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Daily Read: Wildlife

Coyotes Help Farm Cut Gopher‑Control Costs

John and Molly Chester’s 234‑acre Moorpark, California farm has turned a $100,000‑per‑year gopher‑control problem into a natural solution. The couple spent years battling 10,000 gophers that ate tree roots and damaged crops, paying roughly $10 per trap. After calculating the numbers, they discovered barn owls were eating about 35,000 gophers annually. Coyotes, once considered pests, were found to consume roughly $50,000 worth of gophers each year. The Chesters now maintain small habitat patches that attract predators, reducing the need for costly trapping. Their experience illustrates how regenerative farming can harness ecological balances to lower expenses and improve soil health. The duo’s new docuseries, “The Biggest Little Farm,” premiered on YouTube on November 8, and it highlights these lessons in a broader context of biodiversity. The series aims to inspire viewers worldwide to view nature as a partner rather than a threat. In January 2027, the Rodale Institute and partners will launch a STEM curriculum based on the farm’s story to teach children about regenerative agriculture.

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The essential points

  1. 01Farmers spent $100K annually to trap 10,000 gophers that ate tree roots.
  2. 02Barn owls ate 35,000 gophers per year, cutting costs by $350,000.
  3. 03Coyotes consumed about $50,000 worth of gophers, proving predators can replace traps.
  4. 04The new docuseries on YouTube showcases how biodiversity reduces farming expenses.
The full brief

John and Molly Chester’s 234‑acre Moorpark, California farm has turned a $100,000‑per‑year gopher‑control problem into a natural solution. The couple spent years battling 10,000 gophers that ate tree roots and damaged crops, paying roughly $10 per trap. After calculating the numbers, they discovered barn owls were eating about 35,000 gophers annually.

Coyotes, once considered pests, were found to consume roughly $50,000 worth of gophers each year. The Chesters now maintain small habitat patches that attract predators, reducing the need for costly trapping. Their experience illustrates how regenerative farming can harness ecological balances to lower expenses and improve soil health.

The duo’s new docuseries, “The Biggest Little Farm,” premiered on YouTube on November 8, and it highlights these lessons in a broader context of biodiversity. The series aims to inspire viewers worldwide to view nature as a partner rather than a threat. In January 2027, the Rodale Institute and partners will launch a STEM curriculum based on the farm’s story to teach children about regenerative agriculture.