Raising lamb regeneratively to feed his community with Boek House.

This is a film about Dylan from Boak House Hearth and Husbandry, Ojai, California. A first-generation sheep farmer whose sheep grazed on wild pastures of medicinal plants for 365 days a year. Local landowners rent Dylan and his herd to keep their grasses low during the fire season. Grazing animals is an effective method for fire mitigation, more affordable than man-powered heavy machines. In less than 6 months of grazing, Dylan has seen the return of native perennial grasses and wildflowers, whose seeds were fertilized by the trampling of tiny hooves and sheep dung, frolicking through the hills of Ojai, living their best life. This sheep was then sacrificed with much reverence to feed 75 people. Our ancestors ate less meat, but when they did, it was part of a celebration and an excuse for the community to come together. All parts of the animal are eaten, with organ meats being some of the most nutritious. The bones can be used for stock. Dylan tells me that the cost of organic steak in Costco is now pound for pound the same as buying a whole regeneratively raised animal. You'll need a big freezer - regenerative meat is still only available to a privileged few. What if we dismantled traditional intensive farms and returned our herds to wild pastures? Or is that the bucolic romanticism talking?
Why am I telling this story? I was a vegetarian for 25 years, and I got sick. During my recovery, the blood tests revealed that I was chronically low on B vitamins and biotin, most likely caused by a long-term vegetarian diet but also exacerbated by back-to-back pregnancies and two rounds of breastfeeding on a mostly vegan diet. Through my research, I discovered holistic doctor Zach Bush and his school of thought on protein. We only need 10% protein to be well, and the large majority of this percentage can be plant-based. Animal grazing is an essential part of soil regeneration and ecosystem restoration. This leaves the door open for our more romantic farmers and those who are willing to pay the price for really good quality food. Those who want to can get together to celebrate festivities in ridiculous outfits to share the cost of a humanely raised animal. Then it can be the consumer's choice to buy this pricier, more nutrient-rich food less often, and those who want to be vegan can do that too.
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