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Foundational Principles
God as Creator
At Foerster Family Farm we believe that the God of the Bible is the creator of earth and heaven and all that is in it. God has entrusted this farm and its functions to us for the the good of mankind, the care of the earth and its resources, and the glory of God.
The Good of Mankind
When God created man, he created us in his own image. Thus, mankind is unique from all the rest of creation, and ought to be treated with a special dignity. From the very beginning, God blessed mankind with the abundance of the earth's production, and he continues to do so. More important than the care of our farm and animals is the care of our customers, neighbors, and family because we are the focus of God's creative and redemptive work.
The Care of the Earth and its Resources
The higher importance of mankind does not negate the significance of the earth. The earth cannot function as God intended without caretakers. We are responsible to tend to the welfare of our livestock and the natural resources of soil, water, and air.
Livestock Principles
100% Grassfed
Our cattle are never fed any grain. Instead, they are fed perennial and annual forages with supplemental salt and mineral.
No GMO's
We do not grow or feed any GMOs on our farm. This means we do not feed any GMO grain to our pigs and chickens. And our cattle are not fed any GMO cornstalks or alfalfa.
Limited Vaccination
Our cows never receive any vaccinations. We do vaccinate our steers for Tetanus.
No unnecessary antibiotics
Most livestock receive a regular helping of antibiotics mixed into their feed regardless of whether they are sick or not because it causes them to put on weight faster. We only give our animals if absolutely necessary, and note that animal so that we can provide customers who do not want any antibiotics.
Fresh pasture
We believe in keeping grass under our animal's feet. So unless weather forbids it (too cold or too wet), our animals always have access to fresh, clean pasture.
No growth hormones
None of our livestock ever receive any artificial growth hormones.
Animal Welfare
We aim to provide as stressless and enjoyable a life as we can for our animals.
Farm Principles
Soil Cover
One of the simplest ways to have healthy soil is to keep it covered. We do this by keeping a living root in the ground all year long. We do till some of our land every few years, but we immediately resow tilled ground.
Livestock Integration
Livestock are essential to healthy soil. Their manure builds soil and feeds all the little tiny microbes that teem in every inch of dirt. We are unable to graze a couple of small hayfields away from the main farm; so we substitute the next best thing: a regular application of good manure based compost.
No Pesticides, Herbicides, or Fungicides
Even though these chemicals are very useful at accomplishing their intending purpose, they have too many unintended consequences for us to use them with good conscience on our farm.
Limited Artificial Fertilizers
Artificial fertilizers tend to usurp the role of microbes in the soil to feed plants vital nutrients. On our grazing acres we do not use any artificial fertilizers.
Rotational Grazing
Cattle can actually be very detrimental to soil health if not properly managed. When cattle are given access to the whole pasture, they overgraze it and hurt plant health. Damaged plants in turn damage the soil. We use temporary fencing to give cattle access to only one day's worth of feed. This allows the rest of the pasture to rest and regrow.
Our Forages
The base of our farm is a perennial pasture adapted for the specific field. On most of our acres it is an alfalfa/grass mix. We also grow some annual forages to increase production and renovate pastures.