Hickory Field Farm

Fall on the Farm

2011-11-08T15:25:00.001-08:00

New Sign

2011-11-08T15:19:00.001-08:00

Looking good! Thanks Family!

Open House on the Farm Saturday 10/22/11

2011-10-18T05:11:00.000-07:00

We would like to invite everyone to visit the farm, meet the animals, and enjoy some (hopefully) great fall weather Saturday 10/22/11. Beef and pork will be available for purchase at that time also. Hope to see you then!

Local Harvest

2011-10-15T18:01:00.000-07:00

Almost everything in this picture was grown on the farm. The cheese and wine were purchased from local producers; the pork, sage, beets, and spinach are all from Hickory Field Farm. Even the gourds were unintentionally grown by the goats. A dinner like this is what inspires us to continue farming!

2011-10-15T16:26:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite times of the year! Coming back from the butcher with plenty of delicious grass-fed meat to get us through the winter.....as an added bonus, it requires plenty of list making and organizing.....another two things I love!

Porktober

2011-10-02T18:26:00.001-07:00

Pork prices and availability will be posted shortly!

Porktober

2011-10-02T18:19:00.000-07:00

This is our first year raising pigs. We purchased these four locally as weanlings at about 8 weeks. They went to the butcher this weekend at about 8 months; he told us they are some of the biggest he has seen! However, after comparing feed costs, we learned that our pigs went through much less feed than younger, smaller animals. All the foraging they did in our woods has really paid off! Not only were they healthy, happy animals, but they cost less to raise, and did a phenomenal job of starting to clear the woods....we are now several steps closer to "silvopasture".

September Chicken Processing

2011-10-02T18:14:00.000-07:00

The last batch of chickens for 2011. Although Hurricane Irene threw a wrench in our well laid plans we were able to get everything done in one day. Thank you Mary for ALL your hard work...and for getting together some herbs from the garden for our customers to roast their birds with!

Moving the Cows......with help

2011-07-31T13:18:00.000-07:00

Although our cows are so accustomed to their daily moves that they practically do it themselves, we decided to bring some helpers with us today. Our four goats didn't mind lending a "hoof", but made sure they weren't left behind on the walk home!

"Orange you glad we took this picture?"

2011-07-31T13:15:00.000-07:00

Sunflowers!

2011-07-31T13:13:00.000-07:00

Farm to Table

2011-07-12T15:09:00.000-07:00

One of our favorite summer activities is preparing meals made from meat and produce we raise here on the farm. What's tasting especially good this year? Summer squash "pasta" and carrots with dill....delicious!

Men at Work

2011-06-14T17:02:00.000-07:00

Matt and Neel unloading the crates we use to transport our pasture-raised roasters on processing day.

Woodlot Pork

2011-06-14T16:12:00.000-07:00

The Benefits of MIG Grazing

2011-06-14T16:09:00.000-07:00

By rotating the herd onto fresh pasture 1-2 times a day, they enjoy a constant supply of lush, clean grass.

2011-06-14T15:54:00.000-07:00

New Calves

2011-06-14T15:47:00.000-07:00

Two new heifer calves born to our lowline angus cows: here is "Stormy" hiding in the grass, and "The Nugget" visiting with Neel

Fencing is Finished!

2011-05-10T10:59:00.000-07:00

At least for now! We are looking forward to getting the cows into their newest field....and, of course, of having one less place to mow! We were able to get most of the posts we used from an old cedar we lost in a storm last winter...they look great and saved both trees and money!

Pastured/Woodlot Pork

2011-04-07T16:31:00.000-07:00

Our newest additions! These heritage breed piglets will start on pasture and then move to the woods, where they will follow a rotational grazing model until they are finished and ready for the butcher this fall. More information to follow on our latest project.....

Violet and Cupcake

2011-03-06T00:00:00.000-08:00

Our 2010 babies will be ready to breed this fall....we look forward to these two beautiful heifers becoming mothers and continuing our lines of healthy grass-fed cattle.

Baby on Board

2011-03-05T23:55:00.000-08:00

As calving season for us gets closer, we can really start to see it in our cows.....the sleepless nights will be here before we know it! The anticipated excitement of new calves is laced with a general anxiety that all will be well....

Signs of Spring!

2011-03-05T23:47:00.000-08:00

The girls enjoy some water-cooler gossip as we finally see the grass again!

2011-02-06T13:48:00.000-08:00

Chickens at Work

2011-02-06T13:43:00.001-08:00

The ladies aren't too interested in spending much time in the snow, but they are happy to dig around in their bedding looking for scratch and kitchen treats. This makes their winter bedding excellent compost to get the garden going in the spring!

Staying Warm in the Snow

2011-02-06T12:57:00.000-08:00

Despite what feels like endless days of snow, sleet, and sub-zero temperatures, the herd is doing very well. We are continually amazed by nature's ability to care for her own....with their winter coats and some good quality hay they keep themselves warm and dry in any weather.

Waiting for Breakfast

2010-11-07T17:11:00.000-08:00

The herd has access to pasture 24/7, 365 days a year. Of course, there comes a point each fall when the grass begins to die and we supplement their diet with hay from an excellent local producer, O'Dell Farms in Slate Hill. The girls got so excited for their hay this morning they were waiting at the gate as soon as they heard the tractor start. They were so inspired they tried a brief run before settling back to their normal leisurely stroll.

Just Before Sunrise

2010-11-05T19:17:00.000-07:00

Autumn Sunrise

2010-11-04T17:31:00.001-07:00

Fall/Winter 2010 Orders

2010-09-13T17:34:00.000-07:00

Order Now for Chicken & Beef! Pricing and Info available through the link on the top left!

Chicken Tractors

2010-09-08T18:26:00.000-07:00

Here are the chicken tractors we use for our pastured poultry. In order to keep them safe from predators while still allowing them to be on pasture, we keep them here from ages 4-12weeks. These "tractors" are designed to be light enough to be moved by hand...in our case, twice a day to fresh pasture. The birds walk along as we move them. On the left is our original model, constructed by bending 16' hog panels over a frame of 4x4's. The tractor on the right is the newer, lighter-weight model we built this year, made from 3/4" conduit piping and 2x4's. Both have held up nicely and protected the birds from predators and bad weather.

Morning Grazing

2010-09-06T16:07:00.000-07:00

The herd enjoying fresh pasture on a cool September morning

Summer Harvest

2010-08-16T08:15:00.001-07:00

Here is a day's worth of veggies from the garden. The satisfaction we get from sitting down to dinner with our meat, eggs, and/or vegetables makes all the hard work worth it!

Heat Wave

2010-07-07T21:21:00.000-07:00

We have been experiencing temperatures well over 90F for the past week or so; which requires more intensive management of the cattle than normal. We do our best to put them in the breeziest, shadiest parts of the pasture, keep their drinking water cold, and spray them with a hose or sprinkler to cool down. Here Neel is carrying an hour old cross-bred heifer calf to the shade (and walking backwards so mom can keep an eye on her calf!). After some help nursing, cow and calf enjoy a much needed rest.

2010-07-04T05:49:00.000-07:00

Summary of Important Health Benefits of Grassfed Meats, Eggs and Dairy

Lower in Fat and Calories. There are a number of nutritional differences between the meat of pasture-raised and feedlot-raised animals. To begin with, meat from grass-fed cattle, sheep, and bison is lower in total fat. If the meat is very lean, it can have one third as much fat as a similar cut from a grain-fed animal. In fact, as you can see by the graph below, grass-fed beef can have the same amount of fat as skinless chicken breast, wild deer, or elk.[1] Research shows that lean beef actually lowers your "bad" LDL cholesterol levels.[2]

Data from J. Animal Sci 80(5):1202-11.

Because meat from grass-fed animals is lower in fat than meat from grain-fed animals, it is also lower in calories. (Fat has 9 calories per gram, compared with only 4 calories for protein and carbohydrates. The greater the fat content, the greater the number of calories.) As an example, a 6-ounce steak from a grass-finished steer can have 100 fewer calories than a 6-ounce steak from a grain-fed steer. If you eat a typical amount of beef (66.5 pounds a year), switching to lean grassfed beef will save you 17,733 calories a year—without requiring any willpower or change in your eating habits. If everything else in your diet remains constant, you'll lose about six pounds a year. If all Americans switched to grassfed meat, our national epidemic of obesity might diminish.

In the past few years, producers of grass-fed beef have been looking for ways to increase the amount of marbling in the meat so that consumers will have a more familiar product. But even these fatter cuts of grass-fed beef are lower in fat and calories than beef from grain-fed cattle.

Extra Omega-3s. Meat from grass-fed animals has two to four times more omega-3 fatty acids than meat from grain- fed animals. Omega-3s are called "good fats" because they play a vital role in every cell and system in your body. For example, of all the fats, they are the most heart-friendly. People who have ample amounts of omega-3s in their diet are less likely to have high blood pressure or an irregular heartbeat. Remarkably, they are 50 percent less likely to suffer a heart attack.[3] Omega-3s are essential for your brain as well. People with a diet rich in omega-3s are less likely to suffer from depression, schizophrenia, attention deficit disorder (hyperactivity), or Alzheimer's disease.[4]

Another benefit of omega-3s is that they may reduce your risk of cancer. In animal studies, these essential fats have slowed the growth of a wide array of cancers and also kept them from spreading.[5] Although the human research is in its infancy, researchers have shown that omega-3s can slow or even reverse the extreme weight loss that accompanies advanced cancer and also hasten recovery from surgery.[6,7]

Omega-3s are most abundant in seafood and certain nuts and seeds such as flaxseeds and walnuts, but they are also found in animals raised on pasture. The reason is simple. Omega-3s are formed in the chloroplasts of green leaves and algae. Sixty percent of the fatty acids in grass are omega-3s. When cattle are taken off omega-3 rich grass and shipped to a feedlot to be fattened on omega-3 poor grain, they begin losing their store of this beneficial fat. Each day that an animal spends in the feedlot, its supply of omega-3s is diminished.[8] The graph below illustrates this steady decline.

Data from: J Animal Sci (1993) 71(8):2079-88.

When chickens are housed indoors and deprived of greens, their meat and eggs also become artificially low in omega-3s. Eggs from pastured hens can contain as much as 10 times more omega-3s than eggs from factory hens.[9]

It has been estimated that only 40 percent of Americans consume an adequate supply of omega-3 fatty acids. Twenty percent have blood levels so low that they cannot be detected.[10] Switching to the meat, milk, and dairy products of grass-fed animals is one way to restore this vital nutrient to your diet.

The CLA Bonus. Meat and dairy products from grass-fed ruminants are the richest known source of another type of good fat called "conjugated linoleic acid" or CLA. When ruminants are raised on fresh pasture alone, their products contain from three to five times more CLA than products from animals fed conventional diets.[11] (A steak from the most marbled grass-fed animals will have the most CLA ,as much of the CLA is stored in fat cells.)

CLA may be one of our most potent defenses against cancer. In laboratory animals, a very small percentage of CLA—a mere 0.1 percent of total calories—greatly reduced tumor growth. [12] There is new evidence that CLA may also reduce cancer risk in humans. In a Finnish study, women who had the highest levels of CLA in their diet, had a 60 percent lower risk of breast cancer than those with the lowest levels. Switching from grain-fed to grassfed meat and dairy products places women in this lowest risk category.13 Researcher Tilak Dhiman from Utah State University estimates that you may be able to lower your risk of cancer simply by eating the following grassfed products each day: one glass of whole milk, one ounce of cheese, and one serving of meat. You would have to eat five times that amount of grain-fed meat and dairy products to get the same level of protection.

Vitamin E. In addition to being higher in omega-3s and CLA, meat from grassfed animals is also higher in vitamin E. The graph below shows vitamin E levels in meat from: 1) feedlot cattle, 2) feedlot cattle given high doses of synthetic vitamin E (1,000 IU per day), and 3) cattle raised on fresh pasture with no added supplements. The meat from the pastured cattle is four times higher in vitamin E than the meat from the feedlot cattle and, interestingly, almost twice as high as the meat from the feedlot cattle given vitamin E supplements. [14#] In humans, vitamin E is linked with a lower risk of heart disease and cancer. This potent antioxidant may also have anti-aging properties. Most Americans are deficient in vitamin E.

Data from: Smith, G.C. "Dietary supplementation of vitamin E to cattle to improve shelf life and case life of beef for domestic and international markets." Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado 80523-1171

Cooking Tips

2010-06-29T17:08:00.000-07:00

http://www.americangrassfedbeef.com/tips-for-cooking-grass-fed.asp

http://www.sustainabletable.org/features/articles/grassfedbeef/

Rotational Grazing

2010-06-17T15:40:00.000-07:00

We move our herd to fresh grass daily, setting up temporary paddocks within our larger fields. In the photo on the left, you can see how clean and even the grass is after it has been grazed.Pictured below is the difference in a paddock before/after the cattle have grazed it. The bottom picture shows some of the herd in a new section of pasture.

It's a Girl!

2010-04-19T14:26:00.000-07:00

Neel came home from work Friday afternoon to find a healthy new heifer calf sleeping next to her mom. Although we would prefer to be here for every birth, this is really the next best thing! This little girl will grow up right here on the farm and become a wonderful addition to our herd.

Spring Fever

2010-04-01T01:58:00.000-07:00

It was always a dream of mine to have pygmy goats....all the years I rode and worked in the hunter/jumper world I would try and convince anyone who would listen that the horses would benefit from having them around. We finally got two Nigerian Dwarf wethers in 2008, followed quickly by a doe we rescued from a local shelter (what's one more?), and shortly thereafter we were joined by her kid (guess that explains the weight gain!). They have proven to be excellent roommates for Pebbles, who is so enamored with them she puts up with the kind of daily shenanigans shown above...

2010-03-12T06:14:00.000-08:00

Our first calf of the season!
He is a Full Blood Lowline Angus Bull Calf
Calved 3/11/10

"Snowicaine" 2010

2010-03-05T12:31:00.000-08:00

"Hurry up, you're blocking the path!"
This steer's belly is just barely clear of the snow....

Although we are always disappointed to lose a healthy tree, we will get some good posts out of this cedar

We had a halt in production thanks to the 30"+ of snow we got late February.

Chicken Tractor: Step 1

2010-03-05T12:25:00.000-08:00

1) Go to lumberyard with list; hope you don't have to make umpteen return trips (but let's be realistic)

Also, get all helpers dressed and ready....

New Chicken Tractor

2010-03-05T12:22:00.001-08:00

We have started production on a new "chicken tractor" for our pastured poultry.....after a back-breaking 2009 we have new plans for a lighter model (moving to fresh grass twice a day can be exhausting!). Thanks to Owenlea Holsteins and Chris Bailey for these plans....

Eat Wild

2010-02-04T10:42:00.000-08:00

Eat Wild

Here is one of our favorite websites for finding other local producers, markets, and restaurants.

2010-02-02T05:07:00.001-08:00

Miniature Hereford Cattle Breed: Facts
Miniature Hereford Cattle look just like standard Hereford Cattle, they have the white face and are red with white under markings.
Read More

Informed and Inspired

2010-02-01T09:22:00.000-08:00

What a wonderful weekend! We attended a conference on raising grass-fed beef put on by Cornell Cooperative Extension, and were overwhelmed by the incredible speakers and information! It was also so encouraging to meet and learn from so many other small farmers...hearing their stories, challenges, and triumphs, and realizing that we are not alone on this crazy and wonderful journey!
I chose this picture to post as I think it relates to several topics we discussed this weekend...
1) I think this is a decent example of the difference in the pasture before/after the cows are rotated into an area. In this picture they have eaten down most of the grass fairly evenly, and are ready to move on.
2) There was some discussion about the "novel" idea of grazing the whole herd together, and the community relationships that ensued. Isn't it a bit counter-intuitive to think that the herd should be/would function better separate? In this picture we have a bull, three cows, a yearling steer, and a calf, with another calf and two more steers out of the shot. This just seems natural to us.....some people also suggested that there might be a minimum number (40?) required to achieve the "community", but it seemed to work with our small group as well!
3) There was a lot of good information on stocking density/mob grazing/maximizing animal impact to get the best results from both your pasture and your animals. Obviously we have not yet achieved that! I am anxiously waiting for spring to try some new ideas with our rotational grazing set up!

The only down side to the weekend was that we can't get moving fast enough! There is so much still to learn, to do, and never enough hours in the day!
Thank you to CCE and all the speakers at the conference; we can't wait for the next one!

Christmas with the Animals

2009-12-28T08:01:00.000-08:00

Enjoying a hot bran mash, a relaxing morning coffee, and some alfalfa cubes Christmas Morning

Winter on the Farm

2009-12-28T07:48:00.001-08:00

Winter presents some interesting challenges for us. The pasture is dead and frozen, water freezes regularly, and the short days mean we do the majority of our animal care in the dark. On the bright side, the cattle aren't bothered at all by the cold or the snow, and it does make for some great pictures! The shorter work day also means we get some time to catch up on some indoor work and make plans for next year. Right now, we are both enjoying reading books by Gene Logsdon, and looking forward to attending the CCE grass-fed beef conference in January.

Big Thanks to Our Helpers!

2009-09-22T10:33:00.000-07:00

Thanks so much to Joe, Grace, and Matt for all their help with the new driveway! As you can see in the post below, the calves are really enjoying the view!

Good Pasture Management

2009-09-22T10:24:00.000-07:00

In addition to rotating our cattle onto fresh grass every 3 days, we find that giving our free-range laying hens access to the grazing area reduces pests and improves the quality of the pasture. The cattle also act as a deterrent for predators...a real win/win for everyone!

New Additions

2009-09-22T10:10:00.000-07:00

We are pleased to announce that we have expanded our herd to include Lowline Angus. These are great little cows that do remarkably well on pasture alone. We look forward to next years crop of hereford/angus crosses for some of the best tasting beef around!

Free Range Eggs from Happy Chickens!

2009-09-16T16:11:00.000-07:00

Free range eggs available from our brown and colored egg-layers. Incredible taste, lower cholesterol, sustainably raised. Contact us for details, delivery available to NYC.

New Bull Calf

2009-08-04T05:32:00.000-07:00

Pure-bred Miniature Hereford Bull, out of LS Royal Duchess. Calved unassisted 7/26/09. Available for sale or trade.

Pastured Poultry Available 8/8 & 8/9

2009-08-04T05:28:00.000-07:00

Colored Rangers are now available....will be around 4lbs dressed weight. These chickens are a French heritage breed renowned for their superior flavor, that thrive when raised on pasture. Email for availability.

Grass Fed Beef

2009-05-03T17:23:00.000-07:00

Chicks for Sale: Brown and Colored Egg Layers

2009-04-16T12:42:00.001-07:00

Limited quantities of chicks available for sale: healthy, vaccinated, excellent laying varieties, from high producing lines. Please email if you are interested, chicks will go to good homes only!

Useful Sites

2009-04-16T04:19:00.001-07:00

Grassfed Beef Association: www.americangrassfed.org

Local producers: www.eatwild.com

Learning Center: Beef Cuts

2009-04-15T12:56:00.000-07:00

A diagram showing common cuts of beef. For customers who purchase halves or quarters, they will get a variety of all cuts.

Chicken Tractor

2009-04-14T18:21:00.000-07:00

Our "chicken tractor" is designed to be pulled around to fresh pasture every few days, and the wire mesh floor prevents predators from getting in at night, while allowing the manure to drop through....we get the benefits of extra fertilizer, and with all the hens scratching and foraging, we have our own soil enhancing system free of charge!

3 day old chicks

2009-04-14T18:18:00.000-07:00

This year's batch of layers....we are looking forward to more delicious brown eggs from our free range hens, as well as the pastel colored eggs we can expect from the new addition of Ameracaunas to our flock!

The Beginning....

2009-04-14T18:11:00.000-07:00

Today is the first official day of Hickory Field Farm! Not only did we finally decide on a name, but we also made our first sale....8 adorable chicks to a very excited buyer from Connecticut. We have more chick sales happening this month, but come May we turn our attention to the cattle. More info to come on availability of fresh eggs, grass-fed beef, and fresh pastured roasting chickens!