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This week on the podcast, Lancaster Farming talks to Blake Alexandre from Alexandre Family Farm in northern California, America\u2019s first certified regenerative dairy.

\u201cWe\u2019ve got a phenomenal growing season out here, that is our winter temperatures and our summer temperatures are only 11 degrees apart,\u201d Alexandre said. \u201cSo we literally have grass growing all year long and, you know, just very productive soil.\u201d

\u201cWe milk about a total of 5,000 cows, including the drys, and get another 4,000 young stock of heifers that are growing up to become milk cows,\u201d he said.

He started off with a Holstein herd but has been introducing other breeds and crossbreeding with Jerseys. Several years ago, the farm introduced a breed called Fleckvieh, a dual-purpose milk and meat breed from Europe.

Alexandre said the Fleckviehs \u201cjust literally take care of themselves better out there on forage, and we lean on grass just as much as any dairy in the country in terms of how many days we graze and what percentage of the diet our cows eat.\u201d

Alexandre is also a proponent of A2 milk and explains what that is and why it\u2019s important.

Much of the interview focuses on soil health and regenerative ag practices, and there is very little discussion of hemp, but Alexandre is active in local government and was on the team that wrote the policy for hemp in the county.

Alexandre Family Farm
https://alexandrefamilyfarm.com/

Savory Institute
https://savory.global/

Regenerative Organic Alliance
https://regenorganic.org/

The Pennsylvania Hemp Summit, April 26 & 27
https://pahempsummit.com/

The Midwest iHemp Expo
https://ihempmichigan.com/midwest-ihemp-expo/

Thanks to our Sponsors

New Holland Agriculture
https://agriculture.newholland.com/nar/en-us

IND HEMP
https://www.indhemp.com/