4th Gen Farmer: Farm Life Tips For You

While the idea of growing your own food and raising livestock surrounded by fresh air and open space seems idyllic, it's not a reality for most people.

However, according to Will Harris, a fourth-generation farmer and owner of White Oak Pastures, a family farm that practices regenerative agriculture and humane animal husbandry, it's possible to embrace a farm-like lifestyle regardless of where you live.

City dwellers, pay attention! On this episode of the mindbodygreen podcast, Harris shares tips on taking control of your food system and improving your health. (These practices may even help us change the future of agriculture.)

Harris strongly recommends choosing grass-fed meat whenever possible. "Grass-fed" has become a common term in health and wellness conversations, but Harris sheds light on the cattle-raising process. On his farm, cows spend around two years in pastures before reaching their "slaughter weight," which is approximately 1,200 pounds.

"The life of an industrially raised animal is very different," he explains. "It's all about how quickly you can grow the animal and how cheaply you can do it." In the industrial model, cows reach 1,500 or 1,600 pounds in about 18 months. "This creates an unnaturally obese creature that would never exist in nature," he explains.

These unnaturally obese creatures have a much shorter lifespan. Harris points out that the average natural lifespan of a cow is 20 to 24 years, but an industrially raised cow wouldn't live much longer than the 24 months it spends in a feedlot. "The animal is dying from the same diseases of obesity and lack of exercise that affect most of us."

According to Harris, it's naive to believe that eating an unhealthy animal wouldn't have a negative impact on our own health. "Somehow we've come to believe that eating a creature that's dying from obesity is perfectly fine. It won't hurt you."

While grass-fed meat may not be readily available to everyone, it's important to understand the origins of your animal products and how their well-being impacts your own.

Even without a large piece of land, you can cultivate your own fresh herbs and vegetables. "You can produce a surprising amount of food in a small space. It's remarkable what you can achieve," says Harris. Although making a living selling it like Harris does might not be feasible, he emphasizes that "feeding your family or nearby families—that's wonderful, and it's achievable."

For instance, you could start a square-foot garden (common vegetables include beets, broccoli, carrots, cauliflower, and greens) or choose easy-to-grow plants, like tomatoes and herbs. You may not be able to raise livestock in a small space, but make the most of the land (or windowsill!) you have available.

Harris stresses that the most critical step you can take is connecting with a regenerative farmer in your area. "I sincerely hope all of you can find a regenerative farmer as close to you as possible and get to know them," he suggests. "If visiting the farm isn't possible, connect with them online—follow their Facebook page or other social media platforms—learn as much about them as you can, and become involved in their program."

Find out where they sell their crops, and make a conscious effort to buy from them, if you can. After all, "The only way you're going to be able to help them is to buy from them," says Harris. "No farmer can produce food, grow, and expand operations without customers—that's how most of you can contribute." (You can reach out to Harris and White Oak Pastures here if you're interested.)

According to Harris, anyone can adopt a farm-inspired lifestyle. In fact, embracing farmer best practices can help regenerative farmers stay in business. "Any change we see will be a result of consumer demand," he observes, encouraging everyone to embrace the farm lifestyle—no matter where they live.