Whole Farm Planning

Ken Peterson owns and operates a beef cow-calf operation in Tamarack, Minnesota, and directly markets his grass-fed, lean, chemical and hormone-free beef. The goal of this farm can be best summarized in the phrase “Whole Farm Planning (WFP) which, Ken says, “is a process of decision making that includes every aspect of your farm, from quality of life to goal setting.”

Ken tries to, in his words, “change a little corner of the world.” Between a trip to Washington, D.C. for the Rally for Rural America, his efforts to revive the Lake Superior Meat Coop, and his responsibilities as a member of the planning committee for the Harvest Festival in Northeastern Minnesota, he still finds time to tend to his farm.

Healthy Production Practices

WFP means that as many factors as possible are taken into account in production practices. The cows are used to fertilize all of the permanent pastures and are fed round bales in the fields in the winter. By using rotational grazing Ken is able to reduce the stress on the land, as the cows move every two days to a new area of pasture. The pastures are frost seeded with red clover and trefoil early in the spring, adding to the healthy diet of the herd. When the snow is too deep in the winter for easy mobility of the animals, feeding takes place in a lot, where the manure is composted and spread on hayfields. Grass filter strips are used in any area that may be a problem, and are effective in controlling runoff.

Because Ken’s Lean Beef is a direct market enterprise, solutions have been necessary to address the questions of availability and sales. “As farmers, we have learned how to produce, but marketing has always been left to retail stores,” said Ken. This is where the now defunct Lake Superior Meat Coop enters the picture. Ken, along with a group of local Northeastern Minnesota farmers, many from theDuluth area, is attempting to revive the coop. The goal of the proposed coop would be to create new markets for meat raised in healthy and sustainable environments and to encourage more direct marketing. A coop would provide a centralized base for meat producers and would expand the range of the potential market for their product.

Ken also gives summer farm tours, which are free and open to the public. You can enjoy lunch on his farm and view Whole Farm Planning in action. Whether it is in the political arena addressing issues of sustainability and small family farms, in the community rallying support for the Lake Superior Meat Coop, or on his farm, Ken is committed to local farming. His grass-fed, hormone and chemical-free beef cows and calves are a testament to his interest in rethinking current farming practices. The results speak for themselves, as his lean beef is enjoyed by people in Northeastern Minnesota as well as across the region.