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Wright uses many environmentally-friendly practices on his farm. He does not and has never considered using hormones on his cows. If a cow is suffering from a life-threatening illness, only then will Wright treat it with antibiotics. Wright's cows participate in rational intensive grazing. This process involves allowing the cattle to heavily graze a pasture and then rotating the animals onto clean pastures, which has the benefit of giving the plants in the pasture time to recover and aids in spreading manure to fertilize the fields naturally. When David moved toward using this form of grazing for his cattle, he substantially cut down his use of commercial fertilizer. Wright also ensures that the water sources on his farm are protected. Two streams run through the property and a creek borders the farm. These areas are fenced to keep the cattle out of the water. In addition, he installed 5 bridges, so the cattle could be moved over the water instead of through it. During the spring of 2003, the farm will host a farmers market. It will be a place where local organic farms can come and sell their goods. In addition, Wright Dairy conducts tours of its farm. Visitors last year included 6,000 elementary school children and the local Sierra Club chapter, among others. On these tours, visitors learn how Wright Dairy is different from many other farms, how the rotation system works and why it is important for farmers to be stewards of the land.
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David Wright has been farming for thirty years. Like many of our feature farmers, he traces his involvement with farming back to his father who was also involved in the business. Wright Dairy is the only dairy in Alabama that produces, processes, and sells its own product. This means that on their farm, they milk the cows, pasteurize and bottle the milk, and sell it fresh on the farm.