Ben and Mel Dickinson. Photo taken by Twig and Olive.
“Our goal is that for everything that we use or touch, we leave it better than we started with.”
For married couple Ben and Mel Dickinson, this commitment to bettering their surroundings, coupled with their passions for food and nutrition, led them to create Unconventional Acres--a farm with regenerative agricultural practices focused on the wellbeing of the land and animals around them.
“We only have one planet. No matter what we do we’re trying to give back to the land and trying to improve.”
Based in Arena, Wisconsin, Unconventional Acres will be available for online orders at the Monroe Street Farmer’s Market this season, offering grass-fed, pasture-raised beef and pork. Unable to be at the market in-person because Mel is in her third trimester of pregnancy, they offer same-day delivery for orders placed before 12:45 p.m.
Both Wisconsin natives, Ben and Mel met in Milwaukee and lived there for five years before moving out west to Colorado. With a shared love for cooking and Mel’s passion for nutrition, the couple decided to begin growing their own food.
Photo taken by Twig and Olive.
“I started to delve into the quality of our food and where it came from; how it’s grown or prepared really interested me,” Melissa explained. “We thought we were gonna do homesteading and do our own proteins and veggies and the whole nine yards, and then we got into it and decided that we really liked it.”
After eight and a half years in Colorado, the couple decided to move back to their home state of Wisconsin and transfer their homestead into a small farm. Inspired by the local food movement in Colorado, Melissa and Ben wanted to provide food for their community and give back to the land around them.
Photo taken by Twig and Olive.
Both first-generation farmers, Melissa and Ben are growing Unconventional Acres rapidly and consider themselves to be very much “under construction.” Despite it’s new status, and doing everything on their own, Unconventional Acres is integrating many modern agricultural practices to improve the environment around it.
“We only have one planet,” Melissa exclaimed. “No matter what we do we’re trying to give back to the land and trying to improve.”
Unconventional Acres utilizes silvopasture to restore and rejuvenate their forest into a usable habitat for their animals. Prioritizing animal welfare, Melissa and Ben practice free handling and on-farm harvests of their livestock.
“Seeing the wildlife come back and the biodiversity and the cattle thrive in the forest--it’s an amazing thing,” Melissa said. “We really care about our land--we absolutely love our land.”
Unconventional Acres just restocked at the start of July, so their grass-fed beef and pork will be available at the market this weekend. Processed cuts of pork, like bacon and sausage, will be available in a few weeks.
When speaking about what she is most excited for in the future, Mel explained, “being able to connect with the community and provide them with a source of protein that they can know and trust.”
Photo taken by Twig and Olive.
For more information on Unconventional Acres, visit their website: unconventionalacres.com
Follow their Instagram: @unconventional_acres and Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/unconventionalacres