Bean Hollow Grassfed Farm: A Soil for Water Case Study

Mike Sands (right) talks with Eric Bendfelt (left) while giving a tour of Bean Hollow Grassfed Farm. Photo by Clear Impact Productions.

The Soil for Water Case Study series highlights the stories and management practices of eleven farm operations throughout Virginia. The project was led by Eric Bendfeldt, Kim Niewolny, and Katie Trozzo from Virginia Tech and Virginia Cooperative Extension; Lee Rinehart and Mike Morris of the National Center for Appropriate Technology (NCAT); and Ernie Didot of Clear Impact Productions. This series aims to share how farmers improve soil health and catch and hold more rainwater in soil through their use of regenerative grazing practices. 

Thank you, farmers, for sharing your time, experiences, and insights about regenerative grazing and soil health-building systems with us and the broader community! 

Each case study on the Virginia Soil Health Coalition blog will highlight the technical resources that the farm manager has used and/or mentions. First up, we are honored to highlight Bean Hollow Grassfed Farm in Rappahannock County, Virginia.

Bean Hollow Grassfed Farm

Bean Hollow Grassfed Farm is a multigenerational farm located in the shadow of the Blue Ridge Mountains in Virginia. Mike Sands talks with Eric Bendfeldt of Virginia Cooperative Extension about his family’s story and how they cultivate a healthy ecosystem on the farm. 

Mike’s early career began as a researcher and educator with the Rodale Institute, but a gnawing in his gut led him into farming. In 2012, Mike and his wife, Betsy Dietel, moved onto the farm to be closer to Betsy’s parents, who had started the operation in 1980. Their primary livestock are sheep and cattle, and they also have layers for eggs. Most of their meat sales are sold through their on-farm store.

Management Practices

Farming, for Mike, is about continuous improvement. “We’re not looking to a specific target in any single area and say, ‘Okay, we’ve reached that, now we’re good.’ My concept of a regenerative [system] is that every year, we’re raising the bar.”

His push toward regenerative practices is an effort to strengthen biodiversity, build soil health, sequester carbon, and further his family’s efforts to mitigate climate change. Mike also recognizes the challenges of transitioning systems, assessing finances and hard-to-measure ecological metrics, and is mindful of traditions and conservation planning. 

Watch the video to learn more about Mike’s story, management practices, and the future of Bean Hollow Grassfed Farm.

Follow Along Bean Hollow Grassfed Farm

Website: beanhollowgrassfed.com 

Instagram: @beanhollowgrassfed9 

Facebook: Bean Hollow Grassfed

Dig In: Partners and resources Mike mentioned

Rodale Institute: Free Downloadable Resources

Virginia Tech: Center for Food Systems and Community Transformation Programs

Virginia Cooperative Extension: Home Page

Piedmont Environmental Council: Working Farms & Local Food

Virginia Office of Working Landscapes: Biodiversity is the foundation of healthy working landscapes

American Farmland Trust: Farmland Info Center

To read more about Mike's story, see his feature on the 4 The Soil blog post Bean Hollow Grassfed Farm is #4TheSoil.

See all the farmers' and ranchers' stories from the Soil for Water Video Case Studies on the Virginia Cooperative Extension's YouTube channel.