An ace in the hole

Yankton farmer reaping benefits of natural beef

By Loretta Sorensen,

As Gary Cwach’s body was being ravaged by cancer, the Yankton, SD farmer began questioning himself as to why he was sick and what may have brought on his illness. He also began considering what his wife and children were being exposed to. His determination to regain his own health and produce healthy products on his farm has led him to offer natural beef products to local consumers and begin organic farming practices.

Farming northwest of Yankton, the first thing Cwach did was stop using hormone implants in his cattle, even though he knew it would affect his production time.

“Our beef products have not been certified organic,” Cwach said. “But because we’re not using hormone implants or antibiotics in our feed, the taste of the meat is better, more tender than what you’ll buy in the stores. It’s a little like wine. There can be a great difference in the taste because of the way it’s produced. Selling our beef to local consumers is a real low-key process. Right now we’re selling 15 to 20 head this way every year. Once people try it and taste it, they usually come back and buy more. They appreciate the quality and flavor of the meat.”

Cwach began his process to produce natural beef by revising his pasture management plans. He started using natural nutrients to build up the nutritional value of his pastures and fields in order to ensure that his livestock were consuming more natural products. In addition to examining how he managed his land, Cwach started reviewing every area he could think of that may have contributed to his health condition. He called to have his water supply – which comes from the Missouri River – tested. What he found out was not welcome news.

“Several chemicals and heavy metals were found in the water,” says Cwach. “It was also noted that antibiotics and all kinds of drugs were present. This was our drinking water and we showe red in this water. I spent several thousand dollars to install a water filtering system for our house. I didn’t want our cattle drinking the water either, so I filter the water they drink too.”

Although he is still dealing with cancer, Cwach’s determination to ingest healthy food and water has been a primary factor drawing him down the organic road. The farming methods he uses in order to keep chemicals out of his fields includes cultivation and use of a rotary hoe.

“It’s the old fashioned way of doing it,” he said. “We walk our beans and keep them as clean as we can. I also use a lot of fish oil from Wisconsin. It looks and smells like bad chocolate milk. But it works much the same way as when the Indians put a fish under each hill of corn they planted. I also apply lime for calcium, but my real ace in the hole is the cattle manure. Last year I had someone tell me that I had the best looking field of organic beans they had ever seen. That felt really good. There were a number of years of skepticism and cynicism in between.”

Since he began making the transition to natural and organic farming practices 11 years ago, Cwach has hit more than one bump in the road that made him question the direction he had taken.

“I stopped the certification process twice because it just seemed so hard,” Cwach said. “Typically, the first few years a farmer stops using chemical weed control, a lot of weeds show up. When the peer pressure started and people were making fun of me, I folded like a cheap card table in a tornado. But I’m extremely stubborn, so I stuck with it and got back to it. Now I’m reaping the benefits of those actions.”

Building a customer base for their natural beef products has been a long slow process, Cwach shared. The cost of advertising and traveling to weekend events to market their meat did not prove to be a good marketing process for the Cwach’s. They take every opportunity to talk about and publicize what they’re doing with their farming methods and natural meats, but they have not yet implemented a specific marketing plan.
“Little by little someone else hears about our products and places an order,” says Cwach. “Over the years we’ve learned how to apply minerals to our soils to get a good taste in our meat. It’s a little like a brew master learning how to produce the best tasting wine. We’re still learning a lot about organic farming. We do a lot of reading and studying and have attended various meetings in the area about organic methods.”

Both Cwach and his sons, Kevin and Dan, have worked at developing their land and their beef business. Kevin, a freshman at the University of South Dakota, assists with the livestock and record keeping. Dan, a junior at the same university, lends a hand with the family’s crops. All of them have attended conferences and read volumes of literature about producing and marketing natural beef.

“We take orders for quarters and halves and fill them as soon as we can,” says Cwach. “We have a local locker process the meat for us. We then arrange pickup and delivery for each family. We’re still not certain how the high price of gas is going affect the sale of our meat products. Time will tell I guess.”

The trend for consumers to buy direct from farmers is helping the Cwach’s continue to develop a market for their beef.

“People are more and more aware of what they’re eating,” Cwach said. “We have made some progress in all of this. I’m learning to follow Mother Nature’s rules. When I had my first episode with cancer, I knew there was something wrong with the food I was eating and my soil. I was handling a lot of chemicals as I farmed, and I felt that taking those chemicals out of my life was the right thing to do. But we have a lot to learn and a long way to go to make it what we want it to be. We’ll keep moving closer to the goals we’ve set and keep learning and reaching for that next rung on the ladder.”