This is the story of how authors Beth and Shawn Dougherty grow 90% of their own food on land that was declared ‘unfit for agriculture’.

What does this book cover?

The Independent Farmstead: Growing Soil, Biodiversity, and Nutrient-Dense Food with Grassfed Animals and Intensive Pasture Management is an exploration of intensive grass management. It looks at ‘holistic grazing’, techniques usually only applied on a huge industrial scale, and how they can revolutionise the management of small, marginal farms all over the world.

It contains practical guides to:

• Matching the right types of ruminants to the land and grass species you have to work with
• Building effective infrastructure including watering systems, electric fences and drainage
• How to manage and market all of the products (and by-products) of a self-sustaining farmstead

About the Authors 

Authors Shawn and Beth Dougherty had 20 years of farming partnership behind them when they took on a plot of land declared unfit for farming. 10 years later they raise cows for dairy and beef production as well as poultry, sheep and pigs there. They are experts in intensive grass management and in the sustainable development of marginal farmland.

Together, they tell the story of The Sow’s Ear farm and their unique land management techniques.