Happy Cows: a conversation with Hart Dairy founding farmer, Dr. Richard Watson on year-round, pasture-based dairy farming and why that's so revolutionary (Season 2: Episode 7)

Thanks for joining me for today’s episode with Hart Dairy founding farmer, Dr. Richard Watson. Hart Dairy is headquartered out of Waynesboro Georgia and they are, in many ways, setting an example as to how sustainable grass-based dairy farming can be done on a large scale here in the US. As you’ll pick up quickly from his accent, Richard ain’t from around here … but he has been living and working in Georgia and other parts of the Southern US for many years … bringing with him knowledge and training from his home country of New Zealand where all animal agriculture is primarily grass and pasture based. I hope you’ll listen to this conversation because I think … regardless of your role in the food community … you’ll get something out of it. Just a little explanation on what you’ll be hearing … the first part of this conversation takes place as Richard is driving me around the farm … initially I was intending to use this part of the interview for the article I’ll be writing for the upcoming issue of Southern Soil, but once we got rolling I felt like Richard did such a great job of clearly and concisely explaining the reasons that the dairy industry is largely a confined animal operation with corn as integral part of the diet … I asked if we include the interview in it’s entirety as the podcast. So, through this conversation… you’ll ride along with in the truck and then we’ll move out into the pasture and hang out with the girls for the remainder… you will cows moving around and eating and there is a recurring mechanical sound from the central pivot which was nearby. It’s early enough in the morning there’s still a bit of a coolish tiny breeze… the grass is green, the sky is blue and the cows are happy. Topics include: Confined feeding for cattle - why it's the dominant model in the US for dairy farms  Benefits of grazing cattle on pasture all year Cows and climate change - are cows the problem or can they can be part of the solution? Thank you to all of our amazing sponsors who make it possible to share conversations like this one! Please take a moment to visit their websites. Morning Belle Farms Chelsea Green Publishing Savannah Hydroponics and Organics