Why Biodiversity Matters on a Regenerative Farm

I don’t know what it is about the weather this year, but it’s been raining for what feels like weeks and I’m over it. After a heavy storm moved through a few weeks ago, I spent most of the next few days clearing trees from the creek bed. A few had fallen, roots torn straight from the soil, and the ground around them looked like it had been peeled back. The erosion was worse than I expected.

As I worked through the mess, I noticed something in the exposed bank. The creek wall told a story. There were layers of soil—some dark and full of life, others pale and brittle. Each layer showed a chapter of what had happened to this land over the years. The deeper it went, the less life I saw.

That’s what years of conventional row cropping can do. It strips the life out fo the soil, removes the plant cover that holds it together, and turns ground that should absorb water into something that sheds it off.

That moment, standing there in the mud and staring at layers of damage, made something click.

Fixing erosion doesn’t start with a shovel. It starts with bringing the land back to life. And that begins with biodiversity.

What Is Biodiversity on a Farm?

Biodiversity means more than just having a bunch of different plants or animals. On a farm, it’s the entire living system working together—from the microbes in the soil to the birds in the trees. It includes pasture grasses that feed cattle, insects that pollinate the vegetables, and even the fungi that help roots take in nutrients.

A regenerative farm relies on this balance. You don’t manage each species in isolation. You build a farm ecosystem where every living thing supports something else.

Key Species on a Regenerative Farm

We’re planning to bring in pasture-raised cattle for rotational grazing, plant native species that attract pollinators, and support soil biodiversity through compost and organic matter.

It’s not about stacking animals or throwing in more plants just for variety. It’s about function. Every element needs a job.

Here’s a small example: in one patch of recovering pasture, we’ve already seen native clover start to grow. It wasn’t planted—it showed up when we stopped tilling and let things rest. That clover will feed bees, fix nitrogen in the soil, and act as ground cover during heavy rain. One little flower doing three big jobs.

Benefits of Biodiversity

Soil & Plant Health

Healthy soil is alive. It needs bacteria, fungi, worms, beetles, and other creatures breaking down organic matter and holding everything together.

We’re still early in our journey, but our plan is to boost soil health by building organic matter through composting. Compost adds structure, feeds microbes, and helps the soil act more like a sponge than a sidewalk. If you're curious about that process, check out our post on composting on the farm.

Natural Pest Control

When you build a diverse farm habitat, pests don’t get to take over. Instead of fighting them with chemicals, you crowd them out with natural pest control.

Ladybugs eat aphids. Birds clean up grubs. And plants like catnip—which I already grow for my other business—can be used around the barndo to help repel mosquitoes and other insects.

The goal is not to eliminate every bug. It’s to keep balance, using organic pest solutions that work with the land instead of against it.

Climate Resilience

The more variety in root depth, plant structure, and species types, the more flexible the farm becomes during extreme weather.

That storm I mentioned earlier? The part of the creek bank that held together best had a mix of plants growing on it. Some roots went deep, others spread across the surface. Together, they did what a single grass species couldn’t. They held the ground in place.

Biodiversity acts like insurance for the regenerative ecosystem. It helps the farm bounce back instead of break.

How Mission Farmstead Supports Biodiversity

Pollinator Habitats

One of the gifts I bought for myself to enjoy at Mission Farmstead was a Flow Hive.

I didn’t know much about bees, but I knew I wanted them here. Pollinators are essential for any working farm, and we’re starting to plant out sections of the land with pollinator plants that support bees, butterflies, and other beneficial insects.

Our long-term plan includes creating pollinator corridors with native plants, not just to help our own crops, but to bring life back to the land overall. This ties into our bigger regenerative strategy.

Crop & Livestock Diversity

We don’t plan to be a single-crop operation. The future of Mission Farmstead includes a mix of pasture, vegetable plots, and eventually a diverse group of livestock like cattle, pigs, and chickens rotated through different areas to support natural nutrient cycles.

We’ll also seed pastures with a wide range of grasses, legumes, and flowering species. That helps the animals, supports soil health, and keeps the land productive without depleting it. 

Why It Matters

You hear a lot of talk about saving the planet, but this isn't about buzzwords. For us, it’s personal. I want this land to be something my kids can walk barefoot on. Something they can learn from, grow with, and hopefully pass down.

Biodiversity in farming is the foundation for that. It’s the difference between land that needs constant rescue and land that learns to take care of itself.

Every bee, every bird, every blade of grass is part of the plan. And we're just getting started.