500 Hectares of Rolling Pastures

In the Czech Highlands, rolling pastures stretch across 500 hectares at Statek Mitrov. This is Karel Kalny's domain where he runs a regenerative meat operation. Here, 500 cattle graze alongside 3,500 chickens, 300 pigs, and 500 geese, all moving to fresh ground every single day.

Six years ago, Karel discovered Joel Salatin's mobile grazing methods and made a decision to change the organic farm into a regenerative farm and thus eliminate all the negatives of long stays of animals in one section of pasture. He also scaled the practices to a size everyone said couldn't work. “In the beginning, we were called crazy.” Karel recalls.

Today, his foresight has paid off. Statek Mitrov produces some of the finest meat in the country. Now they are paving the way for other producers to follow suit.

Creating Premium Beef Through Daily Movement

The animals at Statek Mitrov graze intensively for just four to six hours on fresh pasture before moving on. This concentrated grazing, followed by long recovery periods, has transformed both the land and the meat. "Production on some pastures has doubled and diversity is increasing," Karel notes. "You can taste the difference in the beef."

Producing in this way requires no permanent infrastructure. Karel didn’t have to pour concrete or build stables. The animals work to help regenerate the land with portable fencing, mobile shelters, and water systems that can move with the herds providing support.

"We teach our animals to be moved every day. They expect it and cooperate with us," he explains. They sell their production at their on-farm restaurant that lets customers taste what real regenerative beef should be. A shop in Brno connects urban consumers directly to the source of their food.

From Pasture to Plate: Building the Complete System

Karel understood that producing great tasting beef is only half the equation. For the regenerative market to take off in the Czech Republic, it had to be easy for consumers to purchase this product. Consequently, he has been working on building out the value chain to support the overall growth of the industry.

Under the brand Mitrovsky angus was also built an on-site abattoir, which has been a critical piece of infrastructure for maintaining quality from pasture to plate. The processing facility creates everything from fresh cuts to traditional Czech sausages and pâtés using only meat and spices, no chemicals or quick salts.

Crucially, Karel opens these facilities to other regenerative farmers. "To process not only our animals, but also those of other breeders increases the whole market and improves sales in stores," he explains. This collaborative approach is building a network of regenerative meat producers across the region under the brand rege.food.

"Due to education, conferences, and farms uniting under regenerative agriculture, we're seeing incredible acceleration," Karel observes. "The mindset of the population is changing."

Leading the Regenerative Revolution

What makes Statek Mitrov remarkable is the context. Czech agriculture is dominated by massive industrial operations that receive the lion's share of government subsidies. The average farm here is enormous with production concentrated in a few large enterprises. Small farmers pursuing regenerative methods must build everything themselves, fight for every permit, and prove every method. Karel has been at the forefront of this, consistently advocating for his farm’s survival and regeneration as the future of agriculture.

Now Karel is uniting farmers facing similar challenges through the Regenerative Breeders Association. His YouTube channel with nearly 1300 subscribers documents every innovation in Czech, building community and sharing knowledge. Statek Mitrov also hosts tours and workshops with new accommodation facilities being built for those wanting to stay on the farm and learn about holistic management firsthand.

Karel is also working with nutritionists to document the superior nutrition of pasture-raised beef versus industrial grain-fed meat. He's developing partnerships with European regenerative farmers to source appropriate genetics as the Czech breeding stock, which are often raised in sheds on grain, can't handle the daily pasture moves holistic grazing requires.

Fighting for the Future of Czech Farming

Karel is working with authorities to update regulations around pasture-raised chickens and pigs - methods that are supported across Europe, but face resistance in the Czech Republic.

“When we started, the authorities said our methods were impossible, even illegal in some cases. But we knew better. We've seen these methods work in other countries." Karel explains. Karel understood that regenerative beef production could transform Czech agriculture. He just needed to demonstrate it at scale.

Karel approaches these challenges with the same dedication that built Statek Mitrov. This isn't about being a troublemaker. It's about creating pathways for the next generation of farmers who want to produce meat sustainably. He knows that changing a system takes time, patience, and proof. Every successful season, every satisfied customer, every young farmer who visits his operation adds to the momentum.

"Help with authorities, that's the only stress I have," Karel tells visitors with a smile. The daily complexity of moving thousands of animals? Processing meat? Direct marketing? "That's not stress. That's farming the way it should be done."

What once seemed like one man's impossible dream is becoming the Czech Republic's agricultural future. Not because Karel gave up, but because he never did.