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Additional
Grass Farm Products
Additional
Grass Farm Services
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- Replacement Heifers
- In years when we are not expanding the cowherd
to take advantage of additional grazing pastures that have been added
to our stewardship, we provide fellow grass farmers with replacement
heifers. These animals are progeny of superior grass finishing dams
and sires that have become adapted to our Virginian environment. Herdsmen
can select replacements from our herd, confident in the knowledge
that they have been antibiotic and hormone free and have matured on
grass rather than being pumped-up on grain. Unfortunately, we are
not offering replacement heifers from the current year.
- Pork -
Pasture raised hogs and sows are processed seasonally in the spring
and fall. At the current time, we are providing live animals only
and inviting patrons to attend traditional hog slaughter days and
bring their meat home with them. As demand for hams, loin chops, sausage
and other pork products has increased, we have decided to begin offering
USDA certified processed meat next year. Please let us know if you
are interested and we will add your name to our growing list of expectant
customers.
- Eggs -
We employ laying hens as our pasture managers. They reside in a mobile
hen house and travel through the pastures with the cattle. By day,
they wander the pastures scratching the grass and dung piles in search
of insects, seeds and other sources of protein. In the process, they
spread the cow dung more efficiently than a drag pulled behind a tractor
and they leave behind their own natural fertilizer rather than burning
fossil fuel. At night, they return to their mobile hen house to roost
and lay eggs. Eggs are then gathered in the morning and made available
to customers as they visit the farm to pick-up their beef or just
tour the farm.
- Chicken
- While we plan to expand into raising chickens
in the future, our days are quite full with the aspects we currently
steward. However, our customers have been asking us for spent hens
for stewing and we are only too happy to oblige.
- Hay -
We are not cropping with the use of chemical pesticides, herbicides,
and fertilizers used by most commercial hay producers. Thus, we are
not producing the monoculture stands of Timothy and Alfalfa hay so
coveted by show horse riders. However, our mixed swards of orchard
grass, clover, and fescue produce a high protein (18% in 2004), highly
digestible feed for field horses such as foxhunters and for most breeds
of cattle. Hay is sold in 5' and 4' round bales as well as in 4' square
bales.
- Firewood
- Typically available from Thanksgiving until
St. Patrick's Day, with delivery arranged within a 30 mile radius
of the farm.
- Timber -
We selectively cut a section of our hardwood timber each winter and
invite bidders to come to the farm and quote on the logs.
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