Highland Farm Fresh, a farming cooperative of about 12 farms in a 200-family Amish community in Salisbury, PA, has been operating since 2018, when members of the community — a community built on dairy farming — started to return to their roots working with live animals. The cooperative focuses on premium-quality, non-GMO, pasture-raised chicken and turkey.
Looking down at a field of grass on one of the farms at Highland Farm Fresh, there’s an obvious contrast. On one side, the blades are rich, long, and green — so healthy and full that lambs are brought in to graze and maintain the pasture. On the other side, the grass is shorter with yellow-tinted blades. The farmer of this land, Louis, explains the difference — this is a result of pasture-raised poultry. The green, healthy side just went through a rotation of chickens, the free-roaming birds providing nutrients and soil upheaval that allows the grass to come back stronger and healthier.
Pasture-raising, a method of raising animals out on pasture and eating grass rather than indoors and on a feed diet, is new to this particular Amish community. Traditionally, they have raised chickens in houses, the birds cramped up on one another sitting in their own excrement. It’s been a process to learn the new methods — but the farmers are happy to adjust. It’s better for the birds, better for the grass, and, as one of the farmers, Daniel, says, “the right way to do it.”
Each of the 12 farmers in the cooperative has a slightly different method of raising their birds. Louis and Daniel keep their chickens in mobile 12×12 fenced-in structures with feed and water, and roll them to a new location every morning and evening. The Highland turkey producer has a larger, fenced-in area for birds because they need more room to run — a horse moves their shelter to fresh pastures regularly.
No matter the setup, the ethos remains the same: give the birds green grass, sunlight, and room to roam. The trio brings about a more nutritious, delicious, and sustainably-raised bird and allows the farmers to build healthy soil and lush green pasture-land.
In addition to just being “the right way to do it” and producing a bird with unparalleled taste, the pasture-raised cooperative has provided a new economic opportunity for the community. Simon, a board member and leader of marketing efforts for the company, emphasizes that Highland “provides a way for families to work together on the farm without having to rely on it for their sole income.”
“The reality is, we can’t all be dairy farmers anymore,” Daniel added.
The farmers of Highland are proud to be a part of Harvie because of our commitment to supporting small, local farmers — this support gives the company means to continue farming with forward-thinking animal raising practicies and build up their community economy.
Every week, you can find Highland Farm Fresh pastured chicken breast, chicken thighs, chicken drumsticks, and ground chicken on our store. And — exclusively for Thanksgiving, we’re offering pastured fresh turkeys that are raised in small flocks on two of their producing farms. These free-range birds are available for pre-order now!