Delighting in Real Food and Supporting Regenerative Farming Now
Regenerate – re·gen·er·ate | \ ri-ˈje-nə-rət – restored to a better, higher, or more worthy state.
Our earth is craving regeneration, especially the land. Since the boom of modern agriculture, the nutrient density of our soil has declined rapidly over the years because modern agricultural practices destroy the soil, resulting in soil depletion. One way of reversing this is cultivating rich soil through regenerative agriculture methods, which will produce more nutrient-dense foods.
Here’s the thing – regenerative agriculture needs to become a priority if we are to continue living off the land. So, without further ado, let me break this down a little for you. Sound good?
In one study done by the University of Texas at Austin’s Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, the quality of our soil was found to be less nutrient-dense than it used to be. I’m talking waaaay less dense. The researchers were studying the U.S. Department of Agriculture nutritional data from 1950 and 1999 for 43 different vegetables and fruits. What they found were “reliable declines”. These declines in food include protein, calcium, phosphorus, iron, riboflavin (vitamin B2), and vitamin C (Scheer, R., & Moss, D. (2011).
Yet, modern-day agriculture uses pesticides and other chemicals for pest prevention + hormones + antibiotics in conventionally farmed animals to prevent disease (the way they’re treated + living quarters harbors disease), which adds further harm to our already depleted food sources.
Not good.
Commercial farms tend to operate in harsh conditions with little to no concern with how the animals and environment are cared for. The more efficient and the quicker the process, the better. Most seek to conquer nature, not work with it. Going back to foods losing their nutrient-density – the quicker + bigger crops are grown, due to factors like the way they are bred, the less nutrient-dense they will be because the uptake of nutrients can’t keep up with the growth yield (Cheer, R. and Moss, D., 2011). That kind of defeats the purpose of why we grow food, doesn’t it?
Don’t get me wrong, most farmers are good-natured people, but the way they were taught to farm or forced to farm is backward in so many ways. The brighter news – many farmers have recognized their farming methods aren’t benefiting us or the earth, and are starting the shift into regenerative practices.
Bottom line – the health of our food + diversity depends on the quality of the soil. And it’s not just produce that’s affected. Let’s take pasture-raised chickens vs. factory-farmed chickens for instance. One study has shown that pasture-raised chickens are richer in vitamins and minerals. “They have twice as much vitamin E and long-chain omega-3 fats, 2.5-fold more total omega-3 fatty acids, and less than half the ratio of omega-6:omega-3 fatty acids” (Karsten, H., Patterson, P., Stout, R., & Crews, G., 2010). Pasture-raised chickens are given ample sunlight and free-range to feed on what they were meant to eat – bugs, worms, etc. Not grain, which is hard for chickens to digest.
And guess who raises pasture-raised chickens? Regenerative farms. Depending on the operation, they also raise grass-fed cattle + pasture-raised poultry + diverse produce. They grow seasonal foods because in season foods are – da da da da! – more nutrient-dense! And the more variety of fruits and veggies you have, varying in color, the higher the chance you’ll have of consuming all different kinds of nutrients! Did I mention that their beef, chicken, and pork bones make an incredible broth? SO GOOD.
“Since a healthy eating pattern involves both a varied array (“nutrient diversity”) and dense concentration of nutrients (“nutrient density”) [46], it might be worthwhile to assess the different phytonutrient pigments contained in one food as a way of eating more “color density” ”
How cool is that?
What’s really cool about regenerative farmers is that they don’t just focus on growing food and tending to livestock in a natural, harmonious manner. In essence, they take on a holistic approach to farming. They are thinking about the land (soil), air (climate), how they can repurpose + reuse to limit waste, and provide for their community.
“Our goal is not only to deliver premium quality, healthy products to our customers - it is also to leave the land our livestock were raised on better than we found it. ”
Regenerative farmers recognize that working with the earth brings everything full circle. It’s living in harmony with the place we call home.
Regenerative farming benefits
increases nutrient bio-diversity and nutrition
improves soil organic matter and creates drought-resistant soil
food is grown without added hormones or antibiotics
works to reverse climate change
reduces greenhouse gas emissions (yep, you heard that right)
provides humane treatment of animals (this also increases their nutrient profile) - think grass-fed cows and pasture-raised chickens
preserves traditional knowledge
restores grasslands
You see, there is hope. Regenerative farming is the way forward, but these farmers are going to need our support if they are to continue replenishing what was once fertile land so they can grow nutrient-dense foods.
So, how do we do that? We get back to our roots.
Get to know your local regenerative farmer + buy from them.
Don’t know how to find one? Click here to find one in your area!
Spread the word about how regenerative farming benefits our land, our climate, our animals, and people (you can also share this post with others :) )
Educate yourself + research regenerative leaders like Alan Savory and Joel Salatin.
Support regenerative movements like the Savory Institute and Farmer’s Footprint.
The benefits alone should convince our country to transition to regenerative agriculture. Sadly, politics, money, and misconstrued information stand in the way. But by educating ourselves and raising our voices in support of regenerative farming, we can help support and grow the movement of the hard-working hands that nurture our food, our animals, and the land the way they were intended to be nurtured.
It can be done.
Together, friends, we can do this!
Sources
Deanna M. Minich, "A Review of the Science of Colorful, Plant-Based Food and Practical Strategies for “Eating the Rainbow”", Journal of Nutrition and Metabolism,vol. 2019, Article ID 2125070, 19 pages, 2019.https://doi.org/10.1155/2019/2125070
Karsten, H., Patterson, P., Stout, R., & Crews, G. (2010). Vitamins A, E and fatty acid composition of the eggs of caged hens and pastured hens. Renewable Agriculture and Food Systems, 25(1), 45-54. doi:10.1017/S1742170509990214
Nutritional Therapy Association. (2019). Evolution of the Moder Diet. Student Guide
Scheer, R., & Moss, D. (2011, 04). Dirt Poor: Have Fruits and Vegetables Become
Less Nutritious? Retrieved from Scientific American: https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/soil-depletion-aND-NUTRITION-LOSS/