We use white fencing to separate paddocks.

But wait! Are big, non-organic farmers unnecessary or unwanted? NO! Click HERE to see the reasons!

How our animals are raised?
We at Grassfields know God has given man rulership over the earth and its animals (Genesis 1:26). Part of ruling is good stewardship of the land and caring humanely for the animals. Our animals are outside, on pasture year-round. They have shelter available if there is bad weather; their choice of supplemental grain and earth minerals, and are moved from paddock to paddock routinely to ensure they receive the best possible nutrients. Water is available wherever they are. Being located in Michigan, we do feed them stored feed in the winter; however, most of what they eat in the winter is what we ourselves cut, chop, or otherwise process during the rest of the year or bought from inside Michigan.
At Grassfields, our animals are outside almost their whole lives, they get all the fresh air and exercise they want, and we are saved the labor of bringing feed to them and taking the manure away.
We have no plans for certified organic meats, since doing so will not significantly change the way they are raised; and would cost significantly more to keep them organic.

Is Grassfields Organic?
We are Certified Organic. Currently, the animals are all being treated organically and are out on grass their whole lives, 24 hours a day (this is something that's not necessarily a requirement for organic certification in some states). The dairy cows and the cheeses are all organic.
The chickens, turkeys, lambs, and pigs are not certified organic, but they live naturally with no antibiotics, steroids, hormones, or chemicals in their feed or on the grass that they eat (it is organic).

 Grassfields is environmentally friendly and socially responsible in our agricultural practices. This means that we actively work to preserve and protect the environment, the land, and the animals on and around our farm. When you select foods from Grassfields, you are not only supporting a local Michigan farmer and the environment they are committed to keeping healthy; but you are also receiving some of the best, most flavorful, and most natural dairy products and meats.

So, if it's not organic, what's the advantage of grass-fed meat over grain-fed meat?
Healthier for you:
Totally grass-fed steers have about the same amount of fat as wild deer or elk (less fat means fewer calories), and when meat (even red meat) is lean, it actually lowers your bad cholesterol. When a ruminant (more than one stomach) animal is out on grass, its milk and meat are the richest known source of a type of good fat called "conjugated linoleic acid", or CLA. When ruminants are raised on fresh pasture alone, their milk and meat contain as much as five times more CLA than products from animals fed confinement diets. As well as being low in bad fats (including saturated fats and Omega-6s), pasture-fed meat has from 2 to 6 times more of another type of good fat called Omega-3 fatty acids. Omega-3s play a vital role in every cell and system in your body. Grass-fed meat is also much higher in Vitamin E, which has been linked with a lower risk of cancer and heart disease.
Healthier for the animals:
Grass-fed animals have fewer illnesses, fewer gastric disorders, less stress, less heat stress, and fewer injuries and deaths than their confined grain-fed counterparts. They are happier, healthier, and can be just as productive (in giving milk) as grain-fed animals. Grass-fed animals are also rarely fed antibiotics (antibiotics are never fed to any dairy cows, grain-fed or grass-fed) or given growth or production hormones. (We do neither at Grassfields.) By not giving them hormones, our animals grow at a slower, normal rate which is more comfortable to and healthier for them. We also give the dairy cows a break of two months from milking them just before they have their calves. This helps them keep healthy and grow a healthy calf.
Better for the farmer:
 The break for the dairy cows results in a break for the farmer also where we can get much work done that was put off throughout the year during the busy calving and harvesting seasons and also take vacations. Overall, by pasturing the cows, there is less work for the farmer, since he does not have to bring feed (in the summer) to the animals and take out their waste. Farmers who raise grass-fed animals have a greater profit margin than feedlot farmers. This is credited to less need for big machinery, less feed costs, and fewer veterinary visits needed.
Better for the environment:
Grazing animals reduces greenhouse gas production, encourages plant bio-diversity, mimics the natural prairie, and contributes to the soil fertility. In addition, grazing the land (instead of tilling up the soil and planting crops every year) reduces erosion and does not contribute to run-off from huge crop fields which can infiltrate the ground and waters. For more information on these subjects, you can visit the web site Eat Wild.
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