Regenerative Farming— The Interconnectedness of All Things

Urth Caffé proudly adheres to the principles of regenerative farming practices in sourcing and providing the highest quality organic eggs, heirloom (non-GMO) produce, coffee and tea. As well as using ancient heirloom and organic grains in our breads and other bakery items. 

What is regenerative farming and what does it mean for you, your health and the health of our beautiful planet? Regenerative farming takes sustainable agriculture one step further—to not only sustain it, but to heal it. 

The approach to regenerative farming is one of interconnectedness—the earth, her land, the farmer, the ecosystem, the seasons—all working in harmony and respect of each other to nurture and sustain our planet, the animals, and humans upon it. It is based upon holistic principles which serve to maintain and restore depleted soils, keeping it as alive as possible and balancing the health of the entire ecosystem. This restoration of ecologies helps to fight climate change, rebuild our beautiful Mother Earth, and most of all, cultivate a sense of cooperation and mutual respect for each other and the planet. 

Micro greens at Kenter Canyon Farms in Ventura County, California 

For example, our eggs are sourced from a family-owned farm directly to Urth Caffé every day. There is no warehouse storage or middlemen (as most eggs you find in a grocery store have had). The farm is completely old-school with truly free-range, vegetarian-fed chickens that produce the best tasting eggs with vibrant orange yolks. Marty and Penny, the couple that founded the farm consider all their chickens to be "part of the family," and know they will produce the best eggs if they are happy. 

"Our chickens are our first priority; they are our partners! By providing them with the best in the way of their living environment, we're confident it allows them to live stress-free lives and produce for us the highest quality, great tasting, and nutritious fresh eggs."

These happy birds run freely in barns with ample space and even fly! They are able to engage in their natural behaviors, have expressive personalities and are very curious creatures. All eggs are collected by hand and this human interaction allows for a more hands-on approach for the daily care of the birds, and also provides enrichment and stimulation. Marty and Penny have constant physical contact with these content chickens, which allows them to monitor their physical and mental needs. They raise all the baby chicks themselves—treating them as the family they are! From the time the chicks are born, and throughout their entire laying career they are fed special high quality, pure vegetarian diets. They always have clean, fresh filtered water to drink and fresh, clean air to breathe. The result is truly healthy, delicious, farm-fresh eggs using regenerative practices and preserving our precious farmland. 

All of Urth Caffé's fresh organic produce is sourced from Kenter Canyon Farms and delivered direct from the farm 6-7 days a week. It's hard to find a fresher salad in the city! What is on your plate, could have just been picked this morning or the day before. Kenter Canyon Farms' organic and regenerative practices serve to preserve the soil's nutrients, helps to combat climate change—and ultimately—provides you, the customer, a highly nutritious, clean, and delicious product. An exclusive spring mix is grown just for Urth Caffé and cannot be found anywhere else. 

Says co-owner, Robert Dedlow, "This is an industry that's mainly been taken over by very big agricultural concerns. But we're still here doing it locally, and we are supplying to the L.A. area." 

Right: Robert Dedlow 

Kenter Canyon Farms, located in Ventura County, is one of the few that are still farming the old-school way. Everything is certified organic—picked young and tender—for maximum freshness and packed with nutrients. Their farming techniques, of course, are done without pesticides, using the natural rhythms of nature, and natural pest controllers—such as ladybugs which eat aphids. Says Robert Dedlow, the plants "have not been treated with any kind of systemic, chemical pesticide, because if it had, no ladybug could live there. So the ladybug is a beneficial insect to predatory insects—so it eats the aphids. That's what organic agriculture is all about. Letting nature take its course."

The propagation house (basically a greenhouse and warm sunny place for the herbs to germinate and grow), grows fresh herbs such as marjoram, oregano, tarragon, rosemary, sage and basil. Rows and rows of green, vibrant, healthy and nutritionally rich herbs that are freshly harvested and sent the same day to Urth!

All of Urth's heirloom and organic coffee farms use regenerative, sustainable and biodynamic practices which honor and respect not only ancient methods of shade grown farming, but the natural cycles of nature. This includes using renewable soil fertilization and natural pest control to conserve the forests, the indigenous rainforest, and its natural habitats. Many coffee farmers are clearing lush rainforests, and destroying natural habitats to make way for GMO, sun resistant coffee tree hybrids. Urth Caffé only sources certified organic, sustainable coffee and we also make sure to source only from farms in which farmers are paid a fair wage. We give back by reinvesting in these farms whenever we can and providing farming equipment and other supplies when possible. Our coffee beans are always organic, non-GMO and chemical free providing the healthiest, tastiest, lowest acid coffee in the world.

Left: Ripe, shade-grown coffee cherries ready to be picked on a coffee farm in Ethiopia. 
Right: Just picked coffee cherries, Ethiopia

Shallom and Jilla Berkman (Co-Founders of Urth Caffé) have just returned from a visit to Entsu Estate located in Wazuka, Uji District, Japan. An organic green tea farm that produces ceremonial-grade matcha for Urth Caffé exclusively. This gorgeous, eco-responsible farm boasts acres and acres of lush green tea, cultivated with a great respect for the land using ancient sustainable farming techniques that go back 900 years. 

Urth Co-Founders Shallom & Jilla Berkman in a teahouse in Japan

Less than 10% of Japan's tea production is certified organically grown and this special tea farm in the remote and ancient town of Wazuka produces a delicate and superior matcha tea. 

Left: Urth Co-Founder and Tea Master Jilla Berkman with Entsu Estate owner
and tea Farmer Akihito Nakai-san in Wazuka, Japan. 
Middle: Entsu Estate Tea farm, Wazuka, Japan.
Right: Jilla Berkman and Akihito Nakai-san, tea farm, Entsu Estate.

One of estate owner and tea farmer, Akihiro Nakai-san's regenerative practices on his matcha farm is to make rich, nutrient-filled compost made from the herring fish harvested from the beautiful Wazuka river that runs along the family tea garden. This regenerates the farm's soil and keeps it healthy for generations to come. Nakai-san has what has been referred to as a "religious dedication to quality, organic, biodynamic and sustainable agriculture." Perfect for Urth Caffé and its high and exacting standards!  You can read more about this remarkable organic matcha tea farm here.

Right: Rows of planted tea ready for harvesting.  

Every day is Earth Day at Urth Caffé. And we are proud to participate in any way we can in preserving and sustaining our beautiful planet!

Written by: Lisa Mouhibian