"Dairy Land still has to deal with manure but the way he's managing his pastures, we're very confident very little manure is leaving the pastures and going into the waterways," Johnson said. "Is there a more environmentally friendly way of producing milk and possibly more profitable? We're thinking grazing does both."

Dairy Land earns higher margins than even the average pasture dairy farm because he sells his milk to an organic wholesale farmer coop, Organic Valley, Johnson said. Organic milk brings a higher price.

That fact underscores the critical importance of consumers supporting small, environmentally friendly family farms. Buying farm products directly from farmers at farmers markets, through Community Supported Agriculture networks, or from retailers who feature organic, small-farm brands, simultaneously helps save the financially threatened family farm and the Bay.

For more information, check out the Chesapeake chapter of Buy Fresh Buy Local hosted by  Dairy Land Companies