I didn't know you did THAT! The biggest takeaways from our annual farm tour.

If you could visit our farm, what would you want to see? What would you want to learn? 

This weekend, around 100 visitors had the opportunity to see and learn how we do things on our farm – and ask the questions they’ve been waiting to have answered. 

Here are some of the most important questions (and answers) on the tour. 

I see that you process your own chickens. Does that make a big difference? 

Yes, it really does! 

Talking about slaughter can be uncomfortable. But it’s a big part of the way we farm! When we’re raising healthier meat for you, we’re not just thinking about how we’re raising the animals - we’re also thinking about how we butcher them, too. 

You might be surprised to learn that stress before slaughter (specifically in the 24-48 hours before slaughter) can affect the quality of meat in an animal. It makes sense. Think about when you’re stressed, and how your muscles become tense. 

In an animal, stress before and during slaughter raises the pH in the animal’s meat - often causing it to be tough and dry. This is a big deal when it comes to chicken - because aren’t we all expecting tender chicken when we cook dinner? 

So, on our farm, we invest in low-stress butchering techniques. Our animals stay here, so there’s no long transportation in cramped cages on the road. We use cones to keep birds calm. And we slaughter using humane techniques that keep the process peaceful. 

That makes sense. But I have another question - is it true that most chickens are washed in bleach? Do you do that? 

Yes, this is true!

The majority of chicken in this country are washed in chlorine. That’s how it’s done in a big processing facility. 

But on our farm, we can make a different choice. We want to keep you safe, and prevent harmful bacteria from growing on our meat. 

But we also want to use ingredients that you feel safe eating. So, instead we spray our processed chickens with an anti-microbial spray, made up of 50% water and 50% household vinegar. Safe, effective, and simple. 

I’ve never seen pigs raised outdoors. Do they like this? Don’t they want to be indoors? 

Yes, pigs love being raised outdoors. In fact, for our pigs - Red Wattle heritage pigs - the woods are their natural habitat. There’s no other place they’d rather be! 

If you’ve ever had a dry, white, and tasteless pork chop, then you’ve tasted the result of pigs raised indoors, with no work to do and nothing to forage. 

Our pork chops fly off the shelves because they’re quite literally the fruit of the pig’s labor. Pigs want to work, exercise, and forage. In fact, the first thing they do when they stand up is put their nose down and start shoveling. 

Raising pigs outdoors means putting them where they want to be, and letting them do the work they want to do. And that means they’ll grow into finished animals with flavorful, dark meat; high-quality, healthy fat; and a delicate texture.

So instead of a dry and flavorless pork chop, you’ll be consuming meat that’s tender, moist, and delicious - plus rich in vitamins and minerals, especially Vitamin D. 

I love the way you farm. How do you sell your meat? Can I order from you? 

Yes, we sell directly to you! 

Ordering from us is simple: create an online account, choose to pick up on the farm or get it delivered to your door, and fill up your cart. 

You’ll also find a variety of ways to save, from multi-packs to our optional subscribe and save feature to get 5% off each order. And our subscriptions are totally customizable, too, so you can change what you receive with each order. 

Still have questions? Visit us at the farm on any Saturday from 10 am - 1 pm, or get in touch with us via email using this contact form.