On 700 acres of undulating farmland in Pine Plains, the earth beneath Sarah Chase’s boots hums with life. Below the surface, a network of roots stretches and intertwines, anchoring the pasture grasses that nourish her cows. These roots, in turn, foster a bustling underground community of microbes and fungi, each playing its part in a delicate, symbiotic dance. This living soil is the heartbeat of Chaseholm Farm — vibrant, resilient and deeply connected to the life it sustains.

Since taking over the family farm in 2013, Chase has embraced regenerative agriculture, a practice focused on soil health and sustainability. “We don’t do a lot of tillage here, so the perennial pastures that we’re managing with the cows — that is actually one of our rainwater collection techniques,” Chase said.

“The biggest change I made was to the way we graze the cows here, and that’s pretty much the biggest regenerative practice we’re using.” With a beef herd of 86 cows and a dairy herd of more than 30, Chaseholm’s cattle are a crucial part of the regenerative farming process. The farm’s grazing methods are designed to mimic the movement of wild herds across vast landscapes — like buffalo across the Great Plains.
 
Erin Lane, deputy director and climate ecologist for the USDA Northeast Climate Hub, explained the benefits of rotational grazing. “The practice of rotational grazing encourages deeper, more robust root systems, which help reduce runoff and erosion during the increasingly frequent and intense heavy rain events we are experiencing with climate change,” she said.
 
The practice, often called “mob grazing,” means that the cows are confined to small areas for brief periods before being moved to fresh pastures. “Right now, our dairy herd is getting about 0.9 acres per day in a 24-hour period,” Chase said. This rotation, which spans more than 50 days before the cows return to the same area, allows both the top growth and the root systems to fully regenerate.
 
Jennifer Phillips, a professor at the Bard Center for Environmental Policy, characterizes regenerative agriculture as “high carbon agriculture,” emphasizing the key role that organic matter plays in soil health. “The feature most commonly associated with the term is maintaining high-organic matter soils, which have many benefits,” Phillips told the Herald.
 
Two cows feed in the pastures of Chaseholm Farm, whose grazing system is designed to mimic the natural movement of wild herds.
Credit: Patrick Grego

“Storing all that carbon in soils makes them resilient to drought and flooding as they help hold onto water and increase the ability for water to soak in, instead of running off and flooding downstream. Organic matter in soils also creates a storehouse for nutrients that can be released just as the plants need them and reduce problems with nutrient leaching into waterways.”

Phillips added that regenerative agriculture can also include woody plants, which store carbon above ground as well as below. “Trees in livestock grazing systems or fruit or nut trees with grain crops growing between the rows are all ways to both increase food production and provide habitat for biodiversity and resilience to climate extremes,” she said. “Of course, more carbon held in farming systems means removing it from the atmosphere, too, helping to address climate change.”

Chase too is exploring silvopasture systems, where trees are integrated into pastures to provide shade for her cows during the hotter months. “If you can have shade in the pastures, in a way that doesn’t smother the grass, the cows will be measurably cooler under the trees,” she explained.

These regenerative farming systems create a buffer against the increasingly unpredictable weather patterns of the Hudson Valley. “I remember a couple of years ago when there was kind of a bad drought, noticing that our grass was still green,” Chase recalled. By keeping her pastures tall and dense, she creates a natural shade that lowers soil temperatures, reduces evaporation and helps plants retain moisture. 

“Regenerative agriculture is a great way to improve the fertility and overall health of soil,” said Doug Ohlandt, communications manager at the Dutchess Land Conservancy. “It boosts the land’s ability to absorb water, helping to decrease erosion, while healthy soils act as a natural filtration system that improves the quality of freshwater sources. These same healthy soils also support increased biodiversity, enhancing local ecosystems and habitats. The benefits of regenerative agriculture are immense, and the compounding gains are felt throughout the environment.”

To explore these benefits firsthand, the Dutchess Land Conservancy is partnering with Chaseholm Farm and the Columbia Land Conservancy for an event on November 2. The event, held at Chaseholm Farm from 1 to 3 p.m., will offer the public an opportunity to learn about regenerative farming and its impact on both food and the environment. 

As a dairy and beef farmer, Chase is keenly aware of the growing concerns about the environmental impact of agriculture. But she believes that regenerative practices offer a more sustainable way forward. “A lot of folks are worried about the impact of their food choices,” she said. “Eating beef from a system like ours, or dairy from a system like ours, is a different thing than a more commodified version.”

Chase sees a larger community impact in supporting local agriculture. “I get really excited about local food purchasing and thinking about it in a broader way — the impact of food dollars. It’s almost more than a dollar-for-dollar exchange when you’re able to connect with your community. Those dollars are being reinvested. You can see how farmers are changing or improving their farms. That kind of sustainability is real, and it will affect our ability to be food-secure in the future. It feels really important.”

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