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November 6, 2014

Touring Reedy Fork Farm with Organic Valley

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Earlier this week, I had the wonderful opportunity to travel to Elon, North Carolina to tour Reedy Fork Farm, a 500 acre certified organic dairy and feed farm.

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Reedy Fork (love that name) is a sixth generation farm, and was actually originally a tobacco farm! It became a dairy farm in the 1950’s and transitioned to a certified organic dairy farm in 2007; they are now a proud member of the Organic Valley Cooperative, who invited me on this trip. A huge thank you to them for covering my trip expenses and for sponsoring this post!

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The farm is owned by George Teague, who operates the farm alongside his son, nephew, and his wife, Cherry.

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Joining me on the tour was Carrie from Organic Valley and fellow blogger Lisa Leake from 100 Days of Real Food; her husband, Jason, and their children joined as well. Her blog is worth checking out if you haven’t seen it before – a great resource on eating real, unprocessed food in a realistic, non-complicated way. I went to get coffee with Lisa and Jason before the tour and loved when all three of us ordered lattes with whole milk. These are my people!

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It was wonderful hearing more about the farm from George and Cherry, who graciously opened up their home and farm to us for this tour. Our first order of business was a hay ride (so fun!) around their property while learning more about why they transitioned to organic.

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George told us that the #1 reason they went organic was because of how much healthier it is for not only the animals but also his family. He said he remembers spraying chemicals back in the day and wondering how many years he had taken off his life. When he was conventional, he didn’t want his children to be around the farm because he knew the chemicals were really dangerous for them. George’s wife Cherry and daughter Hayley had long known the many benefits of organic food and products, and encouraged George to explore the possibilities of making Reedy Fork Organic, but he was skeptical and didn’t think it could be done. Reluctantly, George said he finally agreed to take a trip to Pennsylvania and Maryland to see how “those crazy organic people” did it. What he saw convinced him, and he came back home with hope and a new respect for the organic way of farming.

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Since going organic, virtually all of their cows’ health issues have disappeared, and so have those of his son. He said they spend more money on their personal pets at the vet now than they do on their cows!

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Being certified organic means:

  1. Utilization of natural means of pest control/prevention. Absolutely no use of prohibited materials (antibiotics, growth hormones, etc.)
  2. Maintaining low levels of environmental pollution.
  3. Not using any GMOs (Genetically Modified Organisms)
  4. Adhering to a certain standard of animal control, focusing on humane treatment. Cows must be at pasture for a minimum of 120 days per year, and get at least 30% of their dry matter intake from grass.

An organic cow’s diet consists of grass and a little bit of grain (corn, barley, etc. — about 5 lbs., if that). In the winter, they eat stored forage: either haylage (chopped, fermented hay), or round bales of hay (longer-stemmed), plus grain (anywhere from 5-15 lbs. per day per cow). The Teagues said their cows receive about 90% grass and 10% organic grains. A conventional diet, on the other hand, would consist of corn silage (chopped, fermented corn) and grain (corn and soy). Some haylage may also be mixed in, but the cows are not out on grass. Eating too much grain is not good for the cows as it makes their stomach pH too acidic, leading to health problems!

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Organically managed cows must also be given daily access to the outdoors during the non-grazing season – e.g. shade, shelter, fresh air, direct sunlight, exercise areas. The Teague’s cows are at pasture almost every day of the year, weather permitting.

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Some organic facts:

  • There is a three year transition of land from non-organic to organic.
  • 95% of ingredients (excluding water and salt) have to be organic in order to label something “organic." (And the remaining 5% must be proven that you attempted to make it organic, but could not!)
  • Only about 0.5% of all U.S. cropland and pasture were certified organic in 2005 — about 4 million acres.
  • There’s a HUGE difference between “natural” and “organic” — in fact, “natural” on a label means absolutely nothing!

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Cows have to be fed and treated to meet organic standards for a full 12 months before their milk can be sold as organic. This means 100% organic feed! In addition to selling their milk through Organic Valley, the Teagues also run an organic feed business to make extra money.

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Did you know that the average life expectancy for a conventionally raised cow is only 4 years, while for an organically raised cow it is 10 years? George said that since going organic, their cows have lived MUCH longer. When the cows are no longer milkable, they are used for organic meat, which the Teagues also sell (and eat themselves).

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The Teagues have around 100 Holstein and Holstein/Jersey cross cows, and they milk their cows twice per day – morning and night. The amount of milk varies depending on where the cows are in their cycle, but organic farms get about 5 to 6 gallons of milk per day per cow (from two milkings). Non-organic farms get anything from 6 to 10 gallons.

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I spy milk (this large container is where they store it before pickup)!

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The Teagues also sell organic eggs. Hello, chickens!

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George and Cherry invited us to have lunch with them before finishing up the tour. We were treated to an organic feast using some of the bounty from their farm – deviled eggs, chicken and cheese panini sandwiches, and beautiful fresh salads. Delicious! We were also treated to unpictured brownies, which were amazing. 🙂

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It was such a pleasure to have the opportunity to meet George and Cherry and to see firsthand how going organic has changed their farm for the better. This trip reminded me why it matters to vote with our dollars and buy organic food as often as possible!

What foods do you buy organic? I make a conscious effort to always purchase organic milk, eggs, and meat, if available. For produce, I generally go by the dirty dozen, factoring in when it is available/makes sense for our budget.

Have a great day, my friends!

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- anne
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29 comments
  • Jojo @ Run Fast Eat Lots
    November 6, 2014 · 9:29AM:
    I try to buy only organic animal products, as well as my salad greens and things with higher pesticide levels, like berries.
    Reply
    • Anne
      November 6, 2014 · 9:40AM:
      Yeah I always buy organic greens, and berries if organic is an option!
      Reply
  • Melissa November 6, 2014 · 10:17AM:
    I have a service that delivers fresh organic milk and eggs to my door. It is so much better than regular store milk.
    Reply
    • Anne
      November 6, 2014 · 10:47AM:
      That's amazing!
      Reply
  • Sokphal @ Life as a Classroom
    November 6, 2014 · 10:25AM:
    How cool! Love the last pic - soooo adorable!
    Reply
  • Dietitian Jess
    November 6, 2014 · 11:26AM:
    What an awesome trip! I really love seeing cows out in the pasture grazing (it is the only thing I look forward to on my frequent Philly -> Pittsburgh trups on the turnpike). I also stick to the dirty dozen for produce, but will factor in the cost differential for conventional vs organic for other fruits and veggies.
    Reply
  • mary @ minutes per mile
    November 6, 2014 · 11:31AM:
    so cool! this really inspired me to focus more on buying organic, especially for milk and meat. we recently joined a CSA and i feel good about supporting farmers who practice organic farming! ps - now i need a latte. :)
    Reply
  • Lisa Leake
    November 6, 2014 · 12:11PM:
    Great recap Anne - we really enjoyed meeting you! :)
    Reply
    • Anne
      November 6, 2014 · 12:41PM:
      So great meeting you! :)
      Reply
  • Chelsea
    November 6, 2014 · 12:17PM:
    Looks awesome, love your detailed explanation of what organic means! :)
    Reply
  • Lauren @ The Bikini Experiment
    November 6, 2014 · 12:31PM:
    What a wonderful tour! I am so glad you really explained what organic means. Organic Valley looks beautiful.
    Reply
  • Laura@SneakersandSpatulas
    November 6, 2014 · 12:36PM:
    Most Saturday mornings I go to the local farmers market to stock up on some goodies. If they aren't organic, they are generally close to it and I know it's locally raised food. I typically buy: ground beef, dog bones, eggs, chicken, kale, apples and berries when they are in season, and other veggies depending on the season. I 'm a picky eater and have been introduced to a lot of new foods at the farmers market that I wouldn't normally try on my own! Then I fill in what we need for the week by shopping at the grocery store. I try to buy organic as much as possible or to buy produce from the USA (which sometimes means going without!). I haven't switched to organic milk yet but I might start after reading your post. Do you only drink whole milk? If so, what's the reason? I've been drinking skim milk for years since that's what we drank growing up.
    Reply
    • Anne
      November 6, 2014 · 12:44PM:
      Yes, whole or 2% depending what is available. Here's why via a guest post I wrote awhile ago: http://www.katheats.com/why-this-registered-dietitian-eats-more-fat
      Reply
  • Dana @ fresh simple five
    November 6, 2014 · 12:43PM:
    I try to buy any animal products organic if possible. My rule of thumb for produce is if you eat the skin, I try to buy organic! Not always in the budget, but I do the best I can.
    Reply
  • Erin @ Her Heartland Soul
    November 6, 2014 · 12:44PM:
    That last picture of the calf! <3 What an amazing farm. Josh and I made the switch to organic about a year ago and I am so happy we did! And random but I almost went to Elon for college!
    Reply
  • Virginia November 6, 2014 · 2:18PM:
    I LOVE Organic Valley cheeses, so enjoyed reading this post. I buy everything organic, usually at the farmers markets since the produce is so much fresher and more deliciously yummy than at Whole Foods and Mrs. Green's (our local health food store.) I also believe it's really important to support our local organic farmers (where I live they are from New York, Connecticut, Massachusetts and New Jersey,) who work so hard to honor, support and nourish the land and soil to supply us with beautiful, happy, radiant vegetables and fruits. I also like to respect all their time, energy and labor in bringing them to the farmers markets for us to enjoy. I find many of the prices at the farmers markets lower than the supermarkets and Whole Foods and Mrs. Green's. Also, health is wealth, and I believe in depositing into the bank account of my healthy body by buying vibrant organic food. So much more delicious and satisfying to me than dead food that has no vitality.
    Reply
    • Anne
      November 6, 2014 · 2:32PM:
      Health is wealth - so true!
      Reply
  • Katie
    November 6, 2014 · 2:39PM:
    This is too cool! I'm not too far away from there being in South Carolina. Might be time for a road trip!
    Reply
  • Liz November 6, 2014 · 4:45PM:
    I loved this post! I find farming really fascinating and there are SO many pastures out in Oregon and I always wonder what these people are doing with all their animals! Organic really is the way to go! I wish this was the norm in the US, rather than conventional. I don't understand why all the chemicals are allowed to produce food. Anyway, very fascinating. Great post!!
    Reply
  • Sam @ Grapefruit & Granola
    November 6, 2014 · 4:59PM:
    How neat to get a "behind the scenes" look at everything! That is fascinating how much longer cows live on an organic farm.
    Reply
  • Christina @ The Beautiful Balance
    November 6, 2014 · 6:15PM:
    Loved this post to begin with and then you just killed me with an overdose of cuteness with that calf photo at the end! What a beautiful farm. I love reading about organic farmers and their passion behind being organic.
    Reply
  • Roadrunner November 6, 2014 · 8:28PM:
    Thanks for a very informative, very useful piece. Sure makes a great case for going organic!
    Reply
  • Katie Bangs
    November 6, 2014 · 9:43PM:
    Hi! I'm a new follower to your blog. I really enjoyed this post! My husband and I farm and ranch in Montana, and so from a farming perspective, I think you did a great job explaining what you learned and experienced on your farm visit. I'm looking forward to more of your posts-- I am also a runner and love food and nutrition!
    Reply
    • Anne
      November 7, 2014 · 10:00AM:
      Welcome to the blog! Glad you liked the post! :)
      Reply
  • Lea J. November 7, 2014 · 8:08AM:
    This is so educational, thank you! I grew up in a family of farmers but actually know very little about it all. My husband and I'been trying to incorporate more organic meat into our life when it fits the in budget. This is so helpful in knowing how the process works and certainly helps justify the increased cost.
    Reply
  • Kristine
    November 8, 2014 · 2:36PM:
    Great post! I typically always buy the Dirty Dozen organic and buy organic/local/grass-fed beef (and pastured chickens). I can honestly taste a difference quality wise and I like knowing what farms my food comes from. AgLocal.com is a great company in Northern California that delivers you a box of different cuts monthly to try out - and it's all local and forces you to get creative in the kitchen! (ie the leg of lamb I slow roasted last week!)
    Reply
  • Kris S November 12, 2014 · 8:23AM:
    Great post and cute cows! I am a big fan of Organic Milk - my Mom got on the bandwagon when I was still a kid, before it was mainstream, she's such a hipster ;) So whenever I can I buy organic milk!
    Reply
    • Anne
      November 12, 2014 · 9:55AM:
      Your mom is ahead of the curve! Love it!
      Reply
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anne mauney fannetastic food
Hi, I’m Anne! I'm a Washington D.C. based Registered Dietitian, mother, runner, and lover of travel, adventure, and the great outdoors. I've been blogging since 2009, sharing a mix of lifestyle content, recipes, and fitness tips. Come for the recipes – stay for the fun!
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anne mauney

I’m Anne, a Registered Dietitian and mother. I've been blogging since 2009 and love showing others that eating nutritious foods and staying active can actually be fun rather than overwhelming!

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