Good for the Land, Good for the Cheese: Mastering the Art of Regenerative Production on Shepherd’s Way Farms
Award-winning cheesemakers, family farmers, and vocal food activists, Jodi Ohlsen Read and Steven Read are reimagining what it means to raise sheep and more in a regenerative and humane way on their farm outside of Nerstrand, Minnesota.
Story by Sarah Wescott | Photography and Videography by Sarah Carroll
Since becoming shepherds in 1994, Jodi Ohlsen Read and Steven Read of Shepherd’s Way Farms in Nerstrand, Minnesota have been doing things differently. Their diversified, pasture-based farm has put the environment and animals first since day one. The result? Exceptional sheep-milk cheeses that are nationally renowned.
But what’s more, Jodi and Steven are crafting their impact both with their four sons who play roles in their business and with the broader community as sustainable food advocates, aspiring to change the norms of farming in the United States.
According to Jodi, regenerative food production “starts with sunshine- sunshine on pastures of lush grass, that is.” That’s where the process of award-winning cheesemaking begins: on their 43 acres, on which they rotationally graze a flock of East Friesian crosses. Each day, the sheep gain access to fresh, nutrient-dense forage, and leave behind rich manure in their wake. This process feeds the soil, replenishes grasses, and prevents erosion caused by overgrazing.
In addition, the duo plants a wide variety of grasses throughout the pastures. Giving the land a variety of root structures, drought-tolerant plants, and year-round ground cover leads to healthier soil ecosystems below ground. The result is a win-win for animals and the environment: the sheep get rich nutrients while the soil increases its ability to capture carbon in the ground and store water like a sponge.
Jodi and Steven don’t stop at soil health and happy sheep. They also use their farm for native habitat restoration. They plan to turn land at the back of the farm into silvopasture, a farming method that integrates livestock with trees and prairie. Silvopasture offers native species of birds, insects, and animals a place to call home. But it also shades the soil and sheep on the hottest of days and mimics the natural oak savanna ecosystem that was once prevalent across the Midwest.
In contrast to conventional dairy production, which relies on feeding dairy cows a corn-based diet instead of grass and often ends with animals on feedlots, Shepherd’s Way Farms leans into a different model. Their pasture-based farm keeps sheep hooves on land and mimics the symbiotic relationship between bison and grasses from centuries past.
And, because their livestock are provided with a natural diet, fresh pasture, and a low-stress life, they boast healthy animals. This allows Jodi and Steven to skip the prophylactic antibiotics found in much of conventional agriculture.
“We’ve never given a pig a shot on this farm. Never,” says Steven. “Hog guys would be shocked to hear that.”
The acute attention to the soil, ecosystem, and animal needs on Shepherd’s Way Farms leads to another major pay-off: mouthwatering cheeses that are imbued with the flavor of the land.
When asked about their cheeses, Steven proudly says, “I would say that I married well. Jodi is one of the most highly-awarded farm-based cheesemakers in America.”
To start the cheese production process, Steven brings the flock in to be milked at the large converted barn that sits at the front of the farm. The sheep enjoy some tasty food while they’re milked.
The fresh milk flows into the cheese-making room where it is heated and cultured. Jodi, the cheese-making expert, introduces rennet, a natural enzyme that leads to curdling, into the vat, separating the milk into curds and whey. Jodi then shapes, ages, brines, and flavors the cheeses according to her personal recipes.
From humble beginnings with a single Friesago sheep milk cheese, they now make everything from an award-winning Big Woods Blue cheese to a soft-ripened seasonal Morcella, to a mild-flavored fresh Shepherd’s Hope.
What’s more, Jodi and Steven are now known around the world for their award-winning pasture-raised sheep’s cheeses. Over the last 25 years, they helped found the cheesemaker’s guild League of Minnesota Cheesemakers, represented the United States at the first-ever Terra Madre Conference in Torino, Italy, and won numerous American Cheese Society awards.
However, Jodi and Steven’s mission goes far deeper than winning awards. Sharing their way of farming and their exceptional products with family, friends, and community is at the heart of their work. Since 1994, this mindset has defined their mission:
“There is a way to live that combines hard work, creativity, respect for the land and animals, and a focus on family and friends. We believe the small family-based farm still has a place in our society. Everything we do, everything we make, is in pursuit of this goal.”
The couple’s deep respect for the land has been passed on to their four adult sons who work hand-in-hand with their parents on the business, including selling cheese and more at farmers' markets. “Farming gave our boys opportunities to contribute meaningfully from an early age, introducing them to the rewards of teamwork and hard work, to the cycles of nature, and to our responsibility to be good stewards,” recalls Jodi. Maitais, the youngest of the bunch, hopes to have a farm of his own someday- maybe even continuing to run Shepherd’s Way Farms.
Steven and Jodi ceaselessly share their love for the land with the greater community, influencing others to farm differently, think critically, and reimagine the possibilities of the land and local food.
The family is a member of the Minnesota Farmers Union, and Steven serves as the President of the Rice County division. “Steven works to develop community and support among our local farmers. He is a strong advocate, bringing local issues to the attention of MN Farmers Union representatives, legislators, and media,” says Jodi. They are members of the Sustainable Farming Association and love to host visitors to the farm(during pre-covid times) where they share their story, methods, and ideas. “Sharing what we do and why we do it, as we go, is how we can send ripples outward,” notes the couple.
Interested in purchasing from Shepherd’s Way Farms? You will find all of their products, including their cheese CSA, at shop.shepherdswayfarms.com.
Find Jodi, Steven, or their sons selling lamb meat, sheep’s cheeses, and more at the Mill City Farmers Market, the St Paul Farmers Market, or the Mankato Farmers Market. Their cheeses are also offered at Lunds and Byerly’s, Kowalskis, HyVee, select food Co-ops, and specialty cheese shops around the country.
