Dairy Links
Segolene and Thea: On Patrol.
Evie saves a snack for later.
Dairy
Our Dairy
Cows are designed to eat grass. Our cows eat what cows are meant to eat — pasture in the spring, summer, and fall; hay and haylage in the winter. We milk seasonally, from March until the grass goes dormant in December, so that both we and the girls can take a break in the winter. After each milking, the cows are moved onto fresh pasture sized according to what they can eat in the next 12 hours. They harvest at least 80% of their feed from grazing — the rest comes from our own certified organic hay, and a small serving of organic grain; just enough to entice them into the milking parlor. This pattern ensures high quality feed for the cows, while improving the pastures through even grazing of the available plants and even distribution of manure. We even feed some of our winter hay in the field where it is cut, so the cows can fertilize next summer's crop while consuming the bounty of the previous year.
OK kids, eat your greens!
Hey! That's my grass!
Grass-fed Milk
Because cows are meant to eat grass, cows raised on pasture are healthier than those confined inside a barn, eating a diet high in grain and other concentrated feeds. Milk and meat from grass-fed cows have much higher levels of good Omega-3 fatty acids, and lower levels of unhealthy Omega-6's . They are an excellent source of conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), a necessary amino acid that is nearly absent in conventionally raised dairy products. Levels of beta carotene and vitamins A and D are also higher in milk from grass-fed cows. Plus, it tastes better!
Flossie and Rosie are best friends.
Sylvie and Segolene like to give kisses. (Or maybe they’re just hoping for treats.)