Animals
Our animals hold a very important place in the life of the farm. Through their hard work they turn what nature has grown into a fertilizer that further enhances soil life and health. The incorporation of animals is essential in allowing us to grow a diversity of crops on our fields which are good for the soil and can be utilized by the animals. Although it takes a lot of dedication and understanding to raise the animals in a way that enhances their quality of life and the quality of the product they produce, it is also very entertaining and rewarding to have the animals on the farm.
We have several considerations for the well-being of our animals. Each animal is allowed to express its species-specific characteristics. That means the pigs are allowed to root in the soil and forage. The cows graze fresh pasture through rotational grazing. The chickens are able to forage and peck at bugs and legumes. A deep appreciation for each individual animal on the farm and for the products they provide permeates our daily work. We want the animals to live healthy lives and in turn produce nutrient-dense meat and products that you can feel good about eating.
Another of our concerns in producing animals for meat is the final step of processing the animal. We do not have a processing plant on the farm; therefore, it is critical that we have a good relationship with our meat processors. For our hogs and cattle we use a small family run USDA inspected facility in Millstadt, Illinois. A small facility like this gives us the ability to work with the processor on a variety of issues. We take great care in handling the animals with minimal stress, working to achieve fewer unnecesary additives to meat products like sausages, all the way down to rates of time for hanging cattle carcasses and packaging the final product. Our chickens are also processed at a family run, USDA inspected facility in Arthur, Illinois. The chickens are also handled for minimal stress from the time they leave their pasture surroundings. The chickens are minimally processed avoiding any additives.