here on earth with the resources he has provided. We are constantly amazed by the abundance designed into creation. All we do is try to mimic nature in how we manage animals and the land. The results we turn over to the Good Shepherd for what He provides, good and bad, as we experience a journey to steward soil, plants, animals and our overall community. On this Easter Day, we thank Him for ALL He has done.