Alternative Farming

Roger and Michelle Benrud operate a 267-acre dairy and beef farm in Goodhue, Minnesota on land that has been owned by Roger’s father since the 1940’s. When Roger and Michelle started managing the land in 1992, the farm was mostly used for crop production; about five years ago, they made the switch to rotationally grazing pastures instead. “The way I was farming before, I saw problems. It didn’t feel right,” Roger says. Through talking with other farmers Roger and Michelle learned about alternatives that still allowed them to make a living on the land. “We found it was possible to leave the world a better place than when we found it,” Roger explains.

New Ways to Graze

By using a rotational grazing system, Roger and Michelle feed their cows a very high forage diet, utilizing perennial forage plants that minimize soil erosion as much as possible. This also creates healthier food that is:

* higher in Omega 3’s and other good fats,
* higher in vitamin content, and
* lower in Omega 6’s (a bad fat).

The Benrud’s also leave a small patch of land for passing migratory birds to have a resting area on their farm. In turn, they create a pasture that is pleasing to the eye.

Roger sees their farm as an example of agriculture where the market is not the top priority. Through groups like the Midwest Food Alliance and PastureLand Cooperative (six southeast Minnesota milk producers who use intensive rotational grazing), he hopes to inspire others towards a more balanced approach to farming. “There are farmers out there that are doing a good job and taking good care of their animals,” says Roger. “It’s important to educate the consumers about the benefits of buying from them.”

Multiple Market Appeal

In Roger’s experience, appealing to multiple markets is an important key to selling value-added products. “We’re trying to have a whole spectrum of reasons to buy our products,” explains Roger, “Some people buy because we’re local, some buy because our products taste good, some buy because we don’t use antibiotic or hormones, some buy for environmental reasons, and some buy because grass fed animals are so much more healthier for you.” The PastureLand Co-op’s marketing strategies have been to sell at:

* Twin Cities Co-ops (doing demos and providing samples at the stores that carry their products),
* mail order all over the country and
* selling at Rochester farmer’s markets.

Roger says that the PastureLand Co-op tries to get as much press coverage as they can, which is very helpful, because advertisements are so expensive. The Minneapolis Star Tribune covered a recent “Open Farm Day” in their Food Section, and a large percent of the visitors that attended came because of the article.

Farm to Farm Stewardship

Stewardship extends from farm to family for the Benrud’s, who find that being responsible for the land and caring for a family are the most important aspects of their life. “We try to strike a balance between making a living, family life, and taking good care of the land,” explains Roger. “We make less money than we would in town, but we take into account the value from being here that you can’t put a dollar on.” Roger and Michelle look forward to raising children in an environment where they can observe wild animals and the cycle of life, learn responsibility, and work together as a family.