Tours will take place Monday September 11, 2023!
2023 Grassfed Exchange Tours
Rodale Institute (Tour A)
Rodale Institute is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that supports research and education in organic and regenerative organic agriculture.
Located on 386-acres in the bucolic countryside of east Pennsylvania, Rodale’s main campus farm is a living example of the power of regenerative organic agriculture to heal the land and support thriving community.
Rodale Institute is also home to the Farming Systems Trial, the longest-running side-by-side comparison of conventional and organic grain cropping systems in North America.
For more than 40 years, the Farming Systems Trial (FST) at Rodale Institute has applied real-world practices and rigorous scientific analysis to document the different impacts of different cropping systems.
The scientific data gathered from this research has established that organic management matches or outperforms conventional agriculture in ways that benefit farmers and lays a strong foundation for designing and refining agricultural systems that can improve the health of people and the planet.
Maximum participants: 100.
To learn more about the Rodale Institute: https://rodaleinstitute.org/
Goldfinch Meadows (Tour A)
Located in Jonestown, Pennsylvania and owned and operated by Alfred & Jennifer Albright, Goldfinch Meadows has been in Alfred’s family for over 40 years. Formerly a thoroughbred racing operation, Alfred & Jennifer converted the farm to a grass-fed, grass-finished, pasture raised beef operation.
Their goal is to maintain our soil health and the health of our cattle by using sustainable agriculture and rotational grazing practices.
Goldfinch Meadows is also breathing new life into ancient traditions by producing a suite of tallow-based products. Used for centuries in cooking as well as skin care and cleaning, they offer everything from handcrafted soaps to lotions, balms to solid dish soaps and candles - their way of honoring cattle by using as much of them as possible..
Maximum participants: 50.
To learn more about Goldfinch Meadows click here: https://goldfinchmeadows.com/
The Family Cow (Tour B)
The Family Cow is a fully grass-based, PA Department of Agriculture (PDA) permitted, raw milk dairy and local source of raw milk, raw cheese, soy-free pastured poultry, 100% grass-fed beef, soy-free woodland pork, garden produce, herbs, yogurt, cheese, kefir, butter, and more. The farm is situated on 122 acres of pasture in Chambersburg, PA. The farm’s Jersey milk cows are rotationally grazed 8 months out of the year, and an additional 300 acres of organic land is farmed to assure an abundance of high-quality organic stored grasses to grass-feed the cows during the winter. The dairy is owned and operated by Edwin and Dawn Shank and their 6 children and has been continuously owned and farmed by the family for 5 generations and close to 100 years.
The Family Cow is dedicated to extremely safe raw milk. The Family Cow may be the only raw milk dairy in the USA with such a high level of control to monitor, record and alert for food safety issues. The Shank family also pioneers with an on-farm raw milk laboratory. The laboratory gives The Family Cow the unique ability to establish a test-and-hold protocol for every single lot of raw milk.
That's why our family is dedicated to grow only high integrity foods on our farm. You deserve to eat with confidence again.
You have our commitment to full transparency and top quality standards. No misleading label claims, imported grain fraud, or poor animal treatment at The Family Cow. Everything you get from us is Chemical-Free, GMO-Free, Antibiotic-Free, Soy-Free and Truly Pastured. We will treat you like friends and feed you like family!
Maximum participants: 50.
To learn more about the Family Cow Operation click here: https://yourfamilyfarmer.com/
Lil' Ponderosa (Tour B)
Bob and Kate Boyce operate Lil' Ponderosa Enterprises in Carlise, PA. They moved to the farm April 25, 1986. The farm was renovated immediately, preparing it to become a working farm. Having dozed and cleared years of trash and brush, they constructed several miles of fence, installed watering systems and erected several barns. They then purchased Purebred Angus stock from several farms of who were grazing their cattle.
From the beginning they were committed to raising an all-natural product. To achieve the highest possible quality, they decided to produce beef from a closed herd of purebred Black Angus Cattle. No new breeding animals have been brought onto our farm in over 20 years. They are fed a grass-only diet from birth to harvest. The cattle graze in a picturesque setting, on rolling hillsides, in a stress-free environment. In the winter, they are fed hay grown on the farm. Lil’ Ponderosa does not use chemicals, growth hormones, antibiotics, or artificial additives.
Lil’ Ponderosa also offers ag-tourism. They encourage people to visit the farm and take walks to explore the landscape; find the Koi in the ponds, the baby geese and ducks, deer, wild turkeys, and other wonders of nature.
Maximum participants: 50.
To learn more about the Lil' Ponderosa click here: https://www.lilponderosabeef.com/
Springwood Organic Farm (Tour C)
Springwood Organic Farm is a 100% grass-based dairy farm. We produce certified organic milk for Organic Valley, and also produce cheese, beef, turkeys, broilers, and hay. Springwood is a pioneer in organic and regenerative livestock practices, and we strive towards ever-improving the health, well-being, and quality of our animals and products. As caretakers of God’s creation, we are driven by the desire to improve environmental stewardship, animal welfare, good business for our community, and our family values.
In 1983 Roman Stoltzfoos took over the family farm and eventually began applying organic methods. The farm rejuvenated and began to thrive with this organic approach. Amidst much skepticism, organic turkeys were added to the livestock in the late ’80s when organic agriculture was seldom practiced.
Dwight Stoltzfoos grew up on Springwood Farm in Kinzers, PA as the oldest of 11 children. He assisted his father during the 90’s in the gradual transition to becoming certified organic, and later implementing 100% grass-fed grazing practices. In 2007 Dwight took on the herd and crop management role and in 2022 purchased Springwood Farm, successfully transitioning the farm to its fourth generation of family ownership.
Dwight, Brenda, and our nine children are kept busy with the 250 cow 100% grass-fed organic dairy and are members of Organic Valley/CROPP’s Grassmilk program. Springwood Farm is an amazing place to raise our family, and we are motivated by pushing towards regenerating the soils under our management via adaptive grazing, silvopasture installations, and adequate rest periods.
Organic, regenerative, grass-based farming is a passion of the Stoltzfoos Family and we strive to keep at the cutting edge of these methods. As a result Springwood Organic Farm has become a model of stewarding opportunities of the present for future generations.
Maximum participants: 50.
To learn more about the Springwood Organic Farm click here: https://springwoodfarm.com/
Dutch Meadows Farm (Tour C)
Dutch Meadows Farm is located in Paradise, PA. The farm has been owned by the Stoltzfus family for three generations and has been practicing organic farming for over twenty years.
Dutch Meadows Organic Dairy is situated on 90 acres of pasture and woodlands in Lancaster County, the agricultural center of Pennsylvania. Alvin and Elizabeth Stoltzfus, along with their family, run the farm and creamery, producing traditional dairy products with a holistic farming approach. They exclusively raise Dutch Belted cattle a heritage breed of dairy cattle that has never been genetically altered for high milk production.
Dutch Meadows has developed partnerships with a close-knit group of small, sustainable, family farms that practice farming with nature without using harmful pesticides, chemicals and artificial growth hormones.
Maximum participants: 50.
To learn more about the farm click here: https://dutchmeadowsfarm.com/
