Health Hero Farm

Two more Galloways – one white, one black. What a surprise, when we went to check the water this morning! We quickly moved them to their own quiet area by picking up the calves, thus inciting the moms to follow in huffing indignation. They are both purebred Galloway heifers. The moms pushed the calves to their new bedding and are now chowing down. Truffles, born a couple weeks earlier has moved back to the herd and is now sporting her green ear tag #11.

So… I just came across these videos of our own cattle, after attending a grazing conference and dreaming of the days to come. The winter on hay is a struggle for us all, but the grazing is what our cattle live for.

This is “Fran” a British White cross cow. Turn your volume up and you will be amazed with the grass-ripping action. Watch the tongue, grabbing the grass and cutting if on the bottom teeth. Cattle don’t have upper front teeth — just a solid pad.

Now we have a yearling grazing white clover, a low-growing protein-rich legume that has spread out and filled in after the last graze-through. The sound is probably static from the wind. We have lots of it here in South Hero.

Yes, there’s enough forage for all! Two yearlings going at it. No wonder they grow so fast!

The chicken tractor just rolled in, loaded with laying hens. These are happy birds, enjoying our South Hero fresh air and sunshine, free ranging for food, and supplementing with organic grain. Eggs are available as an add-on to your beef order or all by themselves. We are charging $4.50 per dozen for these mixed-size eggs. The trusting hens are guarded by an electric fence and several roosters.

We’re halfway through winter! And bale grazing is in full swing. These are the bales we have set out in the field in a grid-like pattern, with electric wires controlling access to them. When the ground is frozen, we can feed the cattle in the field, with the manure distributed on the field rather than piling up in the barn. The bale rings are needed to keep the cattle from sleeping on the hay, messing it up and wasting their feed. The cattle can choose to sleep in the barn, on their bedded pack, but dinner is served al fresco — three bales for 50 cattle. We put out a 2-day supply each time. That way, the dominant cattle will get their fill, lie down, and leave plenty for the “lesser ranked” cattle to fill their bellies (rumens).

We’re still grazing strong!!! But we need help with the vegetables. Incredible infrastructure available for lease to an organic producer on our 180-acre conserved, certified-organic farm in South Hero, VT. One to five acres may be leased for vegetable or crop production which includes a high tunnel (with a frost-free hydrant), a farm stand with refrigerator and customer parking, an office, a walk-in cooler, a barn and sheds for equipment and tool storage. Potential business assets include a CSA customer list and access to local farmers’ markets. If your vision of farming includes livestock, this is definitely a possibility. Interested parties should contact Joan Falcao at 802-378-5246 for additional information. We would love to give you a tour of the farm and hear if this opportunity would be a good fit for you. We will be asking for a business description, a resume of relevant experience and letters of recommendation.

Our Winter Markets begin NOVEMBER 5th and continue every other Saturday (November 19, December 3) through December 17th!! You can find us in the lower level of the Congregational Church on South Street in South Hero, 10 till 2 pm! Other farmers, artisans and crafters will be selling as well — along with prepared food vendors. So come on by and visit! Get out of the cold and get going on your holiday gifts. If you need beef for slow cooking, check out our sales and select from our regular offerings as well. Does rib eye ever go out of season?

We’ll be selling the beef. Don’t miss this chance to stock your freezer with 100% grass fed beef at 20% off on brisket, short ribs and London Broil.

100% grass fed. By using special breeds of beef cattle and intensive grazing practices, we finish our cattle with nice marbling on grass alone! And we are very proud of this accomplishment. Now is the time of year that customers start to make plans for the winter. The farmers’ markets are winding down, and it will be more difficult to buy a couple of our cuts each week. Why not choose one of our packages for your freezer? If you get together with a few friends, you might be able to buy a whole animal, at our most economical price. You will be able to fill out a cut sheet! YOU will decide how thick the steaks are, how heavy the roasts are, bone-in or not, whether you want porterhouse steaks or a combination of tenderloin and strip steaks. This is your opportunity to get a standing rib roast, or simply opt for a couple dozen thick rib-eye steaks. Do you want stew meat and roasts or lots of ground beef? You will get the hard-to-find specialty cuts that are not sold at most supermarkets — hanger, skirt, tri-tip, flat iron filet. If you reserve now, we can be flexible with timing and choices!

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The calves have now traveled the entire farm, completing a full circle of all the paddocks. They are actually grazing — their little heads buried in the deep grass and clover. They are still nursing in a rather accomplished manner, so lots of nutrition!!! No wonder they’re growing so fast. The couple we had to bottle feed, when they couldn’t find mama’s teat, have long forgotten our special relationship;-)