Buying Local S3E37: Regenerative Farming with Arthur Kraamwinkel

In this episode of the Buying Local Podcast, host Mike Nelson sits down with Arthur Kraamwinkel, a poultry farmer from Hepatica Farm in Greenwich, NY. They dive into the challenges and rewards of regenerative farming, the economics of pastured poultry, Arthur’s vision for a diversified, sustainable farm operation, and more!Find the Buying Local Podcast on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Rumble.Learn more about Arthur and Hepatika Farm at www.hepaticafarm.com.00:00 Intro and Arthur’s introduction as a poultry farmer00:37 Why poultry? Short investment-to-return cycle01:36 Vision for a multi-species grazing operation02:19 Starting with pastured poultry to restore soil02:57 Benefits of Katahdin sheep for parasite resistance03:50 Economics of pigs, sheep, and beef compared04:25 Using organic feed and chicken manure as fertilizer06:30 Scaling up to 6,000 birds annually07:32 Challenges with Salatin-style chicken tractors08:12 Arthur’s custom-built chicken schooners09:10 Using silage plastic for better shade and ventilation10:00 Adapting to extreme weather challenges11:06 Plans for a water system to reduce labor12:46 Joe Salatin’s influence and regenerative ag principles14:51 Health benefits of pastured poultry vs. barn-raised25:00 Organic certification requirements explained30:00 Arthur’s commitment to honest, healthy food52:36 Where to find Hepatica Farm’s products