Kiss the Cow Farm

2248 Royalton Turnpike, Barnard, VT
www.kissthecowfarm.com
Art by Cecily Anderson

Products: Certified Organic, grass-fed, A2 raw & pasteurized milk; ice cream; vegetables.

Where to buy: Farm store is always open at 2248 Royalton Turnpike, Barnard, VT. CSA available. Products sold at various Upper Valley farmers markets and retailers.

It’s the how, not the cow

Dairy farming has deep roots in the Upper Valley. It has shaped our landscapes, communities, and economy.

Randy and Lisa Robar of Kiss the Cow Farm raise their animals on pasture in Barnard, VT. They sell small batch ice cream, raw and pasteurized certified organic milk, eggs, and dozens of varieties of organic vegetables, herbs and flowers through their farm store, CSA and local retailers.

“How we raise animals has a profound effect on the climate,” says Randy. “Most beef and dairy operations in the U.S. keep cows in confinement and feed them grain, not grass. The carbon footprint of these operations is huge. But if they are managed well, cows can become an asset in fighting climate change.”

“Our pampered Jersey and Normande cows live outside in the fresh air and sunshine expressing their cowness.”

While all cows emit methane, well managed pastures help offset these emissions with the carbon they capture. “Manure left on pasture tends to produce less methane than waste accumulated on feedlots. Bacteria in the soil called methanotrophs oxidize some of the methane emitted by grazing cows,” Randy adds.

Randy and Lisa also feed their cows seaweed. Studies have shown adding seaweed to cows’ diets reduced methane production in grazing cows by nearly 40 percent (and up to 80% in feedlot cattle).

Rotating cows through a series of pastures is also an important practice. Rotational grazing improves soil health and captures carbon.

“An acre of well managed grazing land can pull .5-3 metric tons of carbon into the ground each year! More carbon and more roots in the ground boost the ability of the soil to support nutritious food for the cows. High quality food, in turn, is digested more easily, lowering cows’ methane emissions.”

Pastured cows, chickens and vegetable production reinforce each other. After cows have grazed an area and been moved on, chickens can be pastured there, where they will scratch for bugs and help break apart the manure. Manure from the barn can be composted and used to enrich the vegetable and flower beds. Pollinators for the gardens are sustained by meadow plants in the pastures.