Hollister family is rebuilding soil for the future

By LAURA COLE

The Land Staff Writer

Hollister Family Farm is dedicated to healing the land, keeping their livestock in optimal health, and providing their customers with a quality meat product.

Abe Hollister, along with his wife, Brea, and their five children, ages 10-18, implement adaptive grazing practices to care for their livestock and land. They graze both cattle and sheep on a total of 160 acres south of Brainerd, Minn.

“Our main enterprise is grass-fed beef,” Hollister said. They sell their beef, as well as lamb, direct to customers. The opening line on the farm’s website is “Healthy land, healthy cattle and healthy people — all connected.” They also state the meat from their livestock is free of added hormones, animal by-products, and other unnecessary fillers.

Hollister Family Farm was named Crow Wing Soil and Water Conservation District’s Outstanding Conservationist for

ON THE COVER:

Abe Hollister looks to impart a respect for the land to his and wife Brea’s five children.

Grazing cattle on the same land like to eat. which led them to be named North Central Minnesota’s finalist for the 2021 Conservationist of the Year award through the Minnesota Association of Soil and Water Conservation Districts.

Melissa Barrick, District Manager for Crow Wing SWCD, said the Hollisters were deserving of the recognition because of their own conservation practices and also their outreach efforts to other farmers.

Such accolades are impressive — maybe even more so considering neither Hollister nor his wife came from an ag background.

Around 2001, Hollister began working for a business installing agricultural fencing all over central Minnesota. The business was ran by Kent Solberg, who became Hollister’s mentor. Among Solberg’s ventures, he is a consultant for both Understanding Ag and Sustainable Farming Association.

During the 3-4 years of his work travels, Hollister recalled feeling saddened to see empty and abandoned farms. “I felt called to livestock, to care for the land,” he remarked. The idea of not just taking from the land, but also giving back resonated with him. Hollister was able to live and learn on Solberg’s grass-based dairy operation before starting his own business.

As this picture shows, not only do Hollister’s paddocks supply his animals with feed, they also provide habitat for wildlife.

Hollister originally began with 10 acres. He now owns 40 acres, rents an additional 80, and also utilizes 40 acres owned by his in-laws.

The 40 acres Hollister purchased had previously been heavily tilled for a number of years. With time, he has witnessed firsthand the healing of the land and has enjoyed seeing wildlife come in due to the change in farming practices.