Our First Portable Coop - chickens on grass all day
The Story of Our Farm
FROM HIGH FINANCE TO FARMING
For years, I managed large investment funds and credit facilities while working in Saudi Arabia. But my perspective on "value" shifted the day a colleague sent me a documentary called "Food Inc." It was a staggering eye-opener. I saw the poisoning of our land, the systemic mistreatment of animals, and the extent of the adulteration in industrialized agriculture. The legendary regenerative farmer Joel Salatin was featured and his convictions resonated with me. I read his books, watched his videos and years later even visited his farm.
The value shift was immediate; I was driven by my convictions to discover people making a difference and how I might become a farmer.
WHAT IS PERMACULTURE?
Permanent Agriculture. The Highest Regenerative Standard.
Our mission at White Sand Homestead is to provide a sustainable alternative to industrial agriculture. And with Permaculture we do more.
We don't just farm; we cultivate an ecosystem that is better than we found it. This is far beyond "organic." This is the strongest personal response to righting industrialized agriculture...and yes, from a small farm.
Farming is a humbling, grounding experience. Frequent lessons from Mother Nature inspire continued learning from experts.
In his older "wiser" years, Allen Snelling pulled money from his retirement fund and purchased land for a farm
Founded by an Australian biologist, Bill Mollison, Permaculture is an agricultural practice for sustainable production of clean and healthy food.
I manage this land through the lens of Permaculture—permanent agriculture that works with nature rather than against it.
Highly Recommend this Course!
To optimally prepare farmland, the Permaculture process begins with observation and assessment of the existing ecosystem (soil, terrain, topology, rain, wind, temperatures, etc...). The design phase incorporates using technology (drones, GPS, solar energy, equipment, CAD) to create a plan for a sustainable permanent agriculture human habitat that amplifies natural ecosystems.
Local expertise is used to identify the best plant varieties and animal genetics for specific micro-climates...to create resilient, productive and self-sufficient human environments with minimal waste.
Everyone Benefits from Permaculture
One of the tenets of Permaculture is that all stakeholders benefit from a farm vs. conventional agriculture. The stakeholders include workers, vendors, community businesses, customers, financiers and the soil itself. It just makes so much sense and got me thinking that I could do this. I could really be a farmer.
BECOMING A FARMER
Growing up in rural Mississippi and North Louisiana, I gained early hands-on experience in home and auto repair from my father, a civil and mechanical engineer. My youth was shaped by the woods, Boy Scouts (where I earned Eagle Scout), and weekends helping on a friend’s family farm.
This foundation led me to an undergraduate degree in Mechanical Engineering, followed by an MBA in Financial Analysis and a CFA certification. Following a domestic market downturn, I accepted an overseas role with Aramco in Dhahran.
I scouted over 100 properties online, eventually purchasing a lush piece of land in Poplarville, MS. My son Aaron, already bitten by the regenerative farming bug, was apprenticing at a nearby farm. He scouted this site in person. An adept realtor provided drone footage to facilitate my remote purchase decision. The property was ideal for livestock, featured a pecan grove for supplemental income and plenty of room for a produce garden.
The rolling green hills, a wide variety of mature trees and a pond added to the farm's pastoral scenic quality (see photo at end of page).
Establishing the farm was a family effort. On college breaks, my son Addison also helped Aaron to thin the grove and clear the land.
Upon my return to the States a year later, Aaron and I began raising pigs. His initial efforts were instrumental in getting us into New Orleans and Slidell farmers markets. We developed the relationship with Emeril's Restaurant. Aaron has since moved on to start his own family in New Orleans, and he is no longer involved with the farm.
FARMING AS INVESTMENT?
The Analyst's Approach to Farming & Helping Others Farm
I didn’t just want a "retirement project"; I wanted to prove my convictions that Permaculture—permanent agriculture—is a competitive investment with tremendous upside.
Farming as an investment? Yes! My current operation is a prototype; we're not a large-scale farm. We're growing by increasing our own herds and have access to additional pasturage acres with nearby farms. We can also source from our like-minded farming community, other small sustainable farms and support their sales efforts. It's exciting to help grow the regional clean food ecosystem.
My aspiration is to prove Permaculture is a competitive investment with tremendous upside providing food security when industrialized food production fails due to disruptions in supply chains, credit collapse (ie, 2008 and Global Financial Crisis), or soil exhaustion.
That resonates with my decades of finance and investment management experience. To farm successfully, I applied the same professional rigor:
- Completed Geoff Lawton’s comprehensive 8-month Permaculture course.
- Studied Mark Shepard's "Restoration Agriculture"
- Completed a soil biology course under the amazing pioneer Dr. Elaine Ingram.
Through Permaculture, by focusing on soil health, we’ve created an "asymmetric" risk-return profile: we invest more upfront in the land, which yields more productive acreage and food security that withstands global supply chain disruptions.
We are living up to our business title, Permaculture Property Development, LLC.
RESTORING THE LAND
Reviving A Pecan Grove Naturally
Farming has its challenges—like discovering the pecan grove was fungus infected. How to solve this problem? Academia, agricultural services and the chemical industry (aka conventional wisdom) recommend up to 18 chemical sprays a year. We refuse. That's completely unacceptable.
We're working to revive these trees through biology and soil health, to prove nature has the answers if we are patient enough to listen. We don't use "allopathic" chemicals or reductionist industrial methods. Instead, we treat challenges like our pecan grove's "scab" fungus with fungal-rich compost teas and biological diversity.
With the continual improvement in the health of the soil, the pecan grove is coming back to life.
Each year the trees produce more pecans. Our pigs can tell the difference and eat the best pecans.
It Starts with Soil Health
Besides composting throughout the year, we plant a variety of grasses and forage - a veritable salad bar for our animals.
The Permaculture course and the blighted pecan grove drove me to learn more about soil health. I found a series of soil biology courses called the Foundation Courses from Dr. Elaine Ingram, who was the pre-imminent biodynamic soil development pioneer.
Foundation Courses Included: Introduction to the Soil Food Web, BioComplete Compost, BioComplete Liquid, and Microscopy.
Dr. Ingram dramatically raised my awareness of the complexity of the life in the soil and how far its principles are from the life destroying reductionist methods of industrialized crop production. We have only stuck our toe in the water on this.
Our Garden Grows!
As our soil quality advances, the quality of the produce we raise continually improves. We have an incredible variety of fruit trees and vegetables. Our gardens nourish the animals and our own diets.
Permaculture in Action
Permaculture is synergistic in its approach because the animals also improve the fertility of our land. We give them lots of space, plenty of good food and the best life possible.
We believe our humane practices are manifested in a healthier and tastier meal for your family. The animals are always on pasture. No antibiotics or growth hormones are used. We’ve selected animals with superior genetics, some heritage breeds and other hardy hybrid crosses well suited for our environment.
We undertake our Permaculture practices to enhance the health of our soil, our animals, and your family.
Grass Fed & Grass Finished Beef
After starting with pigs, cows seemed like a great addition...we wouldn't have to mow the land. We listened to our customers and kept going.
Feedlot cattle gain weight fast on cheap grain and antibiotics. Our cattle graze on a "salad bar" of rye, oats, and peas which cost $1,000 per head sold annually. It takes longer and costs more for the flavor and nutrient density we offer.
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Forested-Pastured Pork
We raise a Mangalitsa-Berkshire cross—often called the "Wagyu of pork." Our pigs forage through woods and pastures, supplemented only by Non-GMO "Clean Feed." In the fall, they enjoy our pecans, yielding a Southern delicacy: pecan-finished pork, our answer to the famous Spanish Ibérico ham.
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Pastured Lamb
Pastured Lamb: Our Katahdin and Dorper hybrids are hardy and flavorful, providing a rich, nutrient-dense meat that New Orleans chefs frequently buy by the whole or half-animal.
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Pastured Eggs
Our "ladies" sleep in a large mobile coop which is moved frequently to make sure they have fresh forage and bugs daily. This dramatically improves their hygiene relative to hens caged or kept in static coops. We estimate half their diet comes from the green forage and bugs.
We supplement their diet with NON GMO plant feed. The result: eggs so delicious they often sell out in the first 20 minutes at the market.
Plants are genetically modified to make them tolerant of insecticides and herbicides.
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I would never have imagined the direction my life has taken. With hard work, we are growing!
My wife Ria’s invaluable support is constant along with our small dedicated team.
Each week, I have the joy of speaking with our customers (home cooks and chefs from leading area restaurants) at the Farmers Markets.
What especially keeps me going on this journey is you!
Through our conversations, I'm convinced the principles of Permaculture are instrumental to the quality of what we offer. I appreciate your trust.
I'm grateful for the opportunity to feed your families. Come see me at New Orleans and Slidell Farmers Markets and please tell your friends about us. I look forward to talking with you.
My Best from White Sand Homestead,
Allen
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