The farmer is a raw milk farmer, and safety is a top priority.

According to the CDC and FDA, drinking raw milk puts you at risk of exposure to a wide range of bacteria including Brucella, Campylobacter, Tuberculosis, E. coli, Listeria, and Salmonella.

Where would these harmful bacteria come from?

If a cow is sick, those bacteria or viruses can make their way into the milk.

If the milking equipment is not clean, it may harbor harmful microorganisms.

Or, let’s say the farm staff are not careful, the milk can be exposed to dirt or other contaminants.

So, what does the farmer do to verify that his milk is safe?

First, he makes sure his cows are healthy. This means feeding them a natural diet of 100% grass and allowing them to live an active lifestyle at pasture. This also means knowing his cows and caring for them if they become ill.

Second, he makes sure his cows’ teats and udders and the milking equipment are spotlessly clean.

Third, he makes sure his staff are properly trained on safe handling of milk.

Fourth, he is certified by the PA Department of Agriculture for raw milk production and bottling. They are responsible for inspecting his facility and testing his cows and milk bi-annually for harmful bacteria.

But, if you know our farmer, you know he goes above and beyond. This is why he also tests every batch of milk on site.

The farmer invested in on site testing supplies last year. He test every batch of both the bulk tank milk and bottled milk.. This is not required and certainly not the norm for raw milk farmers.

The on site testing measures TCC (total coliform count) and SPC (standard plate count). These tests show the general bacteria count of the milk, not specific pathogens. However, it does give a good measure of how “clean” the milk is.

If a test comes back higher than normal, the farmer can immediately diagnose the issue and resolve it for the following week.

You can find the farmer’s average test results along with more details about PA Department of Agriculture tests on our Milk Safety page:

https://millersbiodiversityfarm.grazecart.com/milk-safety

Enjoy the milk!

My kids asked me this week, “Why is an egg white clear?” They followed that question up with another, “Why does an egg turn white when it’s cooked?” Great questions! 

So, I researched. 

It turns out that when an egg white (or albumen) is raw, it’s made of very long chains of proteins that are balled up in complex arrangements. These proteins are suspended in water. There are about 1,000 water molecules for each protein molecule. This gives raw egg white its clear appearance and gelatinous texture.

However, when an egg is heated, those proteins uncoil, get broken up, and re-bond. It forms something like a mesh of protein. This is what makes it white with a rubbery texture once cooked.

This chemical reaction not only changes the appearance of the egg, it also makes the proteins and many of the nutrients easier to digest. Your body has less work to do breaking things down. Pretty neat. 

It’s been said that there are 100 ways to cook an egg. Hard boiled, soft boiled, poached, sunny side up, over easy, scrambled, quiche, custard, deviled, baked. I could go on and on.

My kids like eggs in basically any form. However, I always like to toss a little fun into eating. An easy and fun egg recipe is Egg in a Nest.

Take a slice of bread and cut a round hole in the middle. You can use a proper cookie cutter, the top of a glass, or a plain old knife.

Heat a pan on medium heat with some butter, ghee, or lard. Lightly toast on side of the bread. Then, flip with a spatula.

Crack the egg into the hole. Let it cook until the egg white is white and almost cooked (yup, those proteins are breaking down). Flip to finish cooking, leaving a runny yolk.

Serve with some bacon or breakfast sausages and a small bowl of seasonal fruit.

I had the privilege of visiting the Netherlands last weekend. Of course, I wanted to visit a farm. 

I was in luck! I found a Dutch farm that sold raw milk AND welcomed visitors.

In the Netherlands, only pasteurized milk can be bottled and sold in stores. Raw milk is legal if you buy it on the farm. Either the farmer manually puts it in your container from the bulk tank, or some farms have special milk vending machines where you can fill your own bottle.

The farm that I visited was “biologique” (the equivalent of “organic” in the US) but followed more conventional farming practices. The farmer cared deeply about his work and did it to the best of his ability. His father, grandfather, etc were all dairy farmers, and it’s his choice to continue the tradition, but with his own twist.

This farm was mechanized. Robots were everywhere.

There was a robot that cleaned the manure from the barn floor. 

There was a feeding robot that delivered individualized meals to groups of cows.

There was a robot milking machine that cleaned the udders, used a laser to find the teats, and fed the cow while it was being milked.

Each cow wore a collar with a tracking device, which logged their location, their diet, health stats, and how often they chose to get milked. The farmer said that the cows choose to get milked 2.8x in 24 hours.

Having a mechanized farm definitely has its advantages. 

You don’t need to clean up poop. 

You can keep meticulous records of everything without picking up a pencil.

You can minimize your labor. However, I’m conflicted on this one, as you do need to design and build and maintain and repair and update the robots.

However, there are downsides. 

The hands down biggest downside is the cost. The farmer at the farm I visited said that he was millions of dollars in debt from buying the machines and maintaining his farm. 

Because of this, his business model is not based on farming alone. He relies on running a store, a cafe, a daycare, a corn maze, a rehab center for disabled people, and more.

Other potential downsides I saw were being disconnected from the animals and nature, increased reliance on outside energy sources, and robot malfunctions resulting in mistreatment of animals.

So, are the farmers of the future robots? 

I suppose it depends on the farm, its needs, its goals. 

For me personally, I would prefer a human-run small family farm and would be comfortable with some robot helpers. 

What do you think?

The farmer needs you support. He needs 100 Google reviews by the end of the weekend.

If you have five seconds, give him your stars. If you have one minute, give him your stars and words.

If you’ve bought our products, tell others about your experience. If you’ve never bought from us, perhaps you can review our newsletter, customer service, or farming practices.

Give him a high five. Leave your review here.

The farmer has overcome some big obstacles this year. There were many unanticipated expenses and great loss of sales. 

Although the store has re-open, the farmer is still struggling financially. 

When I know that someone is in distress, I want to bring them some home cooked food or make them a hot cup of tea or give them a long hug or offer myself for a fireside conversation. 

But what if you live far away? How can you help from afar?

A Google review is a virtual long distance high five. 

It’s easy and would be very, very, very appreciated. Each review would help the farmer’s situation immensely.

Not only is it nice to hear feedback from customers, it will also give others confidence when trying to find a small farmer that they can trust. 

Thank you for reading, and thank you for your ongoing support.

Enjoy the food, and enjoy the reviews :)

We love getting feedback from customers. One thing that we hear fairly often is, “Your prices are so high.”

The farmer gave it some real thought and came up with five reasons why his prices are more expensive than most other farms in the area:

1. Goes above and beyond the requirements for raw milk safety. 

The farm is certified by the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture and does the required bi-annual tests on the milk and the cows. But the farmer also does on farm testing for every batch of milk. 

The cows’ udders and teats are cleaned meticulously. It’s not a simple swipe with an iodine covered towel. Every crevice is inspected for trapped dirt or manure. This takes time. The milk is 100% manure-free.

Miller’s is also a single source dairy. The milk comes from one farm. 

All of this means that, if there’s ever a problem, the farmer can diagnose and fix it quickly.

You can learn more about the farmer’s milk safety standards here.

2. Brand new facilities and an extreme focus on cleanliness. 

It costs more to pay for these pristine facilities. The barn, bulk tank, bottling machine, prep area, and storage are all in separate rooms. They are brand new and up to modern standards.

The farm staff spend hundreds of hours every year cleaning the milking equipment and prep areas. This is much more than the average farm. The facilities are spotless.

3. Pay his staff fairly.

Many Amish businesses hire teenagers and pay them well below minimum wage. It is considered a part of their education, which is great. The farmer does hire teens for extra help but not for his main staff required to run the business. 

The farmer pays his staff fairly at a living wage. Now, this certainly doesn’t mean they’re rich and hoarding away money. It’s far far far from that. But, it does mean that his staff are stable and do not need supplemental income to pay their personal bills. 

4. Doesn’t cut corners. Ever.

From feed quality to medical care for animals to cleaning standards to processing, the farmer does not make compromises. This is true even when he’s struggling financially.

The farmer’s mission is to produce real farm fresh, nutrient-dense, great tasting food. It’s the highest quality junk-free food possible. 

If this means spending more money on higher quality feed, he’ll do it. If it means adding time for cleaning, he’ll do it. If it means running more tests, he’ll do it. Quality and safety are of utmost importance.

5. Exceptional customer service. 

We strive to resolve all customers’ issues quickly, clearly, and with care. 

We answer customer’s emails within 12 hours. 

The farmer will personally call customers if there is an issue with their order. He sometimes calls just to say hi and that he appreciates them.

And, there is a guarantee on products. If you’re not satisfied, let us know. The farmer always does right by his customers.

We have proof that all of this does indeed produce the highest quality food with the best customer service.

Last week, we asked folks to give the farmer a high five by giving him a Google review. There was no reward besides doing something nice. We quickly surpassed the 100 review goal. You can check out the awesome 5-star reviews here.

The farmer’s purpose is to inspire a healthy generation of children and reduce healthcare costs long term. 

This means that he needs to create a sustainable business that he can pass on to his children. He needs a business that will stay in business. And his prices and practices are set to do just that.

Thank you so much for your support of Miller’s Biodiversity Farm! If you have any questions about our farming practices or otherwise, please don’t hesitate to ask :)

Enjoy the food!

I’m not a food scientist or doctor, but I have heard many anecdotal stories about the benefits of A2 milk. 

The farmer saw marked differences when he switched his baby and calves to 100% A2 milk. Our customers have told me stories from simply being able to drink milk again to recovering from colitis and other chronic digestive issues.

But what about cheese? Does A2 matter when it comes to cheese?

The short answer is YES.  

The medium answer is that eating A2 cheese likely matters more than drinking A2 milk. 

This is because cheese has a higher protein content per ounce than milk. Milk contains about 1 g of protein per oz, and cheese contains about 3.5 g of protein per oz.

And, the long answer involves a more complex understanding of A2 beta-casein protein.

As Keith Woodward wrote about in his book The Devil in the Milk, it all comes down to protein. 

When you consume protein, your body’s enzymes break it down into amino acids. Those amino acids are absorbed into your bloodstream and used for necessary functions like repairing tissue and building muscle.

However, when you consume the A1 beta-casein protein, present in nearly all milk sold in the US, it breaks down into a peptide called BCM7. 

As stated in an article in the Indian Journal of Endocrinology and Metabolism, “BCM7 is suggested to be associated as a risk factor for human health hazards as it can potentially affect numerous opioid receptors in the nervous, endocrine and immune system.” The list of chronic health issues related to BCM7 is very long and very varied.

When you make cheese, the proteins are similarly broken down in the fermentation process. And, if milk containing the A1 beta-casein protein is used… well, yup, BCM7 is in the cheese. There isn’t a lot of research on A2 cheese yet, but I did find this article confirming that it is present in A1/A2 cheese.

Please note that the A1/A2 hypothesis is still just that - a hypothesis. We need more research to more deeply understand the benefits and risks. 

The research done so far coupled with the many anecdotal stories I’ve heard prove to me that there’s definitely something to A2 milk and cheese. I can’t wait to learn more.

Has anyone is your family benefitted from switching to A2 milk and cheese? Please let me know!

As you may already know, the farmer’s milk was found to be contaminated with RB51 in January 2019. Although the issue has been resolved, the farmer knows that there is still confusion around this issue. He lost a good amount of customers and still gets questions about RB51 every so often.

So, the goal of this week’s news is to go back in time. Let’s review what happened and answer some questions that may still be outstanding.

When the farmer found out that his milk contained RB51, it was scary. He had two goals: (1) Solve the problem; and (2) Protect the farm and his customers’ access to farm food.

The farmer quickly decided to work with the Real Food Consumer Coalition. They did an excellent job dealing with government agencies and did their best to keep customers informed with accurate information and to answer their questions. Many thanks to RFCC!

Looking back, the farmer does wish he did a better job with customer service. I relay his deepest apologies for that. Much was learned through this situation. If there ever is a crisis again, it will likely be handled differently so our customers feel safe and confident with their food choices.

Now on to the story and unanswered questions.

What is RB51?

RB51 is a manmade strain of brucellosis that is used in the brucellosis vaccine. 

How common is it for a human to be infected with RB51? With brucellosis?

According to the CDC, there are three reported RB51 cases since August 2017, and there are 80-100 reported cases of natural brucellosis in humans each year.

Did anyone get sick with RB51 from drinking Miller’s Biodiversity Farm milk?

One of the farm’s customers became ill and went to the hospital. Once they disclosed they drank raw milk, they were tested for numerous blood borne pathogens. The RB51 test came back positive.

To date, this is the only positive RB51 test from someone who drank Miller’s Biodiversity Farm milk.

Why did the milk have RB51 in it?

RB51 is specific to the brucellosis vaccine. Although rare, it is possible for a cow to shed RB51 in their milk. 

How many cows on the farm had the brucellosis vaccine?

Four.

How many cows on the farm were shedding RB51?

One.

Does the farmer vaccinate his cows?

No, the farmer does not vaccinate his cows.

So, how did the cows get the brucellosis vaccine?

Many years ago, the farmer was converting his herd to 100% A2 cows. He purchased these four cows from another farm that did vaccinate them for brucellosis.

Did the farmer know these cows received a brucellosis vaccine?

No, he did not. That information was unfortunately not disclosed to him during the purchase. The farmer he purchased them from was also not aware of any such vaccine.

How did the farmer find out that the farm’s milk was contaminated with RB51?

When the RB51 human test came back positive, the customer let the farmer know. They also informed the NY State Department of Health and the CDC of the source of the milk. The farm was immediately put under quarantine.

Does the farmer’s milk still have RB51 in it?

No, absolutely not. The quarantine would not have been lifted is there was any chance of RB51 in the milk.

What happened to the four cows that received the brucellosis vaccine?

The one cow that was shedding was moved to a CDC testing facility. They are a bit stumped as to why she’s still shedding years after receiving the vaccine and would like to know more.

The three other cows that are not shedding are still on the farm. Their milk is not and will not be included in the bulk milk. The farmer is looking to relocate them to a conventional farm, but this will take some time.

What actions have been taken to prevent a situation like this again?

Well, gee, a lot. 

First, the farmer will never buy cows without requesting all records including all veterinarians and vaccine records.

The farmer is now a certified raw milk producer by the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture. They will test his milk twice a year for numerous pathogens. They also require a licensed veterinarian to do yearly brucellosis tests for every cow.

The farmer also tests every batch of milk on site. These tests are for general bacteria count and help him diagnose and solve problems quickly. 

And, of course, the farmer keeps his facilities and equipment spotless. This helps significantly in keeping the cows healthy and the milk safe.

You can learn more about the farmer’s raw milk safety practices here.

If you still have any outstanding questions, please let us know. Happy to help!

There is a wide selection of “fake meat” in our stores. 

Any animal that’s raised unnaturally qualifies as “fake meat” in our farm’s eyes. From being fed grain, soy, and GMOs to routine hormones and antibiotics to not having access to green pasture. It’s not “real meat”. It’s industrialized factory farming. It doesn’t have the nutrition content, texture, or taste that an animal raised naturally would.

Then there’s “fake meat” products like sausage or spam or lunchmeat. Meat is often mixed with fillers like pink slime or bread crumbs, preservatives like nitrates and nitrites, and additives like colors, flavors, binders, and texturizers.

Then there’s “fake meat” products primarily derived from soy. Veggie Heaven anyone? Or how about the Impossible Burger? Now it’s in Burger King. 

Then there’s the future of “fake meat” grown in petri dishes. Lab-grown protein (aka “clean meat” or “cultured tissue” or “artificial meat”) companies are rearing up, and word has it that regulations on these new meat products are underway. You can expect to find these new “fake meat” products in stores within a year.

So… what is “real meat”? 

“Real meat” comes from animals that live a healthy, natural lifestyle. 

For beef, lamb, and goat, this means they are 100% grass fed and finished. They live at pasture as much as possible for the climate. They are not given any growth or health enhancers.

For poultry, this means that they forage in pastures as much as possible and are fed a soy-free feed of grains that they’re able to properly digest.

For pork, this means that they live in a natural environment. For us, this is the forest. They dig for roots, eat plenty of acorns, and stay shaded from the sun. They are natural garbage disposals. Our pigs eat a lot of milk as well as feed formulated for their digestion.

And, as far as processing goes, only real ingredients should be used.

How can I get “real meat”?

You probably already know that food labels are confusing and often misleading. Just because it says “GMO-free” doesn’t mean it hasn’t been sprayed with glyphosate. Just because it says “grass fed” doesn’t mean the cow hasn’t been fed grain. Just because it says “cage free” doesn’t mean the animals have room to move. I could go on and on.

The best way to get “real meat” is to find a real farmer. Then, buy your meat from them.

If the farmer doesn’t transparently answer all of your questions on their website, you should be able to email or call to find out the answers you deserve.

How can I save on “real meat”?

This is the big question. Because “real meat” does cost more than any of the “fake meat” options.

Here are three tactics:

1- Buy the cheaper cuts. Ground meat is the most affordable. You can also find less expensive roasts and steaks, depending on the part of the animal they come from. Oh, and buy bones and make your own broth.

2- Buy frozen meat. Please make sure it is frozen fresh, like our meat is. Frozen meat allows farmers to keep inventory in stock and offer it for lower prices than a fresh meat butcher can.

3- Buy in bulk. Our bundle deals are a great way to save on “real meat”. On our store, you can save from $0.53/lb to $4.12/lb simply by buying in bulk. The other great part about this is that you always have a healthy protein on hand for dinner. 

We just introduced a few new bundles that allow you to sample different products at once. We have the Grilling Bundle, Mixed Roast Bundle, and Quarter Beef Bundle. You can check out all our Bundle Deals here.

Cooking the perfect steak is like winning a trophy. When you get it right, you are certainly celebrated.

The general consensus is that you should dry cook a steak, that internal temperature matters for how you like it “done”, and that it should be well seared. But, there’s one big issue that folks simply can’t agree on. 

When should you salt your steak? That is the question.

If you read a lot of cook books or listen to a bunch of foodie podcasts or even chat with various friends and family members, you’ll get a bunch of different perspectives on salting a steak. How do you know when to salt a steak? Let’s explore this a bit.

If you start with a room temperature steak, here are the results of salting.

Immediately after salting a steak, the salt sits on the surface, undissolved. The steaks juices remain inside. If you cook it now, you will get a nice, hard sear with a nice salty crust.

After about 3-4 minutes, the salt begins to draw out juice from the steak through the process of osmosis. You end up with a layer of liquid on top of the steak. If you cook the steak now, the initial heat energy is put into evaporating the liquid, and you won’t get a nice sear.

After about 10-15 minutes, the salt dissolves into a brine and starts to break down the muscle fibers of the meat. You will still have a good amount of liquid on the surface of the meat, resulting in a weak sear.

After about 40 minutes after salting, all of the brine has been absorbed into the meat. A slight amount of evaporation has occurred, causing the meat to be slightly more full of flavor. Since there’s no liquid on the outside, you’ll get a nice sear at this point.

Let’s say you let the salt brine sit even longer - overnight uncovered in the fridge. The salt brine goes deeper. It not only tenderizes the meat, breaking down the muscle structure, but will also impart deeper flavor. Sure, you lose some moisture overnight. But, in the end, this moisture loss is likely unnoticeable. 

So, what’s the verdict?

It seems that you can either salt a steak less than 4 minutes before cooking OR let the salt sit for 40 minutes or more before cooking. 

As long as you avoid minute 4-40 after salting, when the moisture sits on the outside of the meat, you should end up with a deliciously seared steak.

Of course, another option is to not salt the steak before cooking. Cook and then salt after. You’d certainly get a nice sear and have no moisture loss. However, in my opinion, you’d be missing out on some added flavor. I mean, there’s a reason that salt was one of the earliest commodities to be traded. It’s that good!

Salting will work with any steak from any animal. 

You may want to try a boneless steak like a Delmonico Steak, Flat Iron Steak, Ranch Steak, or Round Steak. Or, you can try a bone-in steak like a T-bone Steak or Pork Shoulder Steak.

Enjoy the food!

When the farmer has extra milk, he makes butter. And, who doesn’t love some real butter?

Mmmmm. Butter spread on sourdough bread. Butter melted over veggies. Steak with a flavored butter compote. Buttery cookies and pie crust. Butter in your coffee. I mean, it’s all amazingly delicious.

If you’ve shopped on our store, you may have been overwhelmed by the variety of butter options. You may have wondered - what’s the difference between regular, cultured, fresh, and spring butter? Let’s explore this a bit.

What do all of our butters have in common?

Our butter is real butter. It’s cream churned into butter. Voila! Nothing fake added - just maybe some Celtic sea salt. 

It’s naturally yellow. Since our cows are 100% grass fed, the butter always has a yellow color. Butter gets its yellow color from the beta carotene in grass. FYI, many commercial store bought butters have added annatos or carotene to artificially fulfill customers’ expectations of yellow butter. 

The farmer offers salted or unsalted options. Salt was traditionally added to butter as a natural preservative. With modern refrigeration, some people prefer salted butter for the flavor boost. Unsalted butter is also known as sweet butter. Unsalted butter is preferred in baking.

It’s frozen (with the exception of fresh butter). The farmer always freezes his butter just after it’s made. This is the best way for him to get you the highest quality product and keep it available.

Regular Butter

Our regular butter is made from milk in the summer, fall, or winter. It’s naturally sweet and comes frozen.

Cultured Butter

Cultured butter is made with sour cream instead of fresh cream. The cream is fermented with a starter culture. This technique was traditionally used to help preserve the butter for the longest time.

Cultured butter has a tart and tangy flavor. It can be used in any way you’d use a regular butter.

Fresh Butter

Fresh butter is made-to-order from fresh cream and is never frozen. The farmer offers this option only sometimes to those who either prefer to not eat frozen food or like to enjoy the complex flavors that each season offers.

Spring Butter

Amongst all butters, spring butter is the elite. It is the crème de la crème (pun intended).

Spring grasses are the most nutritionally complex, which makes spring butter have the highest nutritional value. Amongst all butters, spring butter has the highest levels of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, CLAs, trace minerals, and Vitamins A, D, E, and K.

Because spring grasses contain the highest level of beta carotene, spring butter has a wonderful yellow-orange color. 

And, you may have guessed it. It also tastes phenomenal. The flavors are more concentrated.

Ghee

Ghee, or clarified butter, is made by heating butter until all water is evaporated and the proteins separate. The result is a product that has nearly 100% butterfat.

Ghee has a unique flavor and is fantastic for high temperature cooking.

Storing Butter

Butter can be stored for just about forever in the freezer, but we recommend a max of one year for the best quality. It will last 6-9 months in the fridge, and about 2 weeks at room temperature.

You can check out all of our butter options - including some great sales and bundle deals - here.

Enjoy the food!

It can be tricky getting used to ordering food online… and particularly from a small farm. Whether you’re interested in ordering or have already placed an order, understanding the order/delivery schedule is key.

Here are answers to some common questions to help you navigate our farm’s schedule.

When can I place an order?

Anytime. 

How many orders can I place at once?

One.

How often can I get food?

The farmer works on a weekly order/delivery schedule.

With home delivery, you can get an order every week.

With group pickup, your schedule may be weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly.

When you choose a delivery option and start shopping on the store, you can easily find the order deadline and pickup/delivery date at the top of every page.

When is the order deadline?

With home delivery, the deadline is every Sunday at midnight.

With group pickup, the deadline will be the Sunday before your next pickup date. This could be every Sunday, every other Sunday, or every 4th Sunday. 

When will I get my food?

Your order will arrive 2-6 days after the order deadline. You will see a delivery/pickup date at checkout. This date relates to the delivery option your chose. 

And don't worry, we’ll send you a reminder email.

Can I edit my order after I place it?

As long as it’s before the order deadline, yes! 

You will not get a confirmation email for changes that you make. Whatever is in your cart on Sunday at midnight is what’s sent to the farmer.

When will my card be charged?

Your card is not charged when you place an order. Cards are typically charged on Tuesday, once the farmer knows exactly what he’s sending. This is most pertinent to those ordering meat.

Let us know if you have any questions. Happy to help!

Soy is a standard ingredient in conventional chicken feed - even for organic chickens.

The reason farmers feed soy to chickens is because it’s cheap. In fact, it’s basically the cheapest form of protein you can feed an animal.

However, if you put chickens in a field of soy, they wouldn’t touch the plants. It’s just not something that would be in their natural diet. 

Humans have to process and cook soy in order for chickens to eat it. 

For commercial chickens, the soy in chicken feed is just the soy fiber. Farmers grow soybeans, and then they’re processed into oil. What’s left is the soy fiber, which is toasted and then mixed in a feed.

For a small farmer, the soy would be roasted and then mixed in feed.

Feeding soy to chickens has negative effects on their health. 

It leads to deficiencies in vital vitamins and minerals like manganese, iron, Vitamin E, zinc, and calcium. And, these deficiencies can lead to health issues like abnormally formed bones, pancreatic atrophy, and susceptibility to diseases.

So, when you eat meat or eggs from chickens that are fed soy, you can imagine that there would be implications for your nutrition, too.

Since the animals are not the healthiest, the meat and eggs are not as nutrient dense.

And then there’s phytoestrogens. The levels of phytoestrogens in soy are significantly higher than any other food and do carry into the meat and eggs. High phytoestrogens cause health issues in humans like hypothyroidism and various types of cancer.

And, to make things worse, growing soy is bad for the environment.

First off, so much forest has been cleared to grow cheap soy. 

Second, about 85% of soy grown is GMO, which means that the fields are sprayed with toxic pesticides and herbicides. This disrupts our fragile ecosystem in so many ways - from water contamination to displacing native plants, bugs, and animals. 

So, what should we do? Let’s remove the soy from feed!

A soy-free feed replaces cheap soy protein with flax and fishmeal. Our feeds contain a specially formulated blend of corn, peas, wheat, flax meal, fish meal, crab meal, alfalfa meal, seashell flour, and a nutri-balancer which has kelp, probiotics, vitamins, and minerals.

All of our chickens for meat are fed a soy-free feed. The farmer offers both regular eggs and soy-free eggs so customers can have access to more affordable eggs that are a step up from commercial options.

After reading this, what would you do? Would you spend a bit more to have soy-free chicken and eggs?

It’s that time of year - back to school! And, for me, that means thinking about being prepared. 

One of the most important things you can prepare for yourself and your family is lunch.

Food is what gives you energy. It raises your blood sugar and helps you feel refreshed. Lunch allows you to focus through the rest of the day.

Lunch is ⅓ of your nutritional intake. Make it count. Make it nourishing and nutrient-dense.

I try to pack a well balanced lunch. For me, that means incorporating protein, dairy, grains, fruits, veggies... and a small special treat. 

Lunch can be one composed dish, a few simple dishes, or a bunch of precut ingredients.

Try packing a bunch of small simple dishes and ingredients. Keeping variety in lunch makes sure even the pickiest eater can enjoy something and gain energy for the rest of their busy day.

Here are some great packed lunch ideas:

Leftovers: Make enough dinner for lunch the next day, too.

Eggs: Hard boiled - shell on, peeled quartered, or sliced. With a sprinkle of salt on top.

Beef stix: Sweet, mild, or hot. I chop them in quarters to make 2-bite pieces.

Cheese: So many options here, but I’ve found my kids like the milder cheeses like farmers or colby. Cubed, sliced, or cut into sticks.

Granola bars: The farmer sells a couple kinds. You could also make your own.

Popcorn: Pop enough chemical free popcorn kernels for a few days. Top with the classic butter and salt, some ghee and nutritional yeast, or a generous amount of ready made popcorn seasoning.

Vanilla maple pudding: Need I say more.

Pickles: Fermented, of course. Try a sour dill pickle or a sweet bread and butter pickle.

Muffins: Miller’s has gluten-free muffins or make homemade muffins with einkorn flour.

Philly Cheesesteak: The meat sautes in a couple minutes. Put on bread or not. While hot, top with cheese.

Sandwiches: With einkorn bread, homemade mayonnaise, bologna, and cheese.

Fruits and Veggies: All kinds, whole or chopped. You may even want to give a side of peanut butter or yogurt for dipping. In season now or soon are blueberries, raspberries, apples, carrots, celery, potatoes, brussel sprouts, beets, green beans, and winter squash.

Kefir or drinkable yogurt: Pour into smaller single-serve containers. Buy flavored, or buy plain and mix in your own syrups.

Oatmeal: Soothing and filling. Make with milk and butter. Top with butter or cream, maple syrup, cinnamon, and a pinch of salt.

Nuts and Seeds: Soaked almonds, sunflower seeds, cashews, or pumpkin seeds.

To make packing lunch a bit easier and a lot more exciting, the farmer is introducing a Packed Lunch Sampler Bundle.

Save 10% by buying in bulk. At the same time, your family gets to try out some healthy lunch options. I’m sure you’ll find a few items that you’ll love and will become family staples.

To make this so much easier, we made a special collection of ready-to-eat or easy-to-make favorites for packed lunches. 

View the Packed Lunch Collection

Now, let’s talk containers. How should you package all these yummy foods?

I’ve tried many, many different containers. No one paid the farm to say any of this. These are recommendations based on use over and over and over again.

The hands down best lunchbox is the Planetbox Rover. The stainless steel container flips open to reveal five compartments. You can pack almost anything, and it will look appetizing. It’s dishwasher safe. Yes, compared to other options it’s a bit heavy, but it’s unbreakable (believe me, my boys abuse it). It comes with two small waterproof containers, and you can buy a perfectly sized insulated bag and stainless water bottle with it, too. 

And, for those that prefer a more freeform lunch, there’s always individual containers. 

I love stainless containers with silicone leak proof lids. There’s no need to worry about leaching chemicals. You may want to try these nesting containers or this rectangular container.

I also like silicone bags, even though they can be a bit tricky to clean and dry. You may want to check out these bags.

For soup or heated leftovers, I use a Thermos insulated food jar. It comes with a foldable spoon!

And then there’s drinks. Water is a must. I really like the Pura stainless sports bottle. You can also get straw, sippy, or bottle caps for them. And, for packing drinkable yogurt, kefir, or other flavored drinks, I like these reusable 8 oz BPA-free plastic containers.

Enjoy the food!

In today’s world of misleading food labels, targeted marketing, stock photography, and conflicting views about what’s actually healthy, how can you tell if a farmer is really living up to what they boast?

You know how it goes. You visit a farm’s website. You see pictures of happy animals and happy workers. Of course they’re in a picturesque landscape. You read about how wonderful and healthy their products are. If the price is right and delivery/pickup is convenient, you’ll probably go for it. But… how do you really know if the farmer can be trusted?

Here are some ways to find out if a farmer can be trusted:

1-- Ask questions. Lots of questions. Pointed questions. A trusted farmer will answer, likely with more details than you requested.

2-- Read reviews. A trusted farmer will have lots of customers who love them. These customers have likely been eating his food for a long time, have spoken with the farmer personally, and have maybe even visited the farm. You can read our Google reviews here.

3-- Talk to the farmer. So much can be gleaned through a phone or in person conversation. Attitude, mood, and depth of knowledge are hard to really know through type but can easily be perceived through a one on one conversation. Say hi, give feedback about a product, or ask a question. You can call our farmer at 717.786.7895 ext 0. Although he’ll likely be out working in the field, he’s usually great about getting back to you quickly.

4-- Learn hands on about farming and food processing. Maybe you can visit a local farm or farm museum. Or maybe you sign up for a workshop about yogurt making. Or, if you’re really adventurous, work for a farm! 

5-- Visit the farm. This is hands down the most important one. By visiting the farm, you can see if the farmer is actually doing what he says. You can see the animals in their true condition. You can see how clean the facilities are. 

And lucky you. I do have a way for you to accomplish #1, #3, #4, and $5 all in one day!

Our annual Farm Day event is coming up on Saturday, September 14. It will be on the farm in Quarryville, PA. In my opinion, it’s worth the trip.

The farmer will provide a nutrient dense lunch, give wagon and pony rides, let you milk a cow, help you give a calf a bottle, give you feed for the chickens, and give you a farm tour. And, if you’re lucky, maybe a calf will even suck your fingers. 

Farm Day is a fun day for the whole family. Kids are more than welcome. Learn more and buy tickets here.

I’m not sure if you know how much of an impact you have over food production in the US. 

You vote with every dollar you spend on food. If you small farms to exist, buy from them!

For every dollar you spend on small farm food, you help keep small farmers in business. And, the farmers and the welfare of our environment do very much need your business. 

Over the past decade, the trend has undoubtedly been less farmers and bigger farms. And, even though the organic trend is still strong, according to modern farmer, organic farms only account for 1% of all farmland in the US.

I mean, big corporations would not be in business if they had no business. There would be no GMO food if no one bought GMO food. Glyphosate would not be used on crops if there was no one to buy them. It’s really that simple.

Equally as important is when you give your farmer feedback. Your feedback does turn into positive change… even if not immediately.

I’d like to give an example that happened on our farm recently. About six months ago, the farmer started using a new USDA certified processor. A few customers noted that the sausage and bacon had questionable ingredients in them.

So… the farmer reached out to the processor. 

Even though it did take six months, we are happy to announce that refinery syrup and powdered honey are no longer ingredients that the processor uses. They switched to natural sweeteners like brown sugar and maple sugar. And, the proprietary blend “natural spice seasoning” has been replaced with herbs with actual culinary names.

This change came from the customers. It went from the customer to the farmer to the processor and back down again. Amazing!

In direct support of these concepts, the Weston A. Price Foundation is having a 50-50 PLEDGE: spend at least 50 percent of your food dollar by purchasing foods directly from local farmers and artisans.

If you’re reading this, then you’re likely on the right track. We really appreciate your help to keep small farmers in business by making small farm food staples in your home. And, as always, we really appreciate your feedback.

Thanks for your support! And, enjoy the food :)