Rotational Foragescapes
As part of our farming methods, we prescribe to frequent rotation of animal paddocks. Pasture rotation gives the animals fresh ground under foot and allows previously grazed/disturbed areas time to recover.
Nearly all of our fences are portable, with only perimeter and large pasture sub-divisions made of permanent electrified high tensile wire. By keeping our fencing portable, we can move animals as needed in order to rest different areas of the farm and let them regenerate before moving animals back for the next graze.
Oftentimes a given piece of ground may seen three or even four species in the course of a year. Cows and sheep make excellent lawnmowers to help keep pastures at a good length for chickens and turkeys to pass through.
Always moving, always changing. Nature abhors stationary practices and we always do our best to work with nature.
Animal Welfare
We believe that animals thrive when raising in conditions that fulfill their intrinsic needs. Pigs enjoy wallows, hens love a good dust bath, and cows like a grassy knoll to chew the cud. Fresh air and sunshine go a long way towards producing a happy, healthy animal that in turn creates meat that fosters happy and healthy people.
Animal Feed
Our pigs, chickens and turkeys all get their nutrition from two avenues: What they can forage and what we directly provide them in the form of “feed”. Our forage-landscape generates copious amounts of green grasses, weeds, roots, grubs and insects that these omnivorous birds and pigs enjoy on a daily basis.
Our feed is sourced locally, within our county, from a feed mill that supplies us with custom-milled feed made from a combination of transitional organic and non-GMO grains for our poultry and hogs.
Our cows and sheep are 100% grass-fed, eating only our Certified Organic pasture grasses, legumes and forbs, and Organic hay in the winter time . Our pastures are not sprayed or chemically-treated and the hay either comes from our land or from a local organic hay producer. No chemicals or synthetic fertilizers are applied on any of our pastures.