According to the United States Department of Agriculture, sustainable agricultural practices are intended to protect the environment, expand the Earth’s natural resource base and maintain and improve soil fertility.

Based on a multi-pronged goal, sustainable agriculture seeks to increase profitable farm income, promote environmental stewardship, enhance quality of life for farm families and communities and increase production for human food and fiber needs.

Sustainable agriculture frequently encompasses a wide range of production practices, including conventional and organic.

Many sustainable practices have been employed for thousands of years. It was only in the 20th century that these practices were “discovered” by post-colonial society and began to be adopted into the modern-day agricultural system, often erasing indigenous history in the process, said Anya Hanna, spokeswoman for Pasa Sustainable Agriculture, a Pennsylvania-based nonprofit that supports farmers across the Mid-Atlantic and beyond.

Cattle graze at Thistle Creek Farms near Warriors Mark. George Lake, who owns Thistle Creek Farms, said the farm adopted sustainable practices in the early 1980s and have used them ever since. Courtesy photo

Founded in 1992, Pasa is the largest statewide, member-based sustainable farming organization in the United States.

Just as sustainability looks different for every farm and every farmer, so, too, do its goals. Some might prioritize employing climate-smart practices that safeguard air, soil and water quality and provide wildlife habitats, while others prioritize financial sustainability, building a viable career and providing living wages for their employees, Hanna said.

“One of the things that really sets Pasa apart is our sense of community: We work hard to listen to and understand the unique and diverse needs of the farmers in our network, and it’s their insights that help shape the programs, services, tools and resources we offer that will help them achieve their goals,” Hanna said.

George Lake, who owns Thistle Creek Farms near Warriors Mark with his wife, Christy, said they got into sustainable agriculture before it became popular.

“Thistle Creek Farms has been producing high-quality grass-fed beef for more than four decades. ​Our main goal is to raise grass-fed beef and sheep on the best grasses from around the world,” Lake said. “We got into sustainable agriculture even before it became a popular way of caring for the land and environment. We turn more and more cropland back to grass every year. Our soils are teaming with the micro-organisms and earthworms that nature intended.”

Thistle Creek Farms has about 500 beef cattle, mostly black angus, and about 300 sheep. Lake said their farm adopted sustainable practices in the early 1980s and have used them ever since. They don’t use fertilizer and they don’t use any pesticides in an effort to bring back “natural helpers” like earthworms.

“We are frontier farmers. Most days, the only equipment running is a four-wheeler, usually with a dog on the back as we go out to move cattle to new grass. We have learned how to feed the livestock in the soil, and they take care of the livestock on the soil. Our soils are nutrient-dense, which not only has health benefits, but also adds to the flavor of our meats,” Lake said.

The Lakes are concerned about the preservation of farmland.

“We could make a fortune if we sold the property and it was developed, but it is more important to preserve farmland,” Christy Lake said. “Who would feed America if all of the farmland is developed?”

“If you practice good soil practices, they get passed onto the next generation. That is why I work at 78. This kind of agriculture is a romance for me. l am able to pass this on to the next generation,” George Lake said.

Meanwhile, David Rice, owner of Ojala Farm and Clover Creek Cheese Cellar near Williamsburg, is a Pasa board member.

Rice said his farm’s mission is to profitably produce a wholesome product that is healthy for families, animals, the community and the environment.

“We sell raw milk, beef and artisan cheese, allowing us to remain a small family farm and still pay our ever-increasing expenses. We have learned that cows eating and living on pasture live longer and stay healthier. We keep our whole farm in grass pasture to keep the soil from washing away during rainstorms or blowing away during windstorms, benefiting Clover Creek’s high-quality water status,” Rice said.

Rice said his goal for this year is to continue learning about soil regeneration and the way it benefits cattle health.

“Sustainability has challenged us to continually adapt and change. Our first change was going to grazing rather than growing crops on our farm. Our involvement with Pasa has exposed us to many innovative ideas about direct marketing right when we needed them,” Rice said. “We hope to be sustainable financially so that our farm can also benefit the next generations.”

Sustainable agriculture will be important into the future.

“Sustainable agriculture is something we need for the future,” said Gina Langley, associate director of development for Pasa. “Sustainable agriculture reduces input costs, reduces risks, safeguards health and wellness and increases resilience against the impacts of climate change.”

“There will be more and more people who will realize that chemicals are not the way to improve farming,” Lake said.