1. Name of farm: Green Pastures
2. Farmer’s/Farm Family name: Meerman
3. Street address: 14238 60th Ave
4. City: Coopersville
5. State (2-letter abbreviation): MI
6. Zip: 49404
7. Phone number: 616-997-1306
8. Email: migreenpastures@gmail.com
9. Website: www.migreenpastures.com
Type of Farm/Farm Practices
10. Are you Certified Organic? Yes
11. Are you Certified Biodynamic? No
12. If you are not Certified Organic, do you use organic production methods? Yes
13. Do you use synthetic fertilizers? No
14. Do you use any of the following: nonorganic pesticides, herbicides, parasiticides, or fungicides? No
Animal Husbandry
15. Do you keep livestock? Yes
16. What animals do you keep?
Chickens (list breeds): Isa Brown
Ducks (list breeds): none
Turkeys (list breeds): traditional white turkeys, raised on pasture and given organic grains.
Other Poultry (list type and breeds):
Cows (list breeds): Holstein-Jersey-Normandy cross breeds, raised on pasture and certified Organic by Global Organic Alliance.
Goats (list breeds):
Pigs (list breeds): traditional breed, raised organically and out on pasture.
Sheep (list breeds):
Other Animals (list type and breeds):
17. Do you use antibiotics? No
18. Are the animals pasture-fed? Yes
19. How much and for how long: April-December.
20. Do you practice managed grazing? Yes
21. Do you apply compost or compost tea? Yes
22. Do you apply other soil amendments? Yes
23. Do you use supplemental feed?
For poultry (list type):
For cows, sheep, and/or goats (list type): Organic hay (in winter), some Organic grains like corn, barley, etc. and supplemental minerals (also organic certified). The cows graze during the warm months and most of their diet is fresh grass or hay.
For pigs (list type):
Raw Milk
24. Do you supply raw milk? Yes
25. Do you keep your barn and milk room clean? Yes
26. Do you keep the cows clean/teats washed? Yes
27. Do you thoroughly wash your milking equipment after every milking? Yes
28. Are cows with mastitis or other health problems excluded from milking? Yes
29. Are cows tested for disease? Yes
Which tests, and how often: We routinely check for mastitis and watch for it every milking.
30. Is the milk routinely tested for pathogens, coliform count? Yes
Which tests, and how often: We test for Campylobacter, Salmonella, E coli o:157 H7 and Listeria monocytogenes every month. We have never had a positive (thank you Lord!)
31. Is the farm water routinely tested? Yes
32. Are milk and milk products kept well chilled? Yes
33. Other/Explain (list any other routine practices, or explain any of your answers above? We clean the udders and teats with iodine before putting the milkers on. The milk goes directly from the cow to the cowshare milk tank via a stainless steel pipe that is cleaned and sanitized every milking (twice daily). The milk tank is cleaned three times a week and the tank cools the milk to about 34-36 degrees within 1 hour of milking. This helps keep the milk fresh and tasty!
Butchering Practices
34. Do you sell milk? Yes
35. Meat butchered at a USDA-certified or state-certified abattoir? Yes
36. Meat butchered on the farm? Yes
37. Describe or explain any butchering practices: We have an MDA certified poultry processing plant at Grassfields where we process our chickens and turkeys by hand. We can also process your poultry for you!
Farm Products
38. Please check off the products you sell and list current prices
Raw whole milk: We do NOT sell raw milk but we do sell cowshares.
One share: $200 (one time fee) and $50/month for boarding gives 2-3 gallons/week
Half share: $100 (one time fee) and $28/month for 1-1.5 gallons/week
Raw butter:
Raw cream:
Raw ice cream:
Raw sour cream:
Raw yogurt:
Raw kefir:
Raw cottage cheese:
Whey:
Cheese (list types): Raw and Organic Grassfields cheeses:
Lamont Cheddar
Gouda
Edam
Fait Gras
Country Dill
Onion and Garlic Gouda
Polkton Corners
Sharp Gouda (aged 1-2 years)
Sharp Cheddar (limited supply)
Leyden
Other dairy (list):
Beef/veal: We sell our grass fed beef by the side and by the cut from the Grassfields Farm Store. See www.grassfieldscheese.com for more information. Our beef are grass finished and not fed any grain in their adult life. They are fed hay in the winter, no grains. They are butchered around 2-2 1/2 years of age.
Pork: We sell our grass fed and organically raised pork by the side and by the cut from the Grassfields Farm Store. Seewww.grassfieldscheese.com for more information.
Goat/kid:
Mutton/lamb:
Other meat:
Chicken: We sell our pastured poultry by the side and by the cut from the Grassfields Farm Store. See www.grassfieldscheese.com for more information.
Duck:
Turkey: We sell our pastured turkeys at Thanskgiving time. Order before November! See www.grassfieldscheese.com for more information.
Other poultry:
Eggs (list type, chicken, duck, etc) : Our hens are organically raised on pasture and cost $4/dozen from the Grassfields Farm Store.
Honey: Sold in the Grassfields Farm Store.
Produce (list typical offerings):
Prepared foods (list typical offerings):
Other:
Additional Information
39. Do you only sell animals that are raised on your farm at the address listed?
Yes
39a. Details:
40. Are the animals born on your farm at the address listed? No
40a. Details:
The dairy cows are born on our farm, but the beef cows were not. Both are raised organically and on pasture. The beef are grass fed and not fed grain.
41. Do you ever purchase animals from auctions or from your processor or do you ever buy parts from your processor (whole pork bellies…)? No
41a. Details:
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42. Do you personally attend to your animals at least once a day or do you hire help or farmers to do that for you? Personally Attend
42a. Details:
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43. Do you purchase pre-mixed feed from an elevator or do you grind your own? Grind Own
43a. Details:
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