1. Name of farm: Blossom Ridge Farm & Dairy
2. Farmer’s/Farm Family name: Ritz
3. Street address: 1775 20 Mile Rd NW
4. City: Kent City
5. State (2-letter abbreviation): MI
6. Zip: 49330
7. Phone number: 616-443-0677
8. Email: info@blossomridgedairy.com
9. Website: Www.blossomridgedairy.com
Type of Farm/Farm Practices
10. Are you Certified Organic? No
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?
Animal Husbandry
15. Do you keep livestock? Yes
16. What animals do you keep?
Chickens (list breeds): Hyline Brown (laying hens)
Meat chickens (cross)
Ducks (list breeds):
Turkeys (list breeds):
Other Poultry (list type and breeds):
Cows (list breeds): Jersey cross
Goats (list breeds):
Pigs (list breeds): Berkshire
Sheep (list breeds):
Other Animals (list type and breeds): New Zealand Whites and Californian meat rabbits
17. Do you use antibiotics? No
18. Are the animals pasture-fed? Yes
19. How much and for how long: As much as they want during grass growing season in Michigan
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): Non-GMO complete poultry feed
For cows, sheep, and/or goats (list type): Non-GMO grains and organic hay
For pigs (list type): Non-GMO complete pig feed
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:
30. Is the milk routinely tested for pathogens, coliform count? No
Which tests, and how often:
31. Is the farm water routinely tested? No
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?
Butchering Practices
34. Do you sell milk? No
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: Rabbits are humanely butchered on our farm
Farm Products
38. Please check off the products you sell and list current prices
Raw whole milk: We sell dairy shares
1 share equals approximately 2 gallons/milk a week for $48/mo plus a one-time buy in/herd maintenance fee of $125
Raw butter:
Raw cream:
Raw ice cream:
Raw sour cream:
Raw yogurt:
Raw kefir:
Raw cottage cheese:
Whey:
Cheese (list types):
Other dairy (list):
Beef/veal: We sell beef however we can
Pork: We sell pork by the half or whole hog
Goat/kid:
Mutton/lamb:
Other meat:
Chicken: Meat chickens are sold in the spring/summer at current market prices
Duck:
Turkey:
Other poultry:
Eggs (list type, chicken, duck, etc) : Chicken eggs are $3/dz.
Honey:
Produce (list typical offerings): Garden variety seasonal produce
Prepared foods (list typical offerings):
Other: Organic peaches by the 1/2 or whole bushel
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? Yes
40a. Details:
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? Purchase
43a. Details:
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