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Fogged in at TomKat Ranch - photo by Kathy Webster
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Caring for People and Land
by Kevin Alexander Watt
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Folk wisdom teaches us that it is often hurt people who hurt other people. Living in perceived or real scarcity cultivates deep pain and trauma and inclines our hearts and minds to look at the world with fear and hostility. Either consciously or unconsciously, this can lead those who are suffering to cause suffering in others through their hostility, negligence, or indifference. Folk wisdom, though, also teaches that people who are cared for often care for other people. When we feel supported and fully resourced, we are most ready and able to generously share our gifts and ourselves. These bits of wisdom are foundationally important to how we can create regenerative social relationships, but they also apply to the land.
"What we most need to do is hear within us the sound of the earth crying." – Thich Nhat Hanh
Land that has been hurt hurts people. Many of us experience or witness each day brutal and incontrovertible proof that the wellbeing of humans is inextricably linked to the wellbeing of the planet. Catastrophic fires and floods, toxic agricultural runoff, famine, declining food nutrient density, and the ever-present threat of dangerous pathogens bred in concentrated animal feeding operations are in and of themselves important calls to action. However, simply working to slow or mitigate the pain and harm caused by ecological collapse misses the full picture. Like with humans, land that has been cared for cares for people. Vibrant and healthy lands nourish our bodies, hearts, and minds with delicious nutrient-dense food, intimate connection to the natural world, equitable opportunity for all, and the wonderful and engaging challenge of working in a dynamic relationship to the land.
A regenerative food system can therefore be described quite simply as a food system that we truly care for and that truly cares for us. We hope that 2022 inspires many to bravely see where we may compassionately and effectively care more for ourselves, for each other, and for the planet.
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Rain and Regenerative Management
by Wendy Millet and Mark Biaggi
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Ever wonder the speed of a raindrop falling? Raindrops typically fall at about 10 meters per second and if not slowed by leaves and other types of vegetation, will hit full force on the soil. The impact of millions of falling raindrops hitting the ground is enough to cause erosion and soil loss if plants are not present to reduce the impact of those drops. If soils are compacted, water can’t infiltrate and may pool or sheet causing the loss of both topsoil and available water to replenish underground aquifers.
In the work we do raising food and caring for land, water is a frequent topic of conversation. Whether we are discussing that there is not enough, too much, or when it will come our way, water comes up multiple times a day! Because water plays such a pivotal role in everything we do and is the primary limiting factor for rangeland productivity, we thought we would share a little bit about how we think and talk about water at TomKat Ranch.
As we work to regeneratively manage rangelands, important questions we ask ourselves about water include:
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Growing Perspectives: Understanding Water's Role in Varied Ecosystems from Coast to Coast
by Katherine Berry
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Katherine Berry is a research fellow at the National Science Foundation in Boston, Massachusetts. She is currently a graduate student at the Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy at Tufts University focusing on Sustainable Water Management and Food Systems. In 2021, Katherine did an internship and was the Agricultural Assistant at Wolfe's Neck Center for Agriculture & Environment. During her winter break, she came out to TomKat Ranch to learn about regenerative agriculture and experience firsthand how a regenerative ranch adapts to drought and wildfire risk.
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As a graduate student studying sustainable water management with a concentration in food systems, I had an internship conducting agricultural research on a non-profit farm, Wolfe’s Neck Center, in Maine. One of our exciting grant-funded projects was to incorporate seaweed that was grown in the Gulf of Maine into the diets of dairy cows to test the effects on their methane emissions. We also attempted to trial different drought-tolerant summer annuals in the hopes of integrating them into our pastures, but, ironically, the abundance of rain we received inhibited many of them from germinating.
As an agricultural research farm, Wolfe’s Neck Center receives many visitors. In the summer of 2021, one of those visitors was Wendy Millet, TomKat Ranch Director. After speaking with Wendy about TomKat Ranch, I knew my perspective and knowledge of other systems was limited by the fact that I only had experience working on land in New England. Cold winters, humid summers, and increasing annual rainfall within the region are what I had been accustomed to.
I had never been to California until I had the opportunity to visit TomKat Ranch over my winter break this year. My ride from the San Francisco airport to TomKat Ranch was so thick with fog that I couldn’t see the ocean next to me, only smell it. When I arrived at the ranch, water quickly condensed on my jacket, and my suitcase splashed up dirt on my walk down the driveway. To my surprise, it was not the budding desert that I had been led to believe it would be.
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Regenerative Ranching Toolkit
by William Milliot and Kevin Alexander Watt
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 Our mission to demonstrate the practices and benefits of regenerative ranching and support the research and tools that can help it spread means we receive many emails from people around the world who are excited to bring regenerative ranching to the lands they steward. Often, these people are looking for recommendations regarding content they can learn from as they begin their regenerative journey. This month we are thrilled to be launching a new section of our website that compiles our most recommended resources. We call this the Regenerative Ranching Toolkit.
The Regenerative Ranching Toolkit has a wide range of resources that explore general information and practices, management and monitoring, scaling regenerative ranching, certifications, markets, and peer-to-peer learning networks. Many of the resources in the toolkit were created by TomKat Ranch staff or in collaboration with like-minded organizations, while others are resources we’ve been deeply impressed with and have shared again and again.
We hope this resource helps you and others in your regenerative agriculture aspirations!
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Three New Apprentices (and their dogs) Join Our Team
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As with a change of foliage or a noticeable swing in temperature that indicates a transition from one season to the next, there’s a change taking place at TomKat Ranch that signifies a ‘new season’ for our apprenticeship program. With the start of a new year, we welcomed three new apprentices. Each brings various skill-sets that will support our regenerative land management journey as the TomKat Ranch herd expands to include goats in addition to cattle. With that in mind, please meet:
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Catherine AhSam: Catherine grew up in the small town of El Sobrante located in the East Bay Area. She aspired to be a veterinarian in her younger years and worked towards acquiring experience with animals, volunteer work, and social justice. Upon graduating high school, she attended California Polytechnic University in San Luis Obispo along California’s central coast. Majoring in Animal Science, Catherine studied veterinary medicine, animal husbandry, and worked directly with the university’s livestock, true to the school’s motto of “learn by doing.” She took a liking to Cal Poly’s Sheep and Goat program, eventually working as a Sheep and Goat manager in her last two years of undergrad. She ran sheep and goats on campus to create fire breaks, suppress weeds, and educate other students on animal health, management, and herding.
After Catherine graduated in 2018, she launched a contract grazing business, partnering with another grazier with 20+ years of experience in the industry. Under the name, The Goat Girls LLC, a herd of 900 combined sheep and goats grazed throughout San Luis Obispo County with her trusty Border Collie, Scotch Fly. After 3 years of business, Catherine has joined TomKat Ranch to design and operate its new and upcoming goat program–with Scotch Fly by her side.
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Chris Carvalho: Chris grew up in the agricultural area of Watsonville, CA on a small family farm where they raised their own grass-fed beef and hogs. Throughout his childhood, he was involved in the Green Valley 4-H program. About five years ago Chris decided to get back to his roots in agriculture. He has always been passionate about ranching, striving to do it in a way that has a positive impact on our earth. That’s when he came across TomKat Ranch and figured it would be a great place to further his education in regenerative agriculture.
“I am looking forward to learning how grazing plans can truly impact our soil and make for a better environment.”
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Stephanie Pittman: For the past decade, Stephanie raised livestock in pasture-based systems at for-profit ranches and educational nonprofits across the country. Most recently she managed a sheep herding program that ran 2,500 head on 7,500 acres in central coastal California. As a shepherd, she strives to contribute an example of how humanely-raised meat, via good grazing practices, fits into climate resiliency.
“I’m jazzed to join an organization dedicated to supporting the ecological relationship between rangelands and ruminants, especially during unprecedented drought, desertification, and wildfire.”
 Through her work at TomKat Ranch, Stephanie looks forward to further explorations into how skilled animal husbandry, solid stockmanship, and innovative grazing help craft a high-functioning ecosystem.
“Meat is grass is sun!”
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You can meet our entire staff on our Who We Are website page.
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