CINCINNATI — Nick Hartley turns on his golf cart and drives down a bumpy road. It’s time to move the cows.
Hartley does this once a week. And when the cows see him, some start running. They’re excited.
“They associate this vehicle and myself with fresh grass,” Hartley says.
But the reason he's doing this might surprise you.
“I don’t think farming and environmental issues have to be separate,” Hartley said. “You can do both.”
Hartley runs Bahr Farm, and that’s the reason he opens the gate and claps. The cows here have six different pastures, moving frequently. The idea is to keep them from overgrazing and let the environment recover.
More than that, Hartley and his team are experimenting with pollinator-friendly plants and grass. These bee and bird-friendly plants act as their own fertilizer — enriching soil for cows, while also safeguarding the land from both dry and rainy weather.
It’s something he thinks other farms can copy.
“Farming is tough. And if you’ve been doing it the same way for three generations — without proof, you aren’t going to change your practices,” he said.
But Bahr Farm is proof. The cows are gaining weight, even with the new plants. An average of 150 pounds over a four-month period, Hartley said. His favorite, Patty, weighs 1,600 pounds.
“Once it’s established, it’ll grow in some really bad soils,” Hartley said of white clover, one of the pollinator-friendly plants. “So that’s a great example of a plant that is helping the soil, helping the cows — and helping the pollinators.”
Cardinal Land Conservancy took over Bahr Farm a few years ago, because the owners wanted to make sure it continued to operate as a farm.
“This will never be a subdivision,” said Andy Dickerson, executive director of the conservancy. “It will always be a farm.”
Because even though they have cows, their business isn’t beef production. Their business is helping others. And this is an example of something others are taking notice of.
"These grasses, their roots are 10-feet deep," Dickerson said. "They aren't drought tolerant. They're drought-proof."
Hartley ruffles Patty the cow's fur. She quickly puts her head back down into the grass.
“I think sometimes you need someone to show you that it works,” Hartley said. “Thankfully, it worked.”
Want help?
Hartley said a good first step is dividing part of your farm into four sections, moving cows from one section to the other as often as possible.
Farmers also should reach out to their conservation districts. Hartley said the cost of implementing some of these practices are often subsidized.
