The Great Lakes, a vital freshwater expanse for millions, face an ongoing environmental crisis. Beneath the vast waters lies a significant threat: pollution stemming largely from agricultural runoff. This flow of excess nutrients like phosphorus and nitrogen contributes to harmful algal blooms and expanding “dead zones,” jeopardizing ecosystems, water quality and public health across the region.
Amidst these challenges, Barn Sanctuary in Chelsea, Michigan, hopes to make a positive impact on the region. Tom McKernan, sanctuary co-founder and operations director, wants the farm to stand as a living model where animal welfare and ecological stewardship aren’t just compatible, but linked.
“My day is more at the desk than it used to be,” McKernan noted. He said all the work behind the scenes is crucial to achieving the sanctuary’s mission: rescuing farmed animals and inspiring people to “embrace a plant-based lifestyle.”
McKernan described the farm’s daily rhythm to help understand its impact.
“It rained pretty good yesterday,” McKernan said as he stood from his desk and headed toward the pastures where most of the cows are kept. He noted that the rain can make the cows shy, potentially making it harder for visitors to see them up close.
Barn Sanctuary is home to more than 10 cows, who the staff call “residents.” Each resident arrives with a unique history. Whether they come from a situation of neglect, an auction or a dairy farm, McKernan and his staff dedicate time to each of their individual care.
Barn Sanctuary’s small scale contrasts with that of concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs), allowing the animals more access to pastures and opening the door for opportunities to use less intensive farming methods.
Michigan is home to almost 300 permitted CAFOs, including dairy farms. While they represent less than 1% of Michigan’s total farms, their impact on the Great Lakes is disproportionate. Animals in these CAFOs generate 17 million more pounds of fecal waste per day than the state’s entire human population of 10 million, according to a report by the Environmental Law and Policy Center in Illinois.
Researchers who study the Great Lakes play a vital role in diagnosing its ailments and coming up with solutions. Among these researchers is Bruno Basso, a professor at Michigan State University’s Center for Regenerative Agriculture. His research helps understand the relationship between agriculture and water quality in the region.
“Ultimately, our goal is to support decision-making that aligns agricultural productivity with water quality goals, offering scalable solutions that benefit both producers and ecosystems in the Great Lakes basin and beyond,” Basso explained.
“Our research results show that integrating livestock systems with regenerative practices can restore soil function, even under high nutrient loading,” he said. “Resilient soils act as a foundation for sustainable agriculture. They retain water during droughts, filter excess nutrients before they reach waterways, and store carbon that would otherwise contribute to greenhouse gas emissions.”
Basso said these benefits are essential for environmental and public health, “particularly in vulnerable regions like the Great Lakes watershed.”
“Even though a lot of our visitors are vegan or vegetarian, we still try to educate the public about the treatment of animals raised in CAFOs and the effect it can have on our environment,” McKernan said.
McKernan then headed over to the farm’s pig pen and was greeted by Casey Fry, an animal caregiver at the sanctuary. Fry prepared sandwiches with special nutrients the pigs need on a periodic basis.
“We start the morning by feeding everyone and medicating everyone,” Fry said. She described each animal as its “own unique person” and added that even though the job can be physically demanding, it’s worth it because they aren’t making a product but “helping the residents.”
Reports from UC Davis indicate that pigs raised for meat are typically slaughtered at 5.5 to 6.5 months old, weighing an average of 200 to 300 pounds. While this is significantly short of their full adult potential of more than 700 pounds, younger pigs reach their market weight faster, requiring less feed and raising time, which proves more cost-effective.
Fry said some of the pig residents at Barn Sanctuary weigh at least 600 pounds, and some are even heavier.
“Our pigs have so much space to explore, which is ideal,” she said. “They are so smart and are good about pooping in a central area, away from where they sleep, which helps a lot with cleaning up.”
McKernan added, “The density of our animals is very low compared to CAFOs, and we collect our manure and our bedding every day.”
Barn Sanctuary manages most of its manure by spreading it over a dedicated, leveled field for composting. According to McKernan, this approach enables them to carefully monitor the manure and partner with researchers to develop new methods for reducing the manure’s composting time.
“It’s a challenge but it’s also an opportunity. Getting into composting and using nature’s own cleansing process to take care of this manure and return it to the soil — we’re not making a lagoon, we’re not spreading it untreated everywhere,” McKernan said.
Basso emphasizes the importance of developing innovative methods to manage manure, which is crucial for maintaining a healthy Great Lakes ecosystem.
“Improved manure management offers powerful opportunities to close nutrient cycles, reduce greenhouse gas emissions and address nutrient surpluses,” Basso said. “These integrated systems represent the future of sustainable agriculture.”
After the pigs receive their daily supplements, Casey Fry heads to an employee trailer to prepare more for other animal residents. Inside the trailer, Facilities Manager Jack Shankland responds to repair requests coming in over his walkie-talkie.
“I’m working on a building for two of our pig residents to move into,” Shankland said.
Over the years at Barn Sanctuary, Casey Fry and Jack Shankland have seen the farm’s practices evolve, not only improving accommodations for the animal residents but also enhancing its ecological impact.
“The animal’s space has expanded over the years,” Shankland said. “We haven’t seen overgrazing be too much of a problem, but we still do rotational grazing and it has a lot of benefits.”
Fry said that even though setting up rotational grazing can be extra work, it’s essential for certain animals, such as their sheep and some of their cows.
“When you have more cows than the six or seven we have, rotational grazing is probably more impactful, but for some of our cows who don’t have the same kind of space as the others, it’s very important,” she said.
Researchers like Bruno Basso have studied the effects of regenerative agricultural methods, like rotational grazing, on soil resilience and nutrient retention.
“The adoption of regenerative practices plays a vital role in improving soil health. Reducing erosion and enhancing nutrient retention, thereby minimizing runoff into freshwater systems,” Basso said. “Our research contributes by quantifying the environmental benefits of these practices and providing actionable insights to scale up solutions that are both economically viable and ecologically sustainable across the Great Lakes basin.”
McKernan joined Fry and Shankland in the employee trailer to explain Barn Sanctuary’s rotational grazing process.
“Last year, we had eight acres divided into seven sections through a movable electric fence,” McKernan said. “We would put the cows in one acre and let them eat it down completely. It not only helps with soil health but also the quality of forage because if they’re in one big field, they’ll just pick out what they think is sweet.”
According to reports by the Pew Charitable Trusts and Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, animals in CAFOs are typically kept in confinement and fed, rather than being allowed to graze in pastures. These reports show that confinement can have negative effects on the animal’s health, and those effects can be passed along to the humans who consume those products.
As McKernan and some of his team headed over to their goat enclosure, he emphasized the positive effects of a plant-based lifestyle.
“Whether it is because of your heartfelt feelings toward animals and how they’re taken care of in factory farms, or whether you really care about the environment. If you ask what you can do, the answer is the same. Be more plant-based,” McKernan said.
“That’s something we as individuals can do. One person isn’t going to make a big difference, but if 100 million or 200 million people made a small change, it would make a huge difference,” he said.
After entering the goat enclosure, McKernan explained that the goats are popular due to their interactions with guests. He emphasized that these interactions can lead to a change in outlook for some guests who can see the “personality” in the Barn Sanctuary animals.
“A lot of our visitors are already vegan or vegetarian, so it’s like preaching to the choir,” he noted, “but those visitors often bring other guests who are curious about farm animals and the industry in Michigan.”
“It started out as my son’s dream, but over time, it’s become my dream. So if I’m 94 on my deathbed and you want to have a conversation with me, I’m still going to talk to you about Barn Sanctuary and what impact we can make,” McKernan added as he reflected on his time with the sanctuary.
“Obviously, financial uncertainty can be challenging, just like most nonprofits. But we’ve had the same mission the whole way, and we’re scrappy. If we can keep helping animals and the Great Lakes community, we’ll figure out a way to get it done,” McKernan said.
