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Turner Farms describes regenerative grazing, cover crops and on-farm composting
Summary
John and Aaron Turner and a presenter from Turner Farms described shifting from organic to regenerative practices, rotational grazing on leased pastures, a cover-crop test that reduced surface soil temperature, and an on-farm methane digester producing a nutrient 'compost tea.'
John and Aaron Turner of Turner Farms spoke at a Home Resource Lunch & Learn in Missoula about the family farm’s history and the regenerative practices they have adopted. “We have 8% of good agricultural soils left in the county of Missoula,” the Turners said, noting that a small portion of that soil lies west of Reserve Street and that protecting and stewarding that land motivated their approach.
The presenters described moving to rotational grazing, increased biodiversity and cover-cropping after their sons brought back practices learned at Montana State University. They said community offers of dormant pasture allowed them to expand grazing despite owning only small parcels near town.
Turner Farms outlined an on-farm experiment with a methane digester obtained from an MSU professor that they estimated at about 300 gallons. The presenters described producing an effluent they call “poop juice,” which they use as a compost tea; an informal tomato trial they reported showed the treated plants grew substantially larger than untreated controls.
The Turners also presented a small cover-crop test: they said a biodiverse mix planted six feet from a bare patch registered roughly 86°F under the cover crop while bare soil measured about 136°F on a 90°F day, which they used to argue cover crops reduce surface heating and moisture loss.
Speakers framed these practices as part of a long-term effort to restore soil health and community food resilience rather than quick fixes. They emphasized that some restoration work can take many years but yields persistent gains in biodiversity and productivity.
The presenters encouraged attendees to visit Turner Farms, attend farm camps and internships, and consider cover crops and rotational grazing as climate-adaptive practices.
