Grant and Kate bought the land that would become Local Cooling Farms in 2014 as a weekend home to hunt and forage on, or a someday/maybe homestead or farm “project.” On 60 acres of land south of Bogalusa, we are building our farm from the ground up (literally)! Because grazing animals (especially ruminants like cattle and goats) on pasture and silvopasture can sequester carbon back into the soil, our name reflects our mission to practice regenerative agriculture methods that reverse global warming and climate change rather than contribute to it. 

When we bought the 16 acres of land that have become Local Cooling Farms, it had no house, barn, or structures of any kind on it (today we also lease 44 acres adjacent to our property). 

On the pasture, we got to work rotating hogs and chickens to eat and trample down overgrown shrubby plants, drop nutrient-rich manure, and scratch and peck (chickens) or root (pigs) the top layer of soil to kick up a dormant seed bank and introduce vital nutrients back into the soil. We tasked a herd of goats to both graze the pasture and help us begin clearing shrubs and trees in the woods and turn the land into viable silvopasture. Today we also graze a small herd of beef cattle seasonally as the pastures have returned to better soil health and can grow more palatable grasses and forbs that the cattle like to eat!

Today, Grant manages the day-to-day activities on the farm, including care of all livestock and/or overseeing our farm hand’s daily livestock care, as well as the compost and vermicompost operations and continued infrastructure projects. He is a nature nerd and can identify most plants, birds, snakes, turtles, and other wildlife encountered on the farmland off the top of his head.

Kate manages the shop and its employees, including ordering from all other farm vendors each week and handling all customer communication both retail and wholesale. On the farm, she gets most involved during piglet farrowing and goat kidding seasons, takes care of bottle babies, and has a freakish memory for the animals’ lineage and history. She loves to cook and is happy to spout off recipe ideas for nearly any product offered!

Packages that are offered include a whitetail deer hunt and birdwatching. RV and tent camping access is also available to add on. We hope to offer an RV trailer in the future.

For lodging, food, and gas, Bogalusa is 11 miles North.

Our Website: https://www.laughingbuddhanursery.com

Our Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/share/NL96TATCxtt2hyLA/?mibextid=LQQJ4d