Our goal is to manage the farm with a system that protects the soil and water and is an asset to the community where we live. To meet these objectives, we have developed a small scale farmstead dairy processing operation that can be operated by the family to complement the other aspects of the farm business.

Being grass-based enables us to utilize less fossil fuels to produce crops (grasses are a perennial crop), increases the sustainability of our farm and allow the cow's biology to work as nature intended. The cows harvest their own food and fertilize the soil at the same time. During the growing season we give the cows access to new pastures each day, and allow grazed pastures several weeks of rest for regrowth before grazing them again. During the summer we can go weeks without starting the tractor.

We don't push our cows for the maximum production. We milk them once a day, which is uncommon in the US but is gaining popularity in other countries, particularly New Zealand. The cows give less milk- but in turn they are under less stress, we are under less stress and they should live longer, get sick less frequently and require less food. We also feed them very little grain, on average about one quarter the typical amount fed to cows. This also reduces milk production, but decreases acidification in the cows stomach which benefits their health and longevity. Unlike many US dairies, we do not use hormones to increase our cows' production or to aid reproduction.

Operating our farm is like running a marathon. It can be peaceful, serene and also very tough. It is very rewarding to accomplish your goals…. but, the work is never done and we constantly struggle to maintain a good balance in life. We take a lot of pleasure in the simple things. We don't have the freedom anymore to travel much or do a lot of extracurricular activities. We do however get to walk in our woods and meadows, enjoying the abundant wildlife and fresh air. Butterflies, songbirds, hawks and turkeys make their home here. The kids learned to swim in our farm pond and are unfazed by the snapping turtles, snakes and other interesting creatures that share it with us. We do not have to worry that our children are being exposed to chemical fertilizers or pesticides. We hope to teach our children to protect and respect the natural world and enjoy the lessons that it has to teach them.