I meet Andy the owner of this farm this morning on my way to mom's. He mentioned that there was an open house at the farm next Saturday which is open to the public.
http://www.ourgatetoyourplate.ca/Doors_Open_Grimsby.php
It means 2 of the barns are open for visitors. He did make a point of saying that it is a "real" farm and real poop so wear appropriate footwear if you visit.
Our gate to your plate aims to bring the quality and taste of traditional values to the plate of local consumers.
Offering rare breed meats carefully selected for their taste and ability to live in our climate with no need to supplement feed or add growth hormones.
Our goal is to where ever possible mimic the animal’s natural life style, feeding them what they would eat and letting them live in as near to natural conditions as we can.
We strongly believe that the best meat comes from happy healthy animals.
Through our shop we will offer the very best in customer service helping you to select the cuts and produce you are looking for, and giving you an enjoyable shopping experience you can only get from a local family shop.
"OUR GATE TO YOUR PLATE'
Members of Rare Breed Canada and The Canadian Galloway association.
no comments but lots of views.....
I posted this for people that are considering homesteading or adding different types of critters to their production. I know several people on here do chickens and are considering adding sheep, goats, cows and pigs. This gentlemen opens 2 of his barns to the public once in a while so people will get an idea of what it takes to get things done.
Well, let me throw out a slightly different take on this, while I understand that so many folks have lost step with what it takes a farmer to be able to raise that food and put it on the plate of its consumers..
I have to admit that you would never see me doing something like this or going to a place that is doing this.. its called biosecurity, I spend time, effort and money on raising rare breeds, as well as more modern ones here on the farm and I would never risk their health by doing a open house, when strangers come to a farm, who know's what they are bringing with them.
I do min to no vaccines, using only what is truly required by either law and or based on my personal location, and the only! way that I would even be a little bit comfortable doing a limited something like this, would be with fully vaccinated critters and even then you are still taking a risk.
Education is a very good thing, risking my animals and my soils health.. not worth the risk to me..
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biosecurity
http://livingmydreamlifeonthefarm.wordpress.com/
I know him through another forum. We have the same breeds of endangered critters but I don't have sheep. I do have milk cows so I get to brag milk fed Large Black pork. He gets premium prices in his area and I am jealous.
I just read Farmgals post and share her views on biosecurity as well. You also need to have some very secure fences to keep people out of where they do not belong. Notice that all of his people alleys are fenced with high mesh. People who do farm tourism keep the animals on view separate from the main herds and people. You will see a few pigs on display but Andy has more then 60 stashed away out back. He will quarantine the viewing animals before they return to the herd.
I couldn't deal with 600 people traipsing through my farm. I do keep some Belties out near the road because people love them so much. I have electric fences though and the people stay on their side of the fence.
Thank you for the lesson on the health risk on the critters with having people around. I am hoping that after the open house is over that in the future he may let me go over and help so I can learn by hands on.
My family that has farms have large numbers of animals - hundreds but of the same kind, which is not what I want to learn.
Its worth a try. Andy would be a good balanced common sense type of person to learn from. What kinds of things are you hoping to learn?