Farrah Brown

My first farm tour

We had a very frank discussion with the Drendel’s veterinarian regarding growth hormone and antibiotics and organic milk. The same goes for the discussion we had about grass vs. corn fed beef with Mike Martz. Talking to these farmers about such questions was exactly why I wanted to be a Field Mom.

Feeding families

They are growing food and raising livestock in order to feed my family and their own. Read more +

They live off these farms and eat what they grow. That speaks volumes to me. They care about what their little grandson eats just as much as I care about my own boys and they do all they can to provide the highest quality food for my table and theirs. But beyond that, they care about feeding our world and keeping up with population demands. Read less -

The detail put into farming

I walked away from Larson Farms feeling so very impressed with how intentional they are about their farming.
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I don't have to get bogged down in the details because they do that for me. For all of us. Down to the exact mix for the feed for their cattle and the soil samples that tell them where to concentrate most of their seed and what nutrients need to be added to the soil to give them the healthiest yield possible. So impressive. Read less -

Doing it better

They are always striving to make their farm more efficient so that they can maximize their yields and minimize the costs (both for them and the consumers). Read more +

Mike Martz, one of the farmers, said "It's either doing 1 thing 100% better or 100 things 1% better, but we are always trying to improve." I love that! I think I might have to adopt that phrase for myself. Read less -

How ethanol benefits the farm

Another thing that stood out about Larson Farms, is their commitment to supporting ethanol as an alternative energy source. Read more +

They sell their grain to the ethanol factory and then purchase the end product grain back from the plant for use in the feed for their cattle. According to Lynn Martz, they support ethanol because "we can grow it, we can use it. It's very renewable. It’s a win-win." Read less -

Pride in their work

The Drendels, just like the Martz family, put their whole heart and life into this farm. Read more +

Seeing their farm and hearing them introduce us to their cows gave me such a sense of gratitude for their diligence and work ethic. I loved seeing Linda Drendel interact lovingly with the cows and tell the story of how she nursed one calf back to health shortly after its birth. It is more than evident that they take great pride in this craft they have chosen. Read less -

Questions I’m still wondering about

The Drendel’s said drinking raw milk is illegal in IL. What would be the appeal of drinking raw milk and why do people think it has health benefits over pasteurized milk?
I was surprised to hear that there is no nutrition difference between grass-fed and corn-fed beef since I have heard differently from other sources. Thoughts?

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