Answers to Producer Questionnaire
Knob Hill Farm PRODUCTS & PRACTICES |
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Question | Answer |
List what you intend to sell. (if applicable) (e.g. meats, grains, jellies, crafts; also note if you have any heritage breeds) |
n/a |
Describe your farming, processing and/or crafting practices. (if applicable) | Our pigs, produce, and land are all USDA certified organic by MCIA. As an organic producer, our products are all non-GMO, antibiotic free, with no added hormones or toxic pesticides or herbicides. We farrow and finish all of our market hogs right here at Knob Hill. All of our market pigs are at least 50% Berkshire because we use pure-bred Berkshire boars. Our sows are crossbred heritage breed pigs. The pigs are raised in an outdoor system with deep bedding in our early 1900 style buildings (that Mike built with many modern upgrades). Their outdoor area affords them the ability to root in the dirt and wallow in the mud. We like happy pigs! |
Describe your pest and disease management system. (if applicable) | n/a |
Describe your herd health and productivity management. (if applicable) (i.e. do you use any hormones, antibiotics, and/or steroids) |
We are farrow to finish. Our pigs all have plenty of outdoor space and are able to root and wallow. Their barns are deep-bedded with organic hay and straw, and they always have access to fresh water. |
Describe your feeding practices. (if applicable) (grass-fed only, free-range, feed-lot, etc.) |
As USDA Organic, the feed for all of our livestock is also certified organic. Therefore, it is Non-GMO, and does not have any toxic pesticides or herbicides applied to it. We feed our pigs a traditional pig feed ration consisting of corn, small grains such as oats and wheat, roasted beans, bean meal, alfalfa hay, minerals and vitamins. No animal by-products, hormones, or antibiotics are ever used. The ingredients are mixed in varying amounts to achieve a complete ration for each stage of growth, so that all of their nutritional needs are met. All of our pigs, from farrow to finish, have continuous access to water and the outdoors year round. Our vegetables are USDA Certified Organic, Non-GMO, and we do not use any toxic pesticides or herbicides. They are also 3rd party inspected. Nutrients are provided by green manures (cover crops) crop rotation, and our organic livestock manure. |
Describe your soil and nutrient management. (if applicable) (Do you compost, use fertilizers, green manures or animal manures?) |
We use manure from our USDA Certified organic livestock, Green manures (cover crops) and crop rotation. |
Describe your water usage practices. (if applicable) (If you irrigate, describe how - e.g. deep well, surface water, etc., and explain how you conserve water or use best management practices. Describe how you are protecting your water source from contamination/erosion). |
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Describe your conservation/land stewardship practices. (if applicable) (e.g., do you plant windbreaks, maintain grass waterways, riparian buffers, use green manures for wind erosion, plant habitats for birds, improve soil quality, etc.) |
We believe that healthy soil is the foundation for healthy crops and healthy animals. That belief is the foundation for our land management decisions. Our approach to this is from a preventative standpoint, rather than a reactionary approach. To do this, we leave buffers and habitat for wildlife and beneficial insects. We also practice crop rotation in our vegetable garden. Healthy soil builds resiliency into our system to help control weeds, insects, and disease. We also plant pollinator strips, and we also have permanent pasture. Since all of our land is certified organic, we follow all of the land management guidelines set forth by the USDA . Which means we do not use any toxic pesticides or herbicides to manage our land. We have seen the diversity of species grow since we became organic. Specifically, beneficial species, such as garden spiders, dragon flies, barn swallows, and earth worms have increased. |
Describe any additional information and/or sustainable practices about your operation that
would be helpful to a potential customer in understanding your farm or operation better. (e.g. if you are raising any heritage animals you might list breeds or list varieties of heirloom seeds. List the percentage of local ingredients in your processed items). |
Our farm is the product a dream that we started in 2007. It has become a family affair and hopefully will continue to grow as we raise our children. We both graduated from ISU in Agriculture. We met while both working at Living History Farms. We have both been involved in raising hogs for most of our lives and have always wanted to be able to farm the way we believe is best for the land, the animals, and our health. Our farmland, crops, and hogs have been USDA Certified Organic since 2016. We use a combination of draft horse power and tractor power on our farm. We are a farrow to finish farm and use pure-bred Berkshire boars so all of our finished hogs are at least 50% Berkshire. We use the Story City Locker to process all of our pork. For our garden, we source all of our plants from local certified organic growers. We use manure from our livestock as our fertilizer, and hay from our farm as mulch. Along with our market garden, raising hogs and having Belgian-cross draft horses, we have a small flock of laying hens, a good cat (Luna), and an awesome dog (Snicklefritz). Please find us on Facebook or Instagram at Knob Hill Farm if you want to follow our progress! |
List your food liability insurance coverage, both general and product-related, as well as any licenses and tests that you have available. (if applicable) | USDA Organic by MCIA, PQA Plus, PQA Plus Site Assessment, IDALS Food processing plant license. |
ORGANIC PRODUCERS | |||
List which products you are selling as organic. (if applicable) | Our whole pigs and produce are Certified Organic. Currently, the individual cuts of meat are not certified because the processing was not certified. However, Story City Locker is in the process of getting their certification. Once that happens, the cuts will be also. | ||
List certifying agency's name and address: (if applicable) |
MCIA - Minnesota Crop Improvement Agency 1900 Hendon Ave. St. Paul, MN 55108 | ||
Certifying Agency's Phone: (if applicable) |
612-625-7766 | Certifying Agency's Fax: (if applicable) |
n/a |
Do you have available for inspection a copy of your current organic certificate? (if applicable) | Yes No | ||
I affirm that all statements made about my farm and products in this application are true, correct and complete and I have given a truthful representation of my operation, practices, and origin of products. I understand that if questions arise about my operation I may be inspected (unannounced). If I stated my operation is organic, then I am complying with the National Organic Program and will provide upon request a copy of my certification. I have read all of the producer standards and fully understand and am willing to comply with them. | |||
I agree
| Saturday the 22nd day of February, 2020 |