About Silver Shade Farms
I grew up on a dairy farm in southern IN where applying chemical fertilizers was normal. I can remember when Roundup, GMO seeds, and Roundup-ready products really started making a hit with farmers. It was quick, convenient, and easy (or so we thought).
After about 10 years, super weeds started to develop, which kept the chemical companies scrambling to come up with new chemicals to stay ahead of the chemical-resistant super weeds they had unintentionally helped create. It was a similar story with antibiotics.
I took over the family farm in 2001 and struggled along for a few years then sold out and moved to Missouri. We went into the construction business for 10 years then in 2015 we bought a farm with a vision to raise our family on the farm.
We had two huge questions:
- What could we do to make the farm profitable?
- How could we farm sustainably?
Back to the chemicals and antibiotics… there was always a doubt in my mind if this was really the way God created the soil to work. Those doubts grew when I started to have some health issues. Something else I noticed was the lack of transparency between the food production industry and the consumers.
I started going to soil life seminars and grass-based farming seminars. When I started implementing some of these natural practices, I saw the soil start coming to life and some of the problems that chemicals were creating in our cattle started going away. Through all this a vision started developing of having a network of family farmers working together to produce completely safe products with a commitment to start bridging the disconnect between the farmer and the consumer.
So what do we offer…
- 1. Completely safe grass-fed beef… so what does this statement involve…
- A. Our cattle are not allowed to taste even one bite of grain at any time in their life.
- B. Only natural, safe fertilizers are used (no chemicals or GMO products).
- C. No growth hormones, antibiotics, or similar products are used.
- D. We will also be selling seed stock so others can start herds with cattle that have never been fed grain or given antibiotics
- 2. We are working on getting pastured chickens as well.
- 3. Grass-fed lamb should be available by late 2019
- 4. Ask about our strawberries in spring of 2019
We are almost through the transition process of going from a commercial to a grass-fed operation. While in this transition we ended up with several cattle that have had a shot of antibiotics in their early life. We are offering those at a discount to those who are interested.
We keep record of all this and will accurately represent what you buy from us.
Several things to consider while you contemplate where to buy food…
- 1. If a cow eats grain for a few weeks, it will change their glandular system for life.
- 2. Completely grassfed meat will be high in omega 3 oils. (these are healthy oils)
- 3. Grainfed meat will be high in omega 6 oils. (known to cause heart problems)
- 4. We are what that thing we are eating, ate.
“Let your food be your medicine”
Hippocrates
We would be glad to give anyone a farm tour.
Come on out to Silver Shade Farms, and see for yourself where the animals are happy, the creeks flow refreshingly, and the ostriches run with the wind!
