With a name like Christopher Burger, you would think he always wanted to be a cattle farmer.
He didn't grow up on his farm in Greenback or study agriculture. In fact, he sought out to be an artist in New York.
But he came back near his hometown of Knoxville to help make the world a little greener.
"It's taken me 10,000 hours of self directed learning for me to learn how to do this," Christopher Burger, Century Harvest Farms founder said.
His studying mixed with a lot of passion created his sustainable farm: Century Harvest. There he raises 100% grass fed cattle to create what he says is healthier, more cost efficient beef.
He's part of a growing movement across the country and here in East Tennessee to create farms that do not rely on imported products that cannot be reused.
"Instead of buying fertilizer that comes from petroleum that's processed in China, we make this [compost] right here in East Tennessee with local ingredients," Burger said.
The compost he uses to fertilize his cattle's grass is the key to keeping the farm local. That's because he makes it with the waste from Knoxville's Saw Works Brewing Company.
"The dollars you spend on grass fed beef stay right here in your local economy," Burger said.
Saw Works only needs a portion of the 1,000 pounds of barley they use to make their beer each week. So instead of throwing it out, Burger buys it from them.
He uses it first, mixed with hay, to feed his lactating cows when it's too hot. Then, their manure is combined with more spent brewery barley to create compost.
"We have a lot of material there that is leftover that still provides fiber and other nutrients to livestock," said Saw Works Head Brewer, Chris Ohmer.
Burger calls the process a complete circle, it starts at the brewery and ends there too.
Customers can order beef online starting this Wednesday and eventually pick it up at Saw Works Brewery.
The farm is also having a launch party at Saw Works on East Depot Ave in Knoxville from 5-8 p.m. Wednesday, October 3rd. There you can try the beef for yourself.