We have to move them to ensure the health of the paddock, as it takes nature from 8 to 60 days to regenerate the paddocks, depending on the time of year. We have 1,000 acres of improved pasture, organized into 200 plus paddocks.
This is probably the next to the last visit to this paddock when there will be ample leafy greens. However, they have access to paddocks year round. They just don't like being inside.

We cross-breed our cows. In this group of lovely bovines there are visible traces of Jersey, Holstein, Brown Swiss and even the French Normandy.

Because we of our gentle handling, they are without fear, just a bit shy, and very curious. This picture was taken without a close-up lens. They were as far away as they appear, in fact, they formed a ring around us as we sat and studied their living forage.

I have learned a lot just from watching them graze. They know exactly what they want, cherry-picking for the tastiest morsels of the lush grass and legumes. This tops the paddocks helping them thrive. We supplement with a "meusli-mix" of grains year round, to help balance their diet and keep them healthy.

In winter, of course, there is less grass, they live on a carefully blended mix of hay and silage, and the occasional delectable bit of freeze-dried grass buried in the snow.

Lets have a look to see what is growing. My job is to manage these pastures. I am so proud of what we have accomplished here I would hold this pasture up with pride to the pasture produced anywhere in the world. We don't irrigate because we have the ‘lake effect’, moisture that comes in the form of heavy dews and regular rains.

Lets bend down and take a closer look!

Right now, due to a warm fall, and late rains, our pastures are dense with rye grass, orchard grass, smooth-leaf fescue, brome grass, reed canary grass, wild quack grass, dandilions, white, red, and alsike clover, and a host of native wild pasture plants.

Can you tell which is which? The cows can!

Our animal helpers have an incredible sense of smell. They can smell a single molecule. They stay away from grass growing near old cow paddies like this one until they have completely broken down. They know instinctively that the paddies are surrounded by little nuisances called worms, (not earth worms!). Only an underfed cow would dare touch the grass near a paddie until the natural cycle of renewal has run its course.

We hold ourselves accountable for the well-being of our workers, of all species. They repay us many times over through their long, productive and happy lives.

I feel comfortable around them, and they feel comfortable around me.

Our passion and love compels us to provide the best home grown pasture for our cows. We do all we can to give our cows the happiest, healthiest life we can in our little corner of the world, on the western shores of Lake Michigan.

When we say flavor by nature we mean flavor, by nature.
Could life be any better?