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He finds that he usually needs to feed the cale for a short time around March; other than that, forage is available for the cale to graze. Snow will oen insulate the forage, and when the snow melts, green plants will emerge. Finding Customers To Purchase Beef and Pork Dusenberry has developed a customer base through the local farmer's markets in Helena. No longer does he sell at a livestock auction. e family has a building on the farm where customers who have ordered online pick up their meat from a freezer if no one is around. Visiting the farm gives customers the opportunity to look around at the healthy environment where the animals are raised. is season's beef has either been reserved or sold, and until next February any pigs that are ready to butcher have already been reserved. He does have a variety of cuts he sells from his freezer truck at the farmer's markets. Concentrating on the land using a natural method is a completely new model for the Dusenberry farm. e soil is alive; their livestock are healthy and put on weight faster; and their pasture-fed livestock is in demand. e farm's overall well-being has greatly improved since the Dusenberrys began puing emphasis on the stewardship of the soil. 25 farm406 Five Steps to Soil Health 1. Limit mechanical soil disturbance. Use a no-till drill to seed crops 2. Leave armor on the soil. Allow cover crops to protect the soil from erosion, heat, cold 3. Allow a living root to grow in the soil for as long as possible. Cover crops allow a plant root to feed the soil biology; that biology in turn feeds the plant. 4. Emphasize diversity. For cover crops, use a variety of plants with different functions. The cover crop mix should include at least 7-10 different species. Some improve nutrients, others provide ground cover. 5. Animal impact. Allow cows, pigs and other stock to do what they do best – devour nutritious cover crops, stomp plant material into the soil and fertilize it with their manure. Courtesy of DNRC and Montana's Conservation Districts The cattle are so content they are lying down after being moved into a pasture planted in a variety of grasses. Farm, Ranch & Commercial Fleet Repair TTT REPAIR RAILER RUCK RACTOR Open Monday – Saturday | Email: tttrpr@gmail.com | 1610 34th Ave. N.E. - Black Eagle, MT 406-727-2859 406-727-2859 Quality Service Since 1991