When Bruce and Katherine Johnson purchased Dragonfly Farms just west of Louisa in 2017, they confronted severely eroded soils and degraded conditions after years of corn and soybean row-cropping, motivating them to stabilize the soil, create a productive farming system, and transform the property into a model for regenerative practices.
Regenerative agriculture is a farming approach that focuses on improving soil health and biodiversity and can incorporate several best management practices (BMPs). BMPs found in regenerative farming systems qualifying for reimbursement under the VACS program include cover cropping, no till, riparian buffers, rotational grazing and nutrient management planning. These practices work together to minimize soil disturbance and increase diversity in regenerative systems.
The Johnsons worked with Thomas Jefferson Soil and Water Conservation District to convert 150 acres of erodible soils in row crops into a diverse pasture system, providing year-round forage for the animals. Year-round healthy sod cover on the land holds soil and nutrients in place while rotational grazing management actively recycles nutrients on the farm. Nearly 250 acres of forested buffers improve water quality by acting as a natural filtration system while creating habitat for wildlife.
The Johnsons manage their pasture with an intense rotational grazing system that incorporates 10 permanent paddocks that are further divided into thirds using temporary electric wire. By limiting grazing to one to two days for each paddock, overgrazing of any one area is eliminated, reducing soil erosion and decreasing runoff into nearby waterways.
To further protect surface waters on the farm, livestock have been excluded from all streams on the property with fences installed 35 feet away from each waterbody, protecting over 4 miles of streambank while forming over 90 acres of forested buffers. Restricting livestock access to streams and providing alternative watering systems reduces streambank erosion and decreases the amount of sediment that local waterways carry.
Contact your local soil and water conservation district
Department of Conservation and Recreation
