Our transition to Certified organic has officially begun

This spring marked an important milestone for our farm.

After years of planning, learning, and adjusting how we manage land and livestock, Fresh Valley Farms officially entered the transition to organic in May 2019. We submitted our first organic application, covering the majority of the land and production systems we steward every day.

The application includes all of our hay land and animal pastures, along with our berry patch, our herd of grass-fed beef, and even a small planting of garlic that will be available later this summer. Bringing the whole farm into the process matters to us. Organic isn’t something we want to apply to one corner of the operation. It’s a system-wide commitment.

Some parts of the farm are further along than others, and we want to be transparent about that.

Our pasture-raised chickens are not included on this year’s application, but they are already being fed primarily certified organic feed, with a small portion of GMO-free feed as we continue to navigate availability and cost. Our pasture-raised pork will continue to be fed GMO-free feed while we adapt to the economics of this next step for the business.

Organic certification is not a switch you flip. It’s a transition. It requires new systems, new records, new inputs, and a lot of careful decision-making. It also asks farms to carry more risk upfront, often long before the label reflects the work being done.

For us, this step represents a long-term commitment to soil health, animal welfare, and transparency. It aligns with how we already manage our land and livestock, and it gives structure and accountability to that work.

We’re grateful to everyone who has supported the farm through this transition. Choosing local food, asking questions, and valuing how food is produced all help make changes like this possible.