Henry Fudge—a farmer, businessman and preacher—is the driving force behind Fudge Family Farms. The farms supplying his label raise a cross of two heritage breeds and are the culmination of 30 years of research into what makes a really good hog.

Simply Grazin’ Organic Farm (in New Jersey and Virginia) is a family owned and operated farm that believes in allowing animals to do exactly what God intended them to do—graze peacefully and grow naturally—with minimal interference from the farmers. The farm is run by Mark, Lynne, Dylan, Taylor & Stacie Faille. In addition, they have numerous family members, including uncles, cousins, nephews, & nieces that lend a helping hand on a daily and seasonal basis. They have been farming for approximately 12 years and were committed to grass-based, organic farming before it was “in.”

Tom Martin has known since age four that he wanted to be a farmer. His childhood memories of farming with his father have inspired his dedication to the land and his animals, and to leaving both in even better condition for the next generation. “There’s a different way to do things these days that is healthy and productive,” Tom says. “Raising our cattle on pasture is one of the things I can do to make sure that my sons will be able to farm healthy land with healthy animals.”

Farmers of Israel, Palestine and Jordan are utilizing an alternative method of pest control: birds of prey. Owls and kestrels are now being courted with nests and plentiful hunting grounds, that they may serve as a “natural” means to keep the rodent population in check. Previously, rodenticides had been sprayed on crops to deter the pests. This proved fatal to hundreds of birds of prey – including many endangered species – that died after eating the poisoned animals. Quests for an alternative method ultimately led to a government-funded program encouraging the erection of nesting boxes for owls and kestrels – birds whose complementary hunting patterns result in 24-hour rodent control. A kibbutz, or farming village, in the Bet-She’an Valley was one of the first to employ this method in 1983. The practice has now blossomed into a partnership between three countries, multiple charities, scientists and farmers, in an effort to reduce the amount of chemical pesticides used on middle eastern farms.

Following our recent Alfred State Summit, this past Monday and Tuesday we attended a similar summit on sustainable food in North Carolina. This “Farm to Fork” summit was hosted by the Center for Environmental Farming Systems and North Carolina’s two land grant universities: NC A&T & NC State. Notable speakers included Mary McNeil, USDA Deputy [...]

Mack Brook Farm is owned and run by Kevin Jablonski and Karen Christensen. Nestled between the Adirondack and Green Mountain ranges in New York, Kevin and Karen have made a comprehensive effort to preserve the land as well as its Scottish heritage. Argyle, New York was originally a Scotch land grant where many immigrants from Argyll, Scotland settled. Angus cattle, native to Scotland and bred from indigenous wild species, find the area a natural home and for this reason it was the breed that Kevin and Karen chose to raise on their farm.

As a small boy on his grandfather’s mushroom farm, with only a few goats, chickens, and pigs, Scott Hasselmann began dreaming of a farm of his own. Today he lives a two hour drive from the city and raises grassfed laying hens, pigs, cattle, and a dozen sheep with his wife Nena and their two children Georgie and Alexia.

Hut’s Hamburgers, an Austin tradition since 1939, has added that iconic symbol of Texas-the Longhorn-to its menu. Animal Welfare Approved Bandera Grassland of Tarpley, Texas is supplying the restaurant with pure Texas Longhorn beef from cattle that are direct descendants of the Iberian cattle brought by the Spaniards in the 1500s. The Animal Welfare Approved seal is an assurance to consumers that cattle from Bandera Grassland have been treated according to the highest welfare standards.

“We were interested in the beef because of its unique history and strong identification with Texas, but what sold us on the burger was the spectacular taste,” said Michael Hutchinson, the owner of Hut’s, which is regularly voted as having the best burgers in Austin and is known nationwide for its innovative menu. “Our customers love it. It tastes like the beef you used to be able to get 150 years ago-like the beef you might have eaten on cattle drives. It’s got big, authentic Texas flavor. Having the beef come from an Animal Welfare Approved ranch is an added bonus, because Austin is a town that cares about sustainable agriculture and animal welfare.”

Larry and Jacque are growers o’naturale. They have peaches, table grapes, strawberries and blackberries. Yes, they also grow veggies from A-Z. With 8 acres in production using pesticide-free methods they stay pretty busy. One of the keys for them is the use of chicken manure from their flock of 100 heritage breed chickens for fertilizer. Even before they had heard of Animal Welfare Approved they were using humane practices raising and handling their birds. It was a perfect fit, and they ended-up being the first poultry farmers in Oklahoma to be certified by Animal Welfare Approved.

We wanted to share news about a new website published by the Niche Meat Processor Assistance Network, nichemeatprocessing.org, which was designed to provide information for smaller meat processors working with local, organic or grassfed products.
This resource should be helpful, providing information on processing regulations, mobile processing units, and marketing information. Please see the topics [...]