“So, what are you? Organic? Natural? Sustainable? Grass-fed? Free-range?”
This question eventually comes up in conversation when we talk about what we do because these are the labels people see advertised and in the store.
But, we don’t fit into a specific label. The Organic label is trademarked by USDA which means that unless you have been certified by the USDA you cannot call your product ‘organic.’ We’re not organic, and we’re not industrial, so it can be tricky knowing how to describe ourselves. Other farmers who farm similarly to us call themselves “eco-organic,” or “beyond organic.” These titles most accurately describe our farming process because our farming practices and food production partner with the ecosystem.
We’re trying to take care of the earth while producing good food: food that is both good FOR you and tastes good. You don’t need certification of any kind to accomplish this. You DO need a holistic understanding of how what you do effects your environment, and everything inside that environment, (ie: animals, resources, water, economics, community and people). And, without a holistic understanding of how things connect it can be easy to be motivated by monetary incentives often which are at the expense of others.
Our aim is to help nature heal itself. Nature follows principles. So, I guess you could say we’re principled farmers. We observe nature, and work with it.
Here are a few of the natural principles that we observe.
-In nature, animals move around. 
On our farm, the animals move around. Our cattle graze, stomp the leftover grass (and grass seeds) into the ground, deposit manure, and move on. This bruise and rest cycle promotes growth and fertility in the land. This is one of the most crucial principles in our farming.
-In nature, multiple species of animals are on the same land. On our farm we have different species filling different niches of the ecosystem. Cattle are the stomp-ers and grazers, chickens scratch and peck out bugs, worms, and other insects that can become pest problems, and pigs dig and root.
-Nature is mostly growing perennials (plants that don’t die on a yearly basis, or come back year after year). On our farm, we mostly grow perennials, the major one being grass. But we are also planting berries and nut-bearing shrubs, and the pigs eat nuts from the trees. 
-Nature is always growing, and never growing a mono-crop (a ”mono-crop’ is a field of only one type of plant.) On our farm we work with nature, planting something in the bare areas after the pigs dig it up.
-Nature doesn’t apply synthetic chemicals. Because of the previous 4 points, we don’t need to apply chemicals to kill pests, control weeds, or keep our animals healthy. Nature is healthy, restorative, and resilient. It grows plants and supports animals that are appropriate for it’s ecosystem.
For more detailed specifics about exactly what our animals eat, click the following links:
pigs on pasture
chickens on pasture
grassfed beef
Or, you can just ask us! We love conversations with our customers, finding out about what they’re looking for in their food, and discussing the ‘how’ and ‘why’ behind our farming.