We raise our animals and grow our garden using regenerative farming methods.
Our cattle are 100% grass-fed & finished, while our poultry and pigs are supplemented with non-GMO feed. All of our livestock is rotationally grazed (moved regularly) on fresh pasture. We never use antibiotics, wormers, growth hormones, or vaccines.
Cows & cattle
All of our beef is 100% grass-fed [NO GRAIN FED EVER] from the first breath the cows take, to their last.
The herd is raised on pasture during the growing season. We practice "mob" grazing, and the animals are moved to fresh pasture multiple times a day. This practice promotes dense stands of grass and forbes, while improving the soil health on our farm.
During the winter, our herd will graze stock-piled grass or hay. Winter shelter is provided when needed. Our cows always have access to fresh air and sunshine. Our cows are always handled as gently as possible, for a stress-free experience. Since we end our cattles' lives out in the pasture which is their home, we are able provide a very low-stress killing process for all animals involved. Our close relationship with our meat processor ensures that our beef is never treated with chemicals.
We grow or source all of our beef calves from 100% grass-fed mama cow herds. Our producers never use wormers, vaccines, growth hormones, or antibiotics.
The baby calves are kept on the mama cows till they are 9 months of age to ensure that their rumens are fully developed. For each cow we milk, there is another mama (nurse cow) left in the field with both of their calves. The calves are fence-line weaned for a month, at 9 months of age, to ensure a stress-free weaning experience. What this means is that the calves are placed on the other side of the fence from the mamas; they are still in plain sight of their mamas, and still can associate with them, but cannot nurse. This is how the mama cows are dried off within our herds. This is a unique and gentle process which we have adopted.
Poultry & eggs
About our meat chickens:
In the summer, our broiler chickens are raised within portable, protected outdoor coops. These chicken coops are moved daily to ensure access to fresh grass and bugs, for diet enhancement. The chickens' diets are supplemented with non-GMO grain, in order to meet their protein and energy needs. No antibiotics, vaccines, wormers, or growth hormones are ever used.
We try to raise our birds slowly; we usually allow 10 weeks for them to reach 6 lbs, which is 4 weeks longer than what is allowed for conventionally-grown birds. This slower growth adds a great deal of flavor to the meat, which you will easily taste when eating our chicken.Our close relationship with our meat processor ensures that our poultry end their lives in a peaceful manner, and that the meat is never treated with chemicals.
About our eggs / laying hens:
Egg production is the same as with the meat birds, but these chickens are given more space. We typically keep them in production for a full year before replacing them with younger birds. In the winter they are kept indoors on deep bedding and lots of space, always with outdoor access.
Our pigs
All of our pork is raised outdoors, with indoor access in the winter. Our pigs are moved weekly to ensure fresh grass and forbs for forage. In the winter, additional hay is supplemented as needed. Pigs are also fed non-GMO grain as needed, in order to meet their energy and protein needs. All piglets are raised from sow herds using the same protocols.
We never use antibiotics, wormers, growth hormones, or vaccines. In addition, nitrates are not used in any of our cured products.
Our close relationship with our meat processor ensures that our pigs end their lives in a peaceful manner, and that the meat is never treated with chemicals.
The garden
All vegetables are seasonal, and are grown organically in nutritionally-dense, healthy soils. This ensures a safe and healthy eating experience. Whenever possible, we process and freeze vegetables to keep them available in the off-season.
About vaccines & medicine
We do not vaccinate our animals ever. We believe that vaccinating will only fix the symptom, not the problem. If many animals are sick (which has not happened while farming the way we do), we look for the root cause and address that—more often than not, it's a nutritional issue. If we do have a problem with a sick animal, we will use antibiotics and then send it to the sale barn as soon as we are allowed by law to do so. We will never eat or sell an animal for food that we have treated.