In conventional agriculture, waste is treated as a problem—something to be removed, hauled away, or disposed of. Manure is often seen as a liability, food scraps are discarded, and even animal losses are handled in ways that remove nutrients from the farm. But in a regenerative system, waste isn’t waste at all. It’s an opportunity—aContinue reading “Closing the Loop—Regenerative Waste Management on the Farm”
Category Archives: Regenerative Practices
The Worm Test: How Earthworm Activity Reveals Soil Health
There’s nothing quite like the feeling of plunging your hand into rich, loose soil and discovering it crawling with earthworms. It’s a moment of affirmation—a sign that the soil is alive, thriving, and responding well to your care. Earthworms aren’t just garden companions; they’re nature’s soil inspectors. Their presence (or absence) tells us a lotContinue reading “The Worm Test: How Earthworm Activity Reveals Soil Health”
Turning Mud into Gold: Regenerative Waste Management in Wet Conditions
If there’s one thing farming teaches you, it’s that nature doesn’t always cooperate. Lately, the rain has been relentless, and while water is life, too much of it in the wrong place can turn a well-managed animal pen into a smelly, goopy, muddy disaster. That’s exactly what happened in our raken pen—the space where rabbitsContinue reading “Turning Mud into Gold: Regenerative Waste Management in Wet Conditions”
Farming Within Our Means: Why Ecological Carrying Capacity Matters
In the world of sustainable farming, there’s a simple truth that often gets overlooked: a farm should be able to handle its own mess. That means no trucking manure across state lines, no dumping waste into waterways, and no relying on someone else to clean up after us. At its core, ecological carrying capacity isContinue reading “Farming Within Our Means: Why Ecological Carrying Capacity Matters”
Cooler Ground: What Driving Through Illinois Taught Me About Soil, Microclimates, and the Power of Mulch
Driving back from the Homestead Freedom Festival this weekend, I kept glancing at the thermometer on the dash. The numbers weren’t static—they danced with the landscape. Rolling past lush roadside woods and ponds, the temperature hovered around 93°F. But as I entered long stretches flanked by bare cropland—open fields, no trees, no water—the numbers shotContinue reading “Cooler Ground: What Driving Through Illinois Taught Me About Soil, Microclimates, and the Power of Mulch”
Ponds as Land Stewardship: How Strategic Water Management Strengthens Ecosystems
Water is often framed as a finite, competitive resource, where one person’s gain is another’s loss. But what if water could be managed in a way that benefits everyone—landowners, ecosystems, and even downstream neighbors? Despite legislation restricting pond construction in some regions under the premise of “water hoarding,” evidence suggests that small-scale water retention actuallyContinue reading “Ponds as Land Stewardship: How Strategic Water Management Strengthens Ecosystems”
The Microbial Underground: Why Soil Life Determines Farm Success
If you think the hardest workers on your farm are the ones with hooves and feathers, think again. Beneath the soil surface, billions—yes, billions—of microscopic organisms are pulling off the kind of heavy lifting that even your best farmhand couldn’t dream of. Bacteria, fungi, and other unseen powerhouses are the foundation of healthy, productive land.Continue reading “The Microbial Underground: Why Soil Life Determines Farm Success”
The Great Mowing Debate: Why Longer Grass Wins (But Won’t Make Your Yard a Jungle)
Every spring, the battle begins. The mower is dusted off, the blades are sharpened, and suddenly, there’s a fundamental disagreement between two opposing forces—those who believe in keeping grass tightly trimmed to a uniform height and those who see the value in letting it grow tall and wild. At Huckleberry Farms, this argument is practicallyContinue reading “The Great Mowing Debate: Why Longer Grass Wins (But Won’t Make Your Yard a Jungle)”
Farm Table Talk: Let It Grow—The War on Pointless Lawn Standards
There is a battle raging in my yard, and it is not between pests and plants, rabbits and predators, or ducks and mud puddles. No, this war is far more ridiculous—it’s a war over grass. Specifically, whether or not it should be mowed. My mom, bless her heart, thinks the answer is an emphatic “yes.”Continue reading “Farm Table Talk: Let It Grow—The War on Pointless Lawn Standards”
Building Better Soil: Rotational Grazing, Wood Chips, Deep Bedding, and Rabbit Manure
There are two kinds of people in this world: those who say “dirt” when they mean soil, and those who know better. If you’re serious about land management, regenerative agriculture, or just making sure your ground actually supports life, you want soil—not dirt. Dirt is what’s stuck under your fingernails after a long day, aContinue reading “Building Better Soil: Rotational Grazing, Wood Chips, Deep Bedding, and Rabbit Manure”
