Welcome to Prairie to Fork Farm, it is our joy to produce wholesome food using regenerative farming techniques.
At Prairie to Fork Farm we rotationally graze our livestock in order to provide them with fresh prairie grass. This optimizes the health of the soil and the health of the animal. Which in turn, optimizes the health of our family and those who enjoy the delicious wholesome food that we produce.
Currently, we provide grass-fed and grass-finished beef and lamb, and pastured pork. Cows and sheep were born to roam and graze. Pigs were born to forage and root through the soil. We use them in a complimentary fashion to heal the land. The cows eat the grass and the sheep eat the weeds. As a result, they both spread their natural fertilizer over the land and feed the soil. Our Creator provides this beautiful symbiotic relationship between animal and soil.
HOW PRAIRIE TO FORK FARM BEGAN…
Our Story…
Hello, we are Heath and Kari from Prairie to Fork Farm! We were both Kansas born kids who loved growing up in a small town and rural setting. Both of us received a bachelor’s degree from Kansas State University with Heath’s degree being in agriculture. After we graduated, we moved onto this beautiful piece of prairie land that we now call Praire to Fork Farm. This farm has been in Kari’s family since 1973.
We had big dreams of what it could become. After college, we settled down and had 8 children together. Our early years were spent raising our family with Heath working as an Agronomist and Kari being a stay-at-home mama. All the while, dreaming about how we could start a farm; raise kids and animals; and produce wholesome food for us to eat.
Our Journey at Prairie to Fork Farm…
We first learned about Regenerative Farming from a family life conference that featured Joel Salatin as one of their speakers. His thoughts and ideas captivated us and we were intrigued with his farming techniques. We believe that our Creator ordered the natural world in such a way that everything works together symbiotically. Observing and following these patterns from nature is how Joel stewards his own farm.
We dug in and consumed everything we could learn about regenerative farming and even visited Joel’s farm in Virginia. In recent years we have learned from many other regenerative farmers, including Greg Judy. After years of research, we wholeheartedly believe in the methods used in regenerative farming.
PRAIRIE TO FORK FARM TODAY…
We had the prairie grass land and we had raised beef for our own consumption for many years. However, in order to rotationally graze, we needed to update our farm with permanent and mobile fence and water systems. In 2022, we started with cleaning out existing ponds and building more ponds throughout the farm.
Then, in early 2023, we made the decision to invest in replacing all the fence on our farm utilizing Timeless Fence. We also committed to adding a water system from Powerflex Grazing Supplies & Systems. This allowed us to set up smaller paddocks for the animals to graze with a mobile watering system.
Next, we invested in a new South Poll bull, in order to bring our current herd of Angus cattle size down. Then we added St. Croix cross hair sheep from Greg and Jan Judy’s farm. With the sheep, came the need to also invest in livestock guardian dogs.
This is our journey as we work to provide wholesome food for our family and our local customers. As part of the journey at Prairie To Fork Farm, we plan to add pasture raised pork and poultry soon.
Why we use regenerative farming techniques today at Prairie to Fork Farm….
We understand that using regenerative farming techniques is healthier for the land, the animals that graze this land, and most importantly our family who lives here. We recognize that this is how our Creator ordered this symbiotic relationship between land, animal, and human. Psalm 19:1, The heavens declare the glory of God and the sky above proclaims his handiwork.
As parents, we desire to impart a wholesome lifestyle to our children. Through the hard work that we show them while caring for the prairie land and the animals who graze here…to how to prepare delicious wholesome food that nourishes our bodies every day. As stewards of our family, the land, and animals that we care for; we believe that practicing regenerative farming techniques is the best way to mimic our Creators design for the natural world we live in.