Situated on a hill and surrounded by woodlands and marsh, the Merton Hill Farm is a true gem. Much of this 223-acre farm is hidden from public view and someday, when most land in the Town of Merton is developed, this land will be it’s Central Park—a must see for all who visit this beautiful area. 

Today, our Foundation is focused on restoring soil health on this farm. We do this via mob grazing (see sidebar), a controlled process that mimics the relationship the bison had with the prairie prior to the arrival of settlers. In our case, we use cattle as the bison and diversified pasture as the prairie.

For mob grazing to work well, the cows need high quality pasture like the prairie the bison roamed. Unfortunately over the past 100 years, our farming methods destroyed the health of our soils and with it the nutrient rich grasses. So we find ourselves confronted with the proverbial chicken or the egg scenario of which comes first… mob grazing or high quality pasture? Luckily the two work in concert:   

Plant diversity in our pastures is not only good for the cattle but it is also necessary for soil health as it provides food for the microbes that live in the soil. These microbes eat plant matter and, in turn provide nutrients to the growing plants thereby preventing the need for man-made fertilizers. Again, another interdependent cycle—just as nature intended!