Want to get your farm listed and recommended as a preferred farm by Becky’s Mindful Kitchen? Here is a list of my criteria- feel free to contact me with any questions!

 

~No Hormones

~No antibiotics unless the animal is ill or injured.  If treated with antibiotics that animal will not be sold for meat.

~ Animals must be raised with respect from birth to butcher for what they are contributing to your farm and to the health of those who eat their meat.

~ Cattle, Goats, Sheep (all ruminants) are raised on high quality pasture or when necessary fed dried grasses (hay, grass silage)

Never fed: grain, soy, corn silage or concentrate.

~ Dairy animals are out on pasture and fed only minimal grain if any at all.  You must be willing to disclose any grain or concentrate that you feed the dairy animals.

~Poultry must be free to roam on quality pasture as soon as age permits. Coops may be used at night or in bad weather.  During the day the birds must be outside and allowed access to fresh supplies of greens- method of outdoor confinement or lack of confinement will be noted in my review.  Most of the bird’s diet should be supplied by plants but they can receive feed for additional nutrients.  This feed must be non GMO.

~ Pigs need to have access to pasture or I need to be given a reason as to why they currently are not allowed access and plans to allow access to pasture need to be in the works.  Supplemental feed is allowed but must be non GMO.

~ Reasons for confinement: birthing, protection from predators, weather.

~Organic certification is not required and I recognize the practice of beyond organic farming as being superior to simply following USDA regulations.

~The farm must employ methods of keeping pollution to a minimum and practice sustainability whenever possible. 

~ The farmer must be aware of and taking into account the various factors that impact the health of the pasture and the nutrition value of the produce grown for market along with the grasses that the animals eat.