Upper Peninsula Farm Hosts Successful Soil Health Academy

By Michelle Sweeten

On Sept. 10-12, 2024, 44 farmers converged with soil health and grazing experts Gabe Brown, Allen Williams and Jeremy Sweeten on Sweeten Farms near Dafter, Michigan. Spending much of the three days outside in the beautiful fall Upper Peninsula weather, participants learned and participated in adaptive grazing techniques. Lunches were provided by local farmer and caterer Dan Jere of Jere Farms and showcased both local and regeneratively raised vegetables and proteins. 

The first day began with introductions and a discussion on what the students wanted to learn. Learning Understanding Ag’s 6-3-4 principles in the field took place next. Students refined their observation skills as they learned the importance of context, minimizing disturbance, armor on the soil, diversity, living roots and the role livestock play in the landscape. This discussion set the tone and foundation for the rest of the academy.  

Soil Health Academy organizers built in time every day for questions and answers. The time in the fields was spent exploring restoring the ecosystem through adaptive grazing, selecting cattle to fit the local environment that can finish on forage, and bale grazing impacts in casual conversational presentations. Students learned to hone in their observation skills while looking for diversity not only in plant species, but also in soil health indicators, insects and wildlife.  

The wide variety of participants came from academia, a variety of states, beginner and advanced farmers who had experience both with and without livestock. Andy Novak from Upper Peninsula Mother Farm participated in the soil health academy and commented, “It was such an incredible experience to learn from some of the greatest minds in regenerative agriculture and we’re so inspired to bring these concepts to our farm.”  

Rebel Pastures posted on Facebook after the academy, “We are heading home after a week full of learning so many new things and solidifying our beliefs about farming regeneratively. I feel more concern for the many people that have no idea that the degradation of soil is causing a ridiculous amount of problems. But I am extremely hopeful with the many young and old farmers at these Soil Health Academys that are choosing a better way to farm. I remain fully convinced that change is only going to happen from the ground up. Each and every time you decide to support a regenerative farm is a vote for a healthier future.”  

The academy’s overall theme was how to reduce inputs to improve profitability as well as building more resilient ecosystems on their farms. The organizers were successful as over 90% of participants were confident that the principles they learned at the Soil Health Academy would result in a more profitable operation for their families and themselves.