Living the Dream
At Health Hero Farm, we breed and raise cattle to produce 100% grass-fed beef. We use only breeds of cattle developed for meat production: British White and Angus/Devon cross. Our pastures and hayfields are certified organic, and our cattle are managed organically. We use humane, low-stress livestock handling practices (à la Temple Grandin) and are one of the few certified Animal Welfare Approved farms in Vermont (https://animalwelfareapproved.us/). Most of our beef is from cattle born on the farm, nursing for 10 months and grazing with their siblings. We experience the joy of giving our cattle the best possible care and watching them mature to animals with impressive “conformation”. We believe this caring and diligence influence the quality of the beef.
Joan plants the pitchfork after moving the tumblewheel electric line. (photo credit Barry Fauteux)
Our Managed Intensive Grazing practices mimic how free-roaming herds crossed the landscape hundreds of thousands of years ago – constantly moving to new grass and bunching tightly together from the pressure of predators – the same kind of environment under which grasses and ruminants co-evolved! The completely organic and optimally-beneficial conditions for both grasses and animals helps increase…
• total forage production and forage quality,
• carbon sequestration,
• topsoil production, and
• water retention and filtration,
… and thereby improves the health of our soils and absolutely minimizes the escape of nutrients into Lake Champlain, which borders our farm. Managed intensive grazing also results in exceptionally well-marbled, tender, delicious and nutritious meat because our cattle consume much more fresh and nutrient-dense forage than do most other grass-fed beef cattle. Although we are not required to do so, we utilize government-certified nutrient management practices to ensure that our farm does not pollute adjoining lands, air or waters either today or in the future.
Bob dumps the stock tank to move to a new location.
We transport our animals to a USDA-inspected, certified Animal Welfare Approved custom processor for the production of dry-aged, hard-frozen, vacuum-packed packages of our beef. Our meat is sold to CSAs, restaurants, summer camps and directly to local consumers at our farm stand, at Farmers Markets, via email customer lists and through the internet.
We are very concerned about where the American food system is going — veering away from the nutrient-dense, natural foods prepared according to nourishing traditions. We are members of The Weston A Price Foundation, which strives to provide accurate information on nutrition and health, always aiming to provide the scientific validation of traditional foodways. And of course, we are members of NOFA-VT,Rural Vermont and Vermont Fresh (among others)– all of which keep it real and local, while embedding us in these amazing supportive communities of farmers.
Our farm is conserved by the South Hero Land Trust and the Vermont Land Trust, through the farmland access program. We are honored to be the stewards of this beautiful 180-acre historic “Sawyer Bay Farm”, on the island of South Hero, on the shore of Lake Champlain. We welcome visitors and enjoy sharing our love of cattle and our commitment to caring for the land.
