robin@curtisfamilyfarm.comWho we are at Curtis Family Farm.
We believe that our health is directly related to the food we eat, and healthy food comes from healthy soil. High quality inputs into our soils are the answer to the incredible low quality soil found in every urban lot and every commercial farm on the continent. Authentic health is not found in visiting a physician but in not visiting a physician through a combination of high quality dietary inputs, lack of low quality processed food, and exercise. If our soils are not healthy then the plants grown in them are not healthy. If none of our plants have the proper balance of micronutrients then how can we expect any human or animal that eats those plants to be healthy?
Conventional mono-crops with traditional fertilizer are depleting our soils of essential micronutrients that are essential for healthy plants to thrive and be disease free. On our farm, everything is composted and we collect compost from organically minded cattle and horse operations and from city homes and restaurants. This is why you will always see compost rows all over our farm. We also companion plant with the plants that provide the nutrients or beneficial insect attraction that is needed for the success of our “cash crop”. Mono-crops are the basis of conventional modern agriculture but plant and animal diversity are essential to the health of our soils, our planet and our own health. We can sustainably grow traditional mono-crop commodities but must learn to add alternating crops to improve the health of our crops and avoid easy access for the pests conventional farmers spray pesticides to kill.
On our farm we are no longer certified organic but adhere to these standards. We utilize animals to benefit the land through rotational grazing techniques similar to Joel Salatin's teachings. Many large books are in print that explain the benefits of this system, but simply put, the following is a basic explanation of what we do. By giving our herds only limited access to our pastures, they eat every plant in the area they are in for their 1-7 day access. The animals are then not allowed to access that paddock for at least 1-3 months while the grass recovers. This greatly improves soil conditions by forcing the cattle to eat even undesirable plants (which usually thrive over decades decreasing pasture productivity) and by preventing over grazing by preventing the cattle from returning prior to the grasses recovery. Free-range chickens mimic birds in nature by following behind the migratory herds to spread out the animal manure and to feed off the fly larva found in the manure. This helps sanitize the land, and spreads the herds’ manure - a natural fertilizer around. The chickens also then add their manure to the pasture further enhancing soil fertility. Between the synergistic work of companion planting, and the rotational grazed animals, the soil is given all the essential micronutrients beyond just the traditional Nitrogen, Phosphorus and Potassium (NPK). If you continually remove plants and sell them off site, micronutrients like calcium, iron, iodine, magnesium, manganese, molybdenum, selenium and many other nutrients found in the plants are then depleted in the soils only fertilized with NPK. Not only are these nutrients essential for our health but they are essential for every plant to grow healthily and fight off diseases and insects. As long as we continue to replace only NPK, our soils will unavoidably deteriorate over time.
We believe organic certification is a bare minimum standard that farmers should achieve. What “Organic certification” really means is a lack of negative inputs into the land. We go beyond this standard by the addition of beneficial inputs, permaculture principles and rotational grazing to constantly improve the status of our land. We believe that thousands of acres of a monocrop commodity that is “certified organic,” is still not a healthy ecosystem. Sustainable is also not a word we should be using either as to sustain our current degraded soils is not viable. We must regenerate the conditions of our soil to make up for the last 100+ years of improper agricultural techniques.
To aid in this restoration we have also turned to permaculture techniques. Permaculture in essence is a way of stacking functions and mimicking nature to minimize our work in a system. For plants that need nitrogen, you companion plant with a nitrogen fixer. For plants that need frequent watering, you can add earth swales that naturally direct water to the plants and also increase the organic matter and hence water retention of the soil. By observing our land and working with nature we can make greater gains in improving our soils than by relying on external inputs such as fertilizer, pesticides and fossil fuels. By increasing biodiversity we provide habitat for pollinators and other beneficial insects, birds, and wildlife that will all promote healthier soils.
Currently on our land we have a small registered Scottish Highland Cattle herd and alpaca herd that we run together. There are also chickens and a few turkeys in a large chicken tractor or free range with electric fencing. We also, have two fields of alfalfa at the east and west end of our property. We have added 3 ponds to the land and built a 30’x90’ hoop house. In the last 10 years we have planted over 12,000 trees and perennial bushes that will provide valuable shelter, resources and revenue when mature. These trees and bushes include; apple trees, pear trees, Saskatoon berries, honeyberries, sea buckthorn, raspberries, goji berries, and rhubarb. We have also added a few beehives to our farm experience, which can be seen just above the hoop house.
‘Who we are’ currently is Robin and Sarah Curtis, our 7 children with Amren Curtis our oldest son taking over most of farm maintenance. If you have any questions about our animals for sale, food for sale, or anything else please contact me at robin@curtisfamilyfarm.com or cell phone at 403-392-5992. Please come out for a site visit, as the 270° mountain views are amazing and the ongoing land development will be educational.
Even if you do not purchase our products, please support:
1) The Soil Sisters four lovely ladies who grow locally and sell to the Calgary market.
2) Warren Dreger at Diamond Valley Farm. Warren is located just east of Black Diamond and I have never seen a farmer with higher quality standards for the way his animals are treated. He is not certified organic but I have never heard of or seen an organic farm that comes close to Warren's passion and integrity in providing for the animals on his farm. 403-815-0778
We believe that our health is directly related to the food we eat, and healthy food comes from healthy soil. High quality inputs into our soils are the answer to the incredible low quality soil found in every urban lot and every commercial farm on the continent. Authentic health is not found in visiting a physician but in not visiting a physician through a combination of high quality dietary inputs, lack of low quality processed food, and exercise. If our soils are not healthy then the plants grown in them are not healthy. If none of our plants have the proper balance of micronutrients then how can we expect any human or animal that eats those plants to be healthy?
Conventional mono-crops with traditional fertilizer are depleting our soils of essential micronutrients that are essential for healthy plants to thrive and be disease free. On our farm, everything is composted and we collect compost from organically minded cattle and horse operations and from city homes and restaurants. This is why you will always see compost rows all over our farm. We also companion plant with the plants that provide the nutrients or beneficial insect attraction that is needed for the success of our “cash crop”. Mono-crops are the basis of conventional modern agriculture but plant and animal diversity are essential to the health of our soils, our planet and our own health. We can sustainably grow traditional mono-crop commodities but must learn to add alternating crops to improve the health of our crops and avoid easy access for the pests conventional farmers spray pesticides to kill.
On our farm we are no longer certified organic but adhere to these standards. We utilize animals to benefit the land through rotational grazing techniques similar to Joel Salatin's teachings. Many large books are in print that explain the benefits of this system, but simply put, the following is a basic explanation of what we do. By giving our herds only limited access to our pastures, they eat every plant in the area they are in for their 1-7 day access. The animals are then not allowed to access that paddock for at least 1-3 months while the grass recovers. This greatly improves soil conditions by forcing the cattle to eat even undesirable plants (which usually thrive over decades decreasing pasture productivity) and by preventing over grazing by preventing the cattle from returning prior to the grasses recovery. Free-range chickens mimic birds in nature by following behind the migratory herds to spread out the animal manure and to feed off the fly larva found in the manure. This helps sanitize the land, and spreads the herds’ manure - a natural fertilizer around. The chickens also then add their manure to the pasture further enhancing soil fertility. Between the synergistic work of companion planting, and the rotational grazed animals, the soil is given all the essential micronutrients beyond just the traditional Nitrogen, Phosphorus and Potassium (NPK). If you continually remove plants and sell them off site, micronutrients like calcium, iron, iodine, magnesium, manganese, molybdenum, selenium and many other nutrients found in the plants are then depleted in the soils only fertilized with NPK. Not only are these nutrients essential for our health but they are essential for every plant to grow healthily and fight off diseases and insects. As long as we continue to replace only NPK, our soils will unavoidably deteriorate over time.
We believe organic certification is a bare minimum standard that farmers should achieve. What “Organic certification” really means is a lack of negative inputs into the land. We go beyond this standard by the addition of beneficial inputs, permaculture principles and rotational grazing to constantly improve the status of our land. We believe that thousands of acres of a monocrop commodity that is “certified organic,” is still not a healthy ecosystem. Sustainable is also not a word we should be using either as to sustain our current degraded soils is not viable. We must regenerate the conditions of our soil to make up for the last 100+ years of improper agricultural techniques.
To aid in this restoration we have also turned to permaculture techniques. Permaculture in essence is a way of stacking functions and mimicking nature to minimize our work in a system. For plants that need nitrogen, you companion plant with a nitrogen fixer. For plants that need frequent watering, you can add earth swales that naturally direct water to the plants and also increase the organic matter and hence water retention of the soil. By observing our land and working with nature we can make greater gains in improving our soils than by relying on external inputs such as fertilizer, pesticides and fossil fuels. By increasing biodiversity we provide habitat for pollinators and other beneficial insects, birds, and wildlife that will all promote healthier soils.
Currently on our land we have a small registered Scottish Highland Cattle herd and alpaca herd that we run together. There are also chickens and a few turkeys in a large chicken tractor or free range with electric fencing. We also, have two fields of alfalfa at the east and west end of our property. We have added 3 ponds to the land and built a 30’x90’ hoop house. In the last 10 years we have planted over 12,000 trees and perennial bushes that will provide valuable shelter, resources and revenue when mature. These trees and bushes include; apple trees, pear trees, Saskatoon berries, honeyberries, sea buckthorn, raspberries, goji berries, and rhubarb. We have also added a few beehives to our farm experience, which can be seen just above the hoop house.
‘Who we are’ currently is Robin and Sarah Curtis, our 7 children with Amren Curtis our oldest son taking over most of farm maintenance. If you have any questions about our animals for sale, food for sale, or anything else please contact me at robin@curtisfamilyfarm.com or cell phone at 403-392-5992. Please come out for a site visit, as the 270° mountain views are amazing and the ongoing land development will be educational.
Even if you do not purchase our products, please support:
1) The Soil Sisters four lovely ladies who grow locally and sell to the Calgary market.
2) Warren Dreger at Diamond Valley Farm. Warren is located just east of Black Diamond and I have never seen a farmer with higher quality standards for the way his animals are treated. He is not certified organic but I have never heard of or seen an organic farm that comes close to Warren's passion and integrity in providing for the animals on his farm. 403-815-0778