In the early 90's we began converting our farm to a more natural, pasture-based system.  We carefully monitored the cows' grazing habits to produce the highest quality pasture, and the animals' calving cycles were moved to the springtime, maximizing the use of lush spring grasses.

Unlike most dairy farms, we use only pasture to feed our cows.  We use absolutely no grain supplementation.  All milk cows are moved to fresh grass two times a day.  The lush spring forage growth coincides with the cows' high nutritional requirements at calving, and the "dry period" is during the winter when forage quality is lower.  The cattle graze all year, even in the winter when hay is supplements their diet.

The baby calves are raised on nurse cows.  We graft calves onto "nanny cows", and each nurse cow will raise 1 or 2 calves in addition to her own.  The milk from the rest of the herd is used for the cheese making.

A consistent diet of pasture with no grain or silage results in the total volume of milk being lower but much more concentrated with butterfat, protein, vitamins, minerals, and other solids.

We milk a myriad of cows on our farm: Dutch Belt, Milking Shorthorn, and Devon crosses, some of which are descendants of Jerseys, Holsteins, and Guernseys.  Our goal is to find the kind of cow that will follow the seasonal cycle of nature- calving in the spring, breeding back in early summer, and drying off for the winter.  We are developing dual purpose cattle that will produce and reproduce on forage alone.

In this more natural model, the grass captures the sun's energy, the cows harvest the grass and return the manure as fertilizer.  Our family harvests the milk from the cows to produce wholesome farmstead cheeses for you to enjoy.