In 2007, Matt O’Hayer and his wife, Catherine, founded Vital Farms with a small plot of farmland, 20 laying hens and a bucket of good intentions. Their mission: to bring high quality, ethically produced eggs to the table through the humane treatment of their hens through the Pasture-Raised farming method.
Animal welfare and the humane treatment of laying hens remains at the heart of Vital Farms’ mission. Their hens (the “Girls on Grass”, or “the Girls”, as they are affectionately called) are provided with plenty of room to roam (108 sq. ft. of pasture for each hen), fresh air, and sunshine year round. “We are very happy to be at the forefront of something that will be revolutionary in agriculture and provide people with a healthy and more ethical alternative to industrial eggs,” says Dan Brooks.
A further representation of Vital Farms’ commitment to a consistent animal welfare standard is their decision to have all their farms designated Certified Humane®. “We wanted a top-shelf, independent certification program to validate for our customers that we walk the walk when it comes to animal welfare,” he adds. “We researched several programs, but Humane Farm Animal Care’s Certified Humane® standards were the most stringent.”
Vital Farms is one of the few pasture-raised egg companies in the United States. Their operations include over 100 farms based in Texas, Missouri, Arkansas, Tennessee, Oklahoma and Georgia, all raising laying hens in a total outdoor pasture system, with access to shelters at night. Vital Farms has experimented with a number of different breeds to be able to find birds that can handle weather extremes and outdoor living.
“Raising hens in an all-pasture system is complicated and relies on highly-trained employees well-versed in pasture-raising and the humane treatment of hens,” says Dan Brooks. “They must protect the hens from predators, as well as occasional inclement weather.”
Vital Farms also created a unique channel for independent family farmers. Recognizing the vulnerability of small farms in the face of a tough economy, they work together with producers to improve their facilities and practices to meet the Certified Humane® standards as well as their own protocols.
“Through Vital Farms, these small independent farms can reach a broad customer base looking for ethically produced and sustainable eggs,” Brooks stated. “The success of the company is defined by its dedicated employees. Everyone who works for Vital Farms is really happy about what they are doing every day. It’s easy to work hard and have a lot of energy when you believe in what you’re doing.”
Alan Zuschlag wasn’t always a shepherd. Alan grew up a typical suburban kid and his father was the local veterinarian. Growing up, Alan didn’t think to follow in his father’s footsteps in animal care. But, when this self described “frustrated yuppie” decided to leave the Washington DC rat-race and look for greener pastures, his father’s early influence left Alan with an appreciation for animals and ideals of natural farming.
Touchstone Farm of Rappahannock County, Virginia, was started as a part-time project with 25 acres and a decision to raise low impact, grazing animals. Alan told Humane Farm Animal Care, “I was highly methodical at the beginning.” Alan began studying the subject of shepherding carefully, reading all the material he could find and taking cues from another local shepherd. By the time he attended the annual Maryland Sheep and Wool Festival, Alan had narrowed his search. He was looking specifically for a strong animal that would be suited to his part-time shepherding.
The Clun Forest breed, from Shropshire in Wales, fit the bill perfectly. “They have extremely high protein in their milk and meat,” says Alan. The Clun Forest is also a “hardy, low-input sheep,” which was essential to a farm that is a one-man operation. “Most lamb you eat in America is either Aussie lamb or from New Zealand,” says Alan. “It’s frozen and shipped here. You just don’t know anything about it.” Alan’s pursuit of the rich flavor of pasture raised lamb has kept him from feedlots and all packages are processed at Touchstone.
Since 1996 Alan’s flock has been nestled in the Blue Ridge Mountains. Touchstone Farm sheep enjoy lush green pastures of orchard grass, rye grass, clover, native herbs and forbs, and they drink water piped directly from Touchstone Springs. Touchstone Farm does not use any artificial or processed foods, antibiotics or growth supplements.
Originally a “weekend venture” it wasn’t long before Alan said he “was bitten hard by the farm bug.” At first, Alan sold lamb to friends and relied on word of mouth to spread his business. His sales have increased since his website began handling orders. Touchstone Farm offers custom cut lamb in the Virginia and Washington DC metropolitan area. Spring lamb is available from March through May and fall freezer lamb is available from September through October. Half and whole lamb packages are processed to customer specifications and you can order at http://www.touchstonefarm.org/tf/default.htm
Alan has grown the original 25 acres of Touchstone Farms to 200 acres of pastures, hayfields and forest. Struck by the beauty of the area and bitten hard by the farm-bug, Alan now usually telecommutes to his Washington, DC job.
For information on where to find other Certified Humane® products in your area, visit the “Shop” page of HFAC’s website.
Summerhill Goat Dairy, located in Hanford, California has recently joined the Humane Farm Animal Care program as a newly Certified Humane® producer. Founded by John and Anneke de Jong in 1999, Summerhill was originally located in Southern California. Both John and Anneke grew up on family-run dairy farms, and originally had little knowledge about raising and milking goats. When the opportunity arose for them to purchase Summerhill and start raising dairy goats,they began researching everything they could about these gentle creatures. From reading books about goats to working with “goat experts”, Anneke and John found the idea of having a goat farm a new and exciting experience. With their acquired knowledge of goats, they created the ideal environment for their goats to feel safe, comfortable and be the healthiest they could be.
At the end of 2009, Summerhill Dairy relocated to Central California to a larger farm as it outgrew its former, rented facility. Today Summerhill Dairy’s’ 1,000 goats live on 100+ acres of land having access to indoor facilities as well as outdoor areas at all times. While transitioning to their larger farm in 2009, Anneke says, “Johnnie constantly tried to ‘think like a goat,’ only to discover on the first day after moving in, that they had outwitted him. The goats were able to open the gate latches and within hours were all mixed up!”
The large herd of goats found at Summerhill is pleasantly diverse with an array of breeds from LaManchas, Nubians, and Saanans to Alpines and Toggenburg goats. The goats are milked twice daily on the farm with an 84-goat rotary milking system originating from The Netherlands. Every animal uniquely creates milk in due time, therefore the European style rotary milking parlor allows for a more efficient milking process as goats are able to be released from the system when finished milking. The rotary parlor also ensures a less stressful milking process as goats are comfortably moved to the location one by one.
The fresh milk is immediately chilled once obtained from the goats, and then stored in silos. The goat milk is pasteurized at 161 degrees for 15 seconds. This High Temperature Short Time (HTST) system uses less water, power and energy than other methods. “We work hard to be good stewards of our resources. Our new dairy was built with an emphasis on animal comfort and care, energy efficiency and providing quality, natural goat milk for our customers,” John explains about his family run farm.
Once it has been pasteurized to ensure that the milk is free of bacteria or other harmful organisms, it is chilled again and put into quart size bottles. Milk is picked up daily from the farm and delivered to various stores in California.
As animal lovers, experienced humane animal handlers, and now considered goat experts themselves, John and Anneke are pleased to have been awarded the Certified Humane® label for their goat milk:“We have always been committed to the humane care and welfare of our goats. Our customers are very interested in how our animals are cared for and we wanted them to have an additional assurance that we were providing humane care.”
Located among the picturesque redwoods of Sonoma County in Northern California, Redwood Hill Farm & Creamery has been producing award-winning goat milk yogurt, kefir, and cheese for almost 50 years. Created in 2010, the company’s sister brand, Green Valley Organics, makes lactose-free yogurt, kefir, sour cream, and other specialty dairy products. Redwood Hill Farm & Creamery’s vision is to be a “different kind of creamery,” reflecting the values and sustainability of a family farm while creating delicious dairy products of the highest quality for everyone to enjoy.
Beginnings
In 1968, the Bice family moved from Los Angeles to Sebastopol, a quiet town about 60 miles north of San Francisco. Inspired by the Back to the Land movement, the Bices started a farm and goat dairy that would nourish not only their own family, but many others for generations to come. Although this new rural lifestyle took some getting used to, the Bice children quickly fell in love with the farm and animals, raising and showing goats through 4-H. Soon the family had accumulated about 80 goats—enough for an entire herd—and began selling goat milk to local health food stores under the Redwood Hill Farm label.
Growing the Business
In 1978 Jennifer Bice, the oldest of the 10 Bice children, assumed ownership of the farm along with her late husband, Steven Schack. Guided by the same values as her parents—producing delicious and nourishing food, treating animals humanely, and giving back to the land—she and Steven expanded the business to produce a greater variety of goat milk products and diversified the dairy goat-breeding program. In 2010, Redwood Hill Farm & Creamery created Green Valley Organics so that people with lactose intolerance could bring real dairy back into their lives, enjoying its health benefits and great taste without digestive troubles.
A master cheesemaker and expert goat breeder, founder Jennifer Bice runs Redwood Hill Farm & Creamery to this day. Her passionate dedication to goats, as well as her commitment to serving a community of people who could otherwise not enjoy real dairy, was foundational in creating widespread consumption of artisan goat milk products and lactose-free cow milk dairy. Green Valley Organics is the only line of cultured lactose-free dairy in the country.
First Certified Humane® Goat Dairy
Always on the cutting edge of taking care of people, animals and the planet, Jennifer Bice’s herd of Saanen, Alpine, Nubian and La Mancha
dairy goats was the first to become Certified Humane® in the U.S. in 2005. Although her farm had been using humane practices consistent with the Certified Humane® standard for decades, she wanted to give consumers the additional confidence of a third-party certification and the assurance that high standards of animal care were being met.
As the business grew, Redwood Hill Farm & Creamery brought on additional dairies to ensure a steady milk supply. In 2012, the company took their commitment to animal welfare one step further, helping each of their supplying dairies achieve independent certification from Humane Farm Animal Care (HFAC). Being Certified Humane® is now a requirement for all of the family farms that supply milk to Redwood Hill Farm and Green Valley Organics.
Sustainable Values
Sustainability has remained a guiding principle for Jennifer Bice throughout the years. The company’s certified organic creamery, just three miles away from the original Redwood Hill Farm, runs 100% on renewable energy. Two acres of rooftop solar panels provide 85% of its energy needs and the remainder comes from sources like geothermal and wind, via Sonoma Clean Power. Extensive water-saving measures are in place, including a system that pumps graywater to neighboring fields for irrigation. And the company is continually taking steps to make its creamery more sustainable through recycling, insulation, eco-sanitizers, LED and sensor lighting, and electric vehicle charging stations.
Sustainability means investing in the community as well. For over 30 years, Redwood Hill Farm & Creamery has supported youth and agricultural organizations, local health needs and environmental causes, including Community Child Care Council of Sonoma County (4Cs), Center for Climate Protection, Ceres Community Project, Daily Acts, Food for Thought, Land Paths, Marine Mammal Center, Rotary Club Sunrise, Sonoma Humane Society, and Sonoma Land Trust.
To learn more, visit Redwood Hill Farm & Creamery’s website at: Redwood Hill Farm
For information on where to find other Certified Humane® products in your area, visit the “Shop” page of HFAC’s website.
Phils Fresh Eggs in Forreston, Illinois is a family run, second generation, cage-free egg productions facility. Started in the late 1950’s by Phil Wubbena, Phil’s Fresh Eggs developed and pioneered the cage-free egg production model that is utilized around the world today. His son Rod and his wife maintain the farm today as well as the family legacy of 100% cage-free, naturally-fed chickens. Rod runs the farm at the original property in Forreston, Illinois.
The farm began as a dairy production facility in the 1950’s. After dairy farming for several years, Phil decided to try his hand at raising chickens and purchased a complete chicken raising “kit” from a local supplier. It included barns, feed and animals. Some of the original buildings are still standing today.
Feeling that he could improve on the conventional production methods of the time, Phil began to experiment with different systems experiments which eventually developed into what we refer to today as the cage-free production process.
According to Rod there was a serious learning curve, lots of trial and error, and lots of hard work. “We had four kids in the family. I remember not playing sport or participating in after school activities but rather coming home from school, gathering eggs, feeding pullets and helping at whatever chore I could,” Rod said. “After going away to college I came back to the farm to work and my wife and I eventually purchased the land from my Dad in 2002.”
Making Phil’s unique is their commitment to feeding their hens healthy feed. One of Rod’s favorite sayings is “you are what you eat.” He believes that what holds true for people holds true for chickens, too. Phil’s grows and roasts its own corn and soybeans for chicken feed, combining these grains with the highest-quality natural ingredients such as alfalfa and kelp.
“We had a case where we were using soybeans processed outside of our farm and something got into the system and contaminated the grain. Not knowing it was tainted we fed it to our hens and lost a lot of birds. My father was very concerned and disheartened. He began to experiment with growing and roasting our own soybeans. We were probably the first farm in the nation to have a grain roaster, a practice we still use today,” Rod said.
Phil’s also never compromises its standards with less expensive feed or ingredients, producing a consistently wholesome flavor in their eggs.
Phil’s Fresh Eggs first began to sell their humanely raised eggs to the Chicago market in the 1960’s before anyone had even heard the term “animal welfare.” “In the 1970’s as the health food trend began to become more mainstream, small independent stores began to pick up Phil’s products. The real break came in the 1980’s when the general public became interested in a healthier more naturally raised egg,” Rod said. “Consumers felt that our eggs simply tasted better and began to search them out,” he added.
Phil’s Fresh Eggs has never been about cutting corners to make a profit and still distinguishes themselves from other cage-free producers. According to Rod, “To be clearer, “mainstream” to me represents cage-free producers with nothing more than marketing in their motives. Conventional production with large economies of scale is frequently subsidizing large cage-free complexes these days. Sustainable family farming is a foundation our country must not forsake.”
“It’s an ongoing learning process for us,” said Rod. “We are very interested in sustainable agriculture and are constantly researching and refining the latest methods for producing grain and raising hens. But in the end it really comes down to common sense, common sense about animals and what they need.”
Phil Wubbena worked for over 50 years experimenting and refining commercial cage-free egg production and marketing. Phil was a pioneer in his field back at a time when no one knew what animal welfare meant. He practiced it because he had a love of animals and believed there was a better way – even if the mainstream egg industry was headed in a quite different direction. His humane concerns and healthier feeding methods were years ahead of its time and match today’s consumer preferences for food that is produced closer to nature’s simple ways.
Phil’s Fresh Eggs can be found in large grocery chains as well as natural food markets in the Midwest.
For information on where to find other Certified Humane® products in your area, visit the “Shop” page of HFAC’s website.
Pete and Gerry’s Eggs (along with sister brand Nellie’s Free Range Eggs) became Certified Humane® in 2003, and as such, became the first egg producer in the country to obtain the certification.
Since that time, Pete and Gerry’s Eggs has grown into the largest organic brand in the country, and Nellie’s Free Range has grown into the largest free range brand.
Pete and Gerry’s Eggs and Nellie’s Free Range Eggs have grown by staying small. Instead of achieving growth by adding barn after barn of their own, they’ve partnered with other small family farmers like themselves, most of whom have one or two laying barns on their farm. And they’ve maintained a commitment to animal welfare by meeting, and sometimes exceeding, Humane Farm Animal Care’s (HFAC) standards for space, light, access to the outdoors, feed requirements, fresh water availability, and so on.
Comprised of 43 family-owned farms (all “Certified Humane”) Murray’s Chicken is certainly a “unique breed.”
Murray Bresky grew up raising chickens and watched his father closely as he grew and learned the poultry business. The birds were such a passion for him and he worked diligently to learn the art of raising chickens well. He took over the family business in the late seventies and by 1993 he started Murray’s Chickens.
His promise to his growing family and grandchildren was that Murray’s Chickens would be raised without the use of antibiotics, growth drugs or hormones, and that they would have plenty of room to move around, flap their wings and get fresh air and sunlight.
Murray’s Chicken also takes great pride in being one of the first operators to become “Certified Humane” through Humane Farm Animal Care. According to Steve Gold, Vice President of Marketing and Sales for Murray’s Chicken, “Earning the ‘Certified Humane’ designation was the best thing we ever did. Humane Farm Animal Care has one of the few third party labeling programs that is for real… no shortcuts. We feel so proud to be associated with the ‘Certified Humane’ program.”
Based in New York and Pennsylvania, Murray’s Chicken has grown over the last decade and brings jobs to over 300 people and 43 farmers and their families.
With over 30 years of service to Murray’s Chicken, Mr. Gold has a real understanding of what the essence of Murray’s Chicken is really all about, and that is family. From the select family farms of the Pennsylvania countryside to Murray’s own children and grandchildren that inspired his mission – the legacy of Murray’s Chicken will always be about family.
Murray’s product line includes a variety of whole chicken cuts as well as convenient “ready to go” options like Italian-Style Chicken Burgers. Murray’s Chicken is available at grocers up and down the East Coast and as far west as Chicago, including Publix, Win Dixie, A&P, Wegmans and Fairway just to name a few.
Ludwig Farmstead Creamery sits on a 150 acre dairy farm in the Central Illinois town of Fithian. The farm has been operated by the Ludwig family for five generations, and excels at raising high quality, Certified Humane® Holstein cattle under the direction of their award-winning herdsman.
The Ludwig family places great emphasis on the humane treatment of their herd, ensuring that each animal is well looked after. Dave Ludwig says he and his family grew up farming in a hands-on working environment. Younger family members fed baby calves, cleaned stalls and fed hay, while the older ones would milk, feed and handle the mature animals. Today, the calves on the farm are left with their mothers for a period to ensure a natural mother-calf relationship is established.
The Ludwig Farmstead Creamery uses only the milk from their herd to produce farmstead style cheese, and the staff takes pride in using “morning-fresh milk” direct
from their cows. The idea of establishing a creamery on-site was the vision of Jacob “Jake” Ludwig who developed a passion for cheese making after graduating from the University of Illinois in 2009. Sadly, Jake passed away before his vision of establishing a creamery could be completed, but his father Dave successfully realized his son’s dream shortly thereafter. Customers can still taste the habanero Havarti that was Jake’s specialty along with the other award winning varieties crafted by the creamery’s
master cheese maker, Fons Smits.
Ludwig Farmstead Creamery’s traditional European style cheeses are sold predominantly in Illinois, Indiana and Missouri at farmers markets, as well as in select retail markets and restaurants. The Creamery features 7 Certified Humane® cheeses, including their Kickapoo and Feather Ridge varieties that recently were named grand champions at the Illinois State Fair.To learn more, visit their website at: ludwigfarmsteadcreamery.com
For information on where to find other Certified Humane® products in your area, visit the “Shop” page of HFAC’s website.
David Lathem, owner of Lathem Family Farms, is no stranger to raising poultry. As a second generation poultry farmer he grew up carrying feed bags to feed the chickens. His first job after graduating from the University of Georgia was visiting chicken farmers as an extension specialist. Therefore, it is natural he now owns and operates Lathem Family Farms, a flourishing poultry farm nestled in the beautiful pine trees of Pendergrass, GA.
David’s interest in the Certified Humane® program was piqued following visits to Pete & Gerry’s Organic Eggs and Wilcox Farms, both Certified Humane® egg companies. Impressed with the Certified Humane® program’s honorable reputation and the farmers that were part of it, he decided he wanted to do something that was in the true spirit of animal welfare and become a Certified Humane® company. In March of 2012, Lathem Family Farms earned the Certified Humane® designation.
Lathem Family Farms remains a family-run business, with Mr. Lathem’s nephew, Evan, working to preserve the Lathem legacy. The farm raises Hi-Line Brown, Bovan Brown, and ISA Brown laying hens. David took a lot of care choosing how to house his birds. It was important for raising his chicks, to make sure they have an enriching and stimulating environment. Once the hens are mature, they are moved into an aviary, which provides them with many different levels to explore and lots of perching. To ensure that the birds are breathing clean air, David enlisted the expertise of a ventilation specialist from the University of Georgia. The birds freely roam the aviary as well as having free access to an outdoor area. David states “The hens are happy and doing well!”
As a new company on the Certified Humane® program Lathem Family Farms has plans to expand their operation, but not lose sight of what remains important; the welfare of the laying hens. Consumers can find Lathem Family Farms eggs in the Kirkland Signature Organic Brown Eggs at Costco in 6 southeast states and Puerto Rico.
For information on where to find other Certified Humane® products in your area, visit the “Shop” page of HFAC’s website.
Marvin Glaum worked to keep his family’s egg farming business in Aptos, California, going through tough times. Things have changed a bit since Marvin invented the egg vending machine (complete with dancing chicken puppets) that’s still in use at Glaum Egg Ranch’s processing plant. But the Glaum family’s creativity, determination, and dedication to family farming are still at work, and the family business is going strong.
Today, it has been almost 100 years and four generations of the Glaum family that continue to position their business for growth in a changing market, ready to meet and overcome the challenges that confront many small family farms. Doug works with his sisters Sherrie and Debbie, and two of his children Mikayla and Gunnar (as well as a few other employees) on the 28-acre ranch in Watsonville and the processing plant and headquarters in Aptos. “We have always been told that family working together in the same business is unique, and most of the time unsuccessful,” says Doug. “Well, I guess we just beat the odds, just like surviving in the egg business.” Rather than follow trends that have led to the demise of so many family farms, the Glaums have found ways to thrive. They raise cage-free Certified Humane Raised and Handled eggs, as well as organic eggs, to sell to grocery stores, restaurants, and walk-up customers in their new Barn Store on the property in Aptos.
Doug’s father, Marvin (son of John Glaum, Doug’s grandfather and founder of Glaum Egg Ranch), died in 2004. According to Doug, “Looking back on my childhood, I realize how hard my dad worked on the ranch. His ultimate goal and commitment were to better the ranch with all his innovations and inventions, to keep the ranch at its most efficient. Many of his inventions were published in national poultry magazines. We always wondered why he never patented any of his ideas, but his drive was different. He just wanted to take care of his family first, and then the ranch.” Marvin’s creativity helped to broaden his business’s scope, such as when he decided to produce compost from the manure harvested from the chickens.
Following their father’s death, the Glaums continued in his innovative spirit and converted their entire operation to cage-free and organic egg production. According to Doug, gaining Certified Humane status for the cage-free eggs made a lot of sense, given growing consumer awareness of humane issues. “Since we decided to fully commit ourselves to becoming a cage-free ranch, I thought to validate who and what we have become, [working with] a third-party certifying organization would be the best path to take. That is where I found Humane Farm Animal Care and their Certified Humane standards. The fit was perfect, because we had set certain standards for Glaum Egg Ranch, and HFAC met all those, just as we met all their requirements.”
Although most Certified Humane egg producers were located on the east coast when the Glaum Egg Ranch became certified, Doug believed the label would make its way westward. Since the ranch joined HFAC’s program, according to Doug, “I have seen the Certified Humane Raised and Handled label grow rapidly in the food service and retail establishments throughout the whole country, including the west coast. I look back at the decision I made and could not be more proud of being part of a unique and ambitious organization.”
Marvin Glaum would no doubt approve of the decisions that Doug and his siblings have made. Although Marvin’s death “still hurts,” says Doug, “we know in our hearts he is with us for every move, decision, and challenge that we encounter.”
…
• For information on where to find other Certified Humane® products in your area, visit our ‘Where to Buy’ product locator.
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Posted: February 4, 2014 by Certified Humane®
Vital Farms
In 2007, Matt O’Hayer and his wife, Catherine, founded Vital Farms with a small plot of farmland, 20 laying hens and a bucket of good intentions. Their mission: to bring high quality, ethically produced eggs to the table through the humane treatment of their hens through the Pasture-Raised farming method.
Animal welfare and the humane treatment of laying hens remains at the heart of Vital Farms’ mission. Their hens (the “Girls on Grass”, or “the Girls”, as they are affectionately called) are provided with plenty of room to roam (108 sq. ft. of pasture for each hen), fresh air, and sunshine year round. “We are very happy to be at the forefront of something that will be revolutionary in agriculture and provide people with a healthy and more ethical alternative to industrial eggs,” says Dan Brooks.
Vital Farms is one of the few pasture-raised egg companies in the United States. Their operations include over 100 farms based in Texas, Missouri, Arkansas, Tennessee, Oklahoma and Georgia, all raising laying hens in a total outdoor pasture system, with access to shelters at night. Vital Farms has experimented with a number of different breeds to be able to find birds that can handle weather extremes and outdoor living.
“Raising hens in an all-pasture system is complicated and relies on highly-trained employees well-versed in pasture-raising and the humane treatment of hens,” says Dan Brooks. “They must protect the hens from predators, as well as occasional inclement weather.”
Vital Farms also created a unique channel for independent family farmers. Recognizing the vulnerability of small farms in the face of a tough economy, they work together with producers to improve their facilities and practices to meet the Certified Humane® standards as well as their own protocols.
“Through Vital Farms, these small independent farms can reach a broad customer base looking for ethically produced and sustainable eggs,” Brooks stated. “The success of the company is defined by its dedicated employees. Everyone who works for Vital Farms is really happy about what they are doing every day. It’s easy to work hard and have a lot of energy when you believe in what you’re doing.”
To learn more, visit their website at: Vital Farm
For information on where to find other Certified Humane® products in your area, visit the “Shop” page of HFAC’s website.
Posted: February 4, 2014 by Certified Humane®
Touchstone Farm
Touchstone Farm of Rappahannock County, Virginia, was started as a part-time project with 25 acres and a decision to raise low impact, grazing animals. Alan told Humane Farm Animal Care, “I was highly methodical at the beginning.” Alan began studying the subject of shepherding carefully, reading all the material he could find and taking cues from another local shepherd. By the time he attended the annual Maryland Sheep and Wool Festival, Alan had narrowed his search. He was looking specifically for a strong animal that would be suited to his part-time shepherding.
The Clun Forest breed, from Shropshire in Wales, fit the bill perfectly. “They have extremely high protein in their milk and meat,” says Alan. The Clun Forest is also a “hardy, low-input sheep,” which was essential to a farm that is a one-man operation. “Most lamb you eat in America is either Aussie lamb or from New Zealand,” says Alan. “It’s frozen and shipped here. You just don’t know anything about it.” Alan’s pursuit of the rich flavor of pasture raised lamb has kept him from feedlots and all packages are processed at Touchstone.
Since 1996 Alan’s flock has been nestled in the Blue Ridge Mountains. Touchstone Farm sheep enjoy lush green pastures of orchard grass, rye grass, clover, native herbs and forbs, and they drink water piped directly from Touchstone Springs. Touchstone Farm does not use any artificial or processed foods, antibiotics or growth supplements.
Originally a “weekend venture” it wasn’t long before Alan said he “was bitten hard by the farm bug.” At first, Alan sold lamb to friends and relied on word of mouth to spread his business. His sales have increased since his website began handling orders. Touchstone Farm offers custom cut lamb in the Virginia and Washington DC metropolitan area. Spring lamb is available from March through May and fall freezer lamb is available from September through October. Half and whole lamb packages are processed to customer specifications and you can order at http://www.touchstonefarm.org/tf/default.htm
Alan has grown the original 25 acres of Touchstone Farms to 200 acres of pastures, hayfields and forest. Struck by the beauty of the area and bitten hard by the farm-bug, Alan now usually telecommutes to his Washington, DC job.
For information on where to find other Certified Humane® products in your area, visit the “Shop” page of HFAC’s website.
Posted: February 4, 2014 by Certified Humane®
Summerhill Dairy
Summerhill Goat Dairy, located in Hanford, California has recently joined the Humane Farm Animal Care program as a newly Certified Humane® producer. Founded by John and Anneke de Jong in 1999, Summerhill was originally located in Southern California. Both John and Anneke grew up on family-run dairy farms, and originally had little knowledge about raising and milking goats. When the opportunity arose for them to purchase Summerhill and start raising dairy goats,they began researching everything they could about these gentle creatures. From reading books about goats to working with “goat experts”, Anneke and John found the idea of having a goat farm a new and exciting experience. With their acquired knowledge of goats, they created the ideal environment for their goats to feel safe, comfortable and be the healthiest they could be.
At the end of 2009, Summerhill Dairy relocated to Central California to a larger farm as it outgrew its former, rented facility. Today Summerhill Dairy’s’ 1,000 goats live on 100+ acres of land having access to indoor facilities as well as outdoor areas at all times. While transitioning to their larger farm in 2009, Anneke says, “Johnnie constantly tried to ‘think like a goat,’ only to discover on the first day after moving in, that they had outwitted him. The goats were able to open the gate latches and within hours were all mixed up!”
The large herd of goats found at Summerhill is pleasantly diverse with an array of breeds from LaManchas, Nubians, and Saanans to Alpines and Toggenburg goats. The goats are milked twice daily on the farm with an 84-goat rotary milking system originating from The Netherlands. Every animal uniquely creates milk in due time, therefore the European style rotary milking parlor allows for a more efficient milking process as goats are able to be released from the system when finished milking. The rotary parlor also ensures a less stressful milking process as goats are comfortably moved to the location one by one.
The fresh milk is immediately chilled once obtained from the goats, and then stored in silos. The goat milk is pasteurized at 161 degrees for 15 seconds. This High Temperature Short Time (HTST) system uses less water, power and energy than other methods. “We work hard to be good stewards of our resources. Our new dairy was built with an emphasis on animal comfort and care, energy efficiency and providing quality, natural goat milk for our customers,” John explains about his family run farm.
Once it has been pasteurized to ensure that the milk is free of bacteria or other harmful organisms, it is chilled again and put into quart size bottles. Milk is picked up daily from the farm and delivered to various stores in California.
As animal lovers, experienced humane animal handlers, and now considered goat experts themselves, John and Anneke are pleased to have been awarded the Certified Humane® label for their goat milk:“We have always been committed to the humane care and welfare of our goats. Our customers are very interested in how our animals are cared for and we wanted them to have an additional assurance that we were providing humane care.”
To learn more, visit their website at: www.SummerhillDairy.com
For information on where to find other Certified Humane® products in your area, visit the “Shop” page of HFAC’s website.
Posted: February 4, 2014 by Certified Humane®
Redwood Hill Farm
Located among the picturesque redwoods of Sonoma County in Northern California, Redwood Hill Farm & Creamery has been producing award-winning goat milk yogurt, kefir, and cheese for almost 50 years. Created in 2010, the company’s sister brand, Green Valley Organics, makes lactose-free yogurt, kefir, sour cream, and other specialty dairy products. Redwood Hill Farm & Creamery’s vision is to be a “different kind of creamery,” reflecting the values and sustainability of a family farm while creating delicious dairy products of the highest quality for everyone to enjoy.
Beginnings
In 1968, the Bice family moved from Los Angeles to Sebastopol, a quiet town about 60 miles north of San Francisco. Inspired by the Back to the Land movement, the Bices started a farm and goat dairy that would nourish not only their own family, but many others for generations to come. Although this new rural lifestyle took some getting used to, the Bice children quickly fell in love with the farm and animals, raising and showing goats through 4-H. Soon the family had accumulated about 80 goats—enough for an entire herd—and began selling goat milk to local health food stores under the Redwood Hill Farm label.
Growing the Business
In 1978 Jennifer Bice, the oldest of the 10 Bice children, assumed ownership of the farm along with her late husband, Steven Schack. Guided by the same values as her parents—producing delicious and nourishing
food, treating animals humanely, and giving back to the land—she and Steven expanded the business to produce a greater variety of goat milk products and diversified the dairy goat-breeding program. In 2010, Redwood Hill Farm & Creamery created Green Valley Organics so that people with lactose intolerance could bring real dairy back into their lives, enjoying its health benefits and great taste without digestive troubles.
A master cheesemaker and expert goat breeder, founder Jennifer Bice runs Redwood Hill Farm & Creamery to this day. Her passionate dedication to goats, as well as her commitment to serving a community of people who could otherwise not enjoy real dairy, was foundational in creating widespread consumption of artisan goat milk products and lactose-free cow milk dairy. Green Valley Organics is the only line of cultured lactose-free dairy in the country.
First Certified Humane® Goat Dairy
Always on the cutting edge of taking care of people, animals and the
planet, Jennifer Bice’s herd of Saanen, Alpine, Nubian and La Mancha
dairy goats was the first to become Certified Humane® in the U.S. in 2005. Although her farm had been using humane practices consistent with the Certified Humane® standard for decades, she wanted to give consumers the additional confidence of a third-party certification and the assurance that high standards of animal care were being met.
As the business grew, Redwood Hill Farm & Creamery brought on additional dairies to ensure a steady milk supply. In 2012, the company took their commitment to animal welfare one step further, helping each of their supplying dairies achieve independent certification from Humane Farm Animal Care (HFAC). Being Certified Humane® is now a requirement for all of the family farms that supply milk to Redwood Hill Farm and Green Valley Organics.
Sustainable Values
Sustainability has remained a guiding principle for Jennifer Bice throughout the years. The company’s certified organic creamery, just three miles away from the original Redwood Hill Farm, runs 100% on renewable energy. Two acres of rooftop solar panels provide 85% of its energy needs and the remainder comes from sources like geothermal and wind, via Sonoma Clean Power. Extensive water-saving measures are in place, including a system that pumps graywater to neighboring fields for irrigation. And the company is continually taking steps to make its creamery more sustainable through recycling, insulation, eco-sanitizers, LED and sensor lighting, and electric vehicle charging stations.
Sustainability means investing in the community as well. For over 30 years, Redwood Hill Farm & Creamery has supported youth and agricultural organizations, local health needs and environmental causes, including Community Child Care Council of Sonoma County (4Cs), Center for Climate Protection, Ceres Community Project, Daily Acts, Food for Thought, Land Paths, Marine Mammal Center, Rotary Club Sunrise, Sonoma Humane Society, and Sonoma Land Trust.
To learn more, visit Redwood Hill Farm & Creamery’s website at: Redwood Hill Farm
For information on where to find other Certified Humane® products in your area, visit the “Shop” page of HFAC’s website.
Posted: February 4, 2014 by Certified Humane®
Phils Fresh Eggs
Phils Fresh Eggs in Forreston, Illinois is a family run, second generation, cage-free egg productions facility. Started in the late 1950’s by Phil Wubbena, Phil’s Fresh Eggs developed and pioneered the cage-free egg production model that is utilized around the world today. His son Rod and his wife maintain the farm today as well as the family legacy of 100% cage-free, naturally-fed chickens. Rod runs the farm at the original property in Forreston, Illinois.
The farm began as a dairy production facility in the 1950’s. After dairy farming for several years, Phil decided to try his hand at raising chickens and purchased a complete chicken raising “kit” from a local supplier. It included barns, feed and animals. Some of the original buildings are still standing today.
According to Rod there was a serious learning curve, lots of trial and error, and lots of hard work. “We had four kids in the family. I remember not playing sport or participating in after school activities but rather coming home from school, gathering eggs, feeding pullets and helping at whatever chore I could,” Rod said. “After going away to college I came back to the farm to work and my wife and I eventually purchased the land from my Dad in 2002.”
Making Phil’s unique is their commitment to feeding their hens healthy feed. One of Rod’s favorite sayings is “you are what you eat.” He believes that what holds true for people holds true for chickens, too. Phil’s grows and roasts its own corn and soybeans for chicken feed, combining these grains with the highest-quality natural ingredients such as alfalfa and kelp.
“We had a case where we were using soybeans processed outside of our farm and something got into the system and contaminated the grain. Not knowing it was tainted we fed it to our hens and lost a lot of birds. My father was very concerned and disheartened. He began to experiment with growing and roasting our own soybeans. We were probably the first farm in the nation to have a grain roaster, a practice we still use today,” Rod said.
Phil’s also never compromises its standards with less expensive feed or ingredients, producing a consistently wholesome flavor in their eggs.
Phil’s Fresh Eggs first began to sell their humanely raised eggs to the Chicago market in the 1960’s before anyone had even heard the term “animal welfare.” “In the 1970’s as the health food trend began to become more mainstream, small independent stores began to pick up Phil’s products. The real break came in the 1980’s when the general public became interested in a healthier more naturally raised egg,” Rod said. “Consumers felt that our eggs simply tasted better and began to search them out,” he added.
Phil’s Fresh Eggs has never been about cutting corners to make a profit and still distinguishes themselves from other cage-free producers. According to Rod, “To be clearer, “mainstream” to me represents cage-free producers with nothing more than marketing in their motives. Conventional production with large economies of scale is frequently subsidizing large cage-free complexes these days. Sustainable family farming is a foundation our country must not forsake.”
“It’s an ongoing learning process for us,” said Rod. “We are very interested in sustainable agriculture and are constantly researching and refining the latest methods for producing grain and raising hens. But in the end it really comes down to common sense, common sense about animals and what they need.”
Phil Wubbena worked for over 50 years experimenting and refining commercial cage-free egg production and marketing. Phil was a pioneer in his field back at a time when no one knew what animal welfare meant. He practiced it because he had a love of animals and believed there was a better way – even if the mainstream egg industry was headed in a quite different direction. His humane concerns and healthier feeding methods were years ahead of its time and match today’s consumer preferences for food that is produced closer to nature’s simple ways.
Phil’s Fresh Eggs can be found in large grocery chains as well as natural food markets in the Midwest.
For information on where to find other Certified Humane® products in your area, visit the “Shop” page of HFAC’s website.
Posted: February 4, 2014 by Certified Humane®
Pete and Gerry’s Eggs
Pete and Gerry’s Eggs (along with sister brand Nellie’s Free Range Eggs) became Certified Humane® in 2003, and as such, became the first egg producer in the country to obtain the certification.
Since that time, Pete and Gerry’s Eggs has grown into the largest organic brand in the country, and Nellie’s Free Range has grown into the largest free range brand.
Pete and Gerry’s Eggs and Nellie’s Free Range Eggs have grown by staying small. Instead of achieving growth by adding barn after barn of their own, they’ve partnered with other small family farmers like themselves, most of whom have one or two laying barns on their farm. And they’ve maintained a commitment to animal welfare by meeting, and sometimes exceeding, Humane Farm Animal Care’s (HFAC) standards for space, light, access to the outdoors, feed requirements, fresh water availability, and so on.
To learn more, visit their website at: Pete and Gerry’s Eggs
For information on where to find other Certified Humane® products in your area:
Posted: February 4, 2014 by Certified Humane®
Murray’s Chicken
Comprised of 43
family-owned farms (all “Certified Humane”) Murray’s Chicken is certainly a “unique breed.”
Murray Bresky grew up raising chickens and watched his father closely as he grew and learned the poultry business. The birds were such a passion for him and he worked diligently to learn the art of raising chickens well. He took over the family business in the late seventies and by 1993 he started Murray’s Chickens.
His promise to his growing family and grandchildren was that Murray’s Chickens would be raised without the use of antibiotics, growth drugs or hormones, and that they would have plenty of room to move around, flap their wings and get fresh air and sunlight.
Based in New York and Pennsylvania, Murray’s Chicken has grown over the last decade and brings jobs to over 300 people and 43 farmers and their families.
With over 30 years of service to Murray’s Chicken, Mr. Gold has a real understanding of what the essence of Murray’s Chicken is really all about, and that is family. From the select family farms of the Pennsylvania countryside to Murray’s own children and grandchildren that inspired his mission – the legacy of Murray’s Chicken will always be about family.
Murray’s product line includes a variety of whole chicken cuts as well as convenient “ready to go” options like Italian-Style Chicken Burgers. Murray’s Chicken is available at grocers up and down the East Coast and as far west as Chicago, including Publix, Win Dixie, A&P, Wegmans and Fairway just to name a few.
To learn more, visit their website at: www.murrayschicken.com
For information on where to find other Certified Humane® products in your area, visit the “Shop” page of HFAC’s website.
Posted: February 4, 2014 by Certified Humane®
Ludwig Farmstead Creamery
The Ludwig family places great emphasis on the humane treatment of their herd, ensuring that each animal is well looked after. Dave Ludwig says he and his family grew up farming in a hands-on working environment. Younger family members fed baby calves, cleaned stalls and fed hay, while the older ones would milk, feed and handle the mature animals. Today, the calves on the farm are left with their mothers for a period to ensure a natural mother-calf relationship is established.
The Ludwig Farmstead Creamery uses only the milk from their herd to produce farmstead style cheese, and the staff takes pride in using “morning-fresh milk” direct
Ludwig Farmstead Creamery’s traditional European style cheeses are sold predominantly in Illinois, Indiana and Missouri at farmers markets, as well as in select retail markets and restaurants. The Creamery features 7 Certified Humane® cheeses, including their Kickapoo and Feather Ridge varieties that recently were named grand champions at the Illinois State Fair.To learn more, visit their website at: ludwigfarmsteadcreamery.com
For information on where to find other Certified Humane® products in your area, visit the “Shop” page of HFAC’s website.
Posted: February 4, 2014 by Certified Humane®
Lathem Family Farms
David Lathem, owner of Lathem Family Farms, is no stranger to raising poultry. As a second generation poultry farmer he grew up carrying feed bags to feed the chickens. His first job after graduating from the University of Georgia was visiting chicken farmers as an extension specialist. Therefore, it is natural he now owns and operates Lathem Family Farms, a flourishing poultry farm nestled in the beautiful pine trees of Pendergrass, GA.
David’s interest in the Certified Humane® program was piqued following visits to Pete & Gerry’s Organic Eggs and Wilcox Farms, both Certified Humane® egg companies. Impressed with the Certified Humane® program’s honorable reputation and the farmers that were part of it, he decided he wanted to do something that was in the true spirit of animal welfare and become a Certified Humane® company. In March of 2012, Lathem Family Farms earned the Certified Humane® designation.
Lathem Family Farms remains a family-run business, with Mr. Lathem’s nephew, Evan, working to preserve the Lathem legacy. The farm raises Hi-Line Brown, Bovan Brown, and ISA Brown laying hens. David took a lot of care choosing how to house his birds. It was important for raising his chicks, to make sure they have an enriching and stimulating environment. Once the hens are mature, they are moved into an aviary, which provides them with many different levels to explore and lots of perching. To ensure that the birds are breathing clean air, David enlisted the expertise of a ventilation specialist from the University of Georgia. The birds freely roam the aviary as well as having free access to an outdoor area. David states “The hens are happy and doing well!”
As a new company on the Certified Humane® program Lathem Family Farms has plans to expand their operation, but not lose sight of what remains important; the welfare of the laying hens. Consumers can find Lathem Family Farms eggs in the Kirkland Signature Organic Brown Eggs at Costco in 6 southeast states and Puerto Rico.
For information on where to find other Certified Humane® products in your area, visit the “Shop” page of HFAC’s website.
Posted: February 4, 2014 by Certified Humane®
Glaum Egg Ranch
Today, it has been almost 100 years and four generations of the Glaum family that continue to position their business for growth in a changing market, ready to meet and overcome the challenges that confront many small family farms. Doug works with his sisters Sherrie and Debbie, and two of his children Mikayla and Gunnar (as well as a few other employees) on the 28-acre ranch in Watsonville and the processing plant and headquarters in Aptos. “We have always been told that family working together in the same business is unique, and most of the time unsuccessful,” says Doug. “Well, I guess we just beat the odds, just like surviving in the egg business.” Rather than follow trends that have led to the demise of so many family farms, the Glaums have found ways to thrive. They raise cage-free Certified Humane Raised and Handled eggs, as well as organic eggs, to sell to grocery stores, restaurants, and walk-up customers in their new Barn Store on the property in Aptos.
Following their father’s death, the Glaums continued in his innovative spirit and converted their entire operation to cage-free and organic egg production. According to Doug, gaining Certified
Humane status for the cage-free eggs made a lot of sense, given growing consumer awareness of humane issues. “Since we decided to fully commit ourselves to becoming a cage-free ranch, I thought to validate who and what we have become, [working with] a third-party certifying organization would be the best path to take. That is where I found Humane Farm Animal Care and their Certified Humane standards. The fit was perfect, because we had set certain standards for Glaum Egg Ranch, and HFAC met all those, just as we met all their requirements.”
Although most Certified Humane egg producers were located on the east coast when the Glaum Egg Ranch became certified, Doug believed the label would make its way westward. Since the ranch joined HFAC’s program, according to Doug, “I have seen the Certified Humane Raised and Handled label grow rapidly in the food service and retail establishments throughout the whole country, including the west coast. I look back at the decision I made and could not be more proud of being part of a unique and ambitious organization.”
Marvin Glaum would no doubt approve of the decisions that Doug and his siblings have made. Although Marvin’s death “still hurts,” says Doug, “we know in our hearts he is with us for every move, decision, and challenge that we encounter.”
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• For information on where to find other Certified Humane® products in your area, visit our ‘Where to Buy’ product locator.
• Follow this link to listen to a 10 minute Podcast about Glaum Egg Ranch’s famous Egg Vending Machine, originally posted to Atlas Obscura on May 25th, 2021