Join Our Journey: Better Farming, Better Flavor

The Pyramid Just Got Flipped! 🥩 🔄

Hello friends,

April is in full swing here in Chester, and the pastures are hanging in there although the hot weather and worsening drought this past week has put some strain on them.

But while we’ve been busy moving the herd each day, something massive has been shifting in the world of nutrition. If you’ve been following the news lately, you might have seen that the federal government finally did something many of us thought we’d never see: they flipped the food pyramid.

A “Gift” for Real Food Believers

For decades, we were told to build our diets on a foundation of grains and carbohydrates, while viewing animal proteins and fats with a side-eye. But the new 2025-2030 Dietary Guidelines have turned that old model on its head—literally.

The new “inverted” pyramid now places high-quality animal proteins, full-fat dairy, and whole foods at the top of the priority list. It’s a move toward recognizing what you, our savvy customers, have known for a long time: Real, nutrient-dense animal protein is the pinnacle of human nutrition. You can read the official announcement from the USDA on this “historic reset” here.

Insights from a Friend of the Farm

Joel Salatin recently called this a “gift” in his latest column. As many of you know, Joel is a long-time friend of Watson Farms—he even spent a day here back in April 2020 helping us navigate our transition out of the turkey business. In his latest article for The Stockman Grass Farmer, he wrote:

“The new inverted pyramid placing animal protein on top represents not only a return to historic normalcy but a renewed narrative of affirmation and acceptance to a demonized segment of American agriculture. All sectors of the livestock industry stand to benefit, but pastured livestock producers even more.”

While some of you may have written off government guidelines years ago (and we don’t blame you!), this shift is a massive win for awareness. It brings the conversation back to real food and away from the ultra-processed “fake meats” that have been pushed so hard recently.

The Pinnacle of the “Spring Flush” Even During a Drought

The air in Chester is crisp and the sun is hanging a little longer in the sky each evening, but this spring feels a bit different. We are currently navigating some of the driest conditions on record, with the U.S. Drought Monitor classifying nearly 94% of Chester County in a Severe Drought (D2). Year-to-date, our local precipitation is down about 4.25 inches from normal, and South Carolina just came off one of its five driest Marches in the last 132 years.

While the drought has certainly put some pressure on the “Spring Flush,” we are still at the height of it, and I’m happy to report that our cows are doing great. We would love to see some rain to help things along, but our decision to not overstock our pastures is paying dividends right now. By keeping the animal-to-acre ratio low, we are maintaining plenty of stockpiled forage to carry us into the warmer months. We are hopeful the weather pattern will change soon, but in the meantime, the work we did back in November is providing exactly what the herd needs.

The 6th Grazing Milestone: Biomimicry in Action

If you’ve driven by our farm store lately near Lowrys, you’ve likely seen the cattle working their way through the pasture right beside the building. Believe it or not, that specific piece of ground is currently on its 6th grazing event since we planted it last fall. The hard work of getting those winter annuals into the ground in early November is now at the absolute pinnacle of paying off.

This isn’t just about feeding the cows; it’s about a process of biomimicry that feeds the soil. When the cattle “prune” the tops of the plants, the plants respond by pruning their root mass to match the biomass remaining above ground. This phenomenon, famously documented by researcher Franklin Crider in 1955 (USDA Technical Bulletin No. 1102), shows that when a significant portion of the top growth is removed, the plant sloughs off a portion of its roots. This “root sloughing” creates a massive, instantaneous pulse of organic matter and carbon directly into the soil profile—feeding the microbes and building topsoil from the bottom up.

Spring has Sprung at Watson Farms

He is Risen! We hope you and your family are having a blessed Easter Sunday as we celebrate the hope and new life found in Christ.

A Spectacular Spring Farm Day

What a day we had yesterday! After all the planning and prep work, Spring Farm Day finally arrived, and the weather really cooperated with us. The turnout was fantastic.

Thanks to everyone for all the birthday wishes! You made my day.

The biggest hit of the day—besides the animals, of course—was definitely our new tour wagon. We’ve been working on a way to make the farm tours more accessible for everyone, and this new design provided easier loading although with the ground being hard, the ride was still a bit bumpy.. It was great to see so many families loaded up and headed out to see what we do.

The cattle herd had been spending most of their time at the very back of the property lately, but they decided to be cooperative for the event! They moved into a closer paddock just in time, so we were able to include them, the pigs, and the chickens in the full tour. There’s nothing quite like seeing those happy animals out on fresh grass to remind us why we farm the way we do.

Between the Easter egg hunt, the bounce house, and the corn tub, the kids stayed plenty busy while the adults enjoyed the food truck and visiting with our local vendors.

A Huge “Thank You” to the Team

We also want to send out a massive thank you to our incredible team. Our Farm Store was bustling all day long! Melody was at the helm, and Jay and Daniel  actually came in on their scheduled day off to make sure everything ran like clockwork. Judson, Melody’s husband, and Lisa, Daniel’s wife, even volunteered their time to jump in and help out where needed. We are truly blessed with people who care about this farm and our customers as much as we do.