Welcome to our small, family-based farm in the hilly, northeastern corner of Iowa. Our farm-land is organic, and our livestock is raised in the most natural way possible for us at this time. Along with our philosophy of working with nature, we employ a practice of diversification and rotation, which allows us to remain productive in years that prove detrimental to a certain aspect of our program.
A list of the livestock we raise includes:
We also grow:
Nature has taught us that life is fragile, that it depends on healthy soil, water and air, and that every decision we make contributes to that life or its destruction. While this is true for every person in our society, it is easier for us to see than most because we live so close to the earth. We see first-hand what happens when the soil and water are healthy, and we experience the trauma when they are not. We want our world to be in better condition for the next generation than when we first came to Northeast Iowa; starting with our farm, our family, and our community.
So....
We farm our land organically in an effort to build up the life of the soil and to protect it and our water from unnecessary chemicals and pollutants.
As a result, our food tastes better and is healthier for us. Most of our food crops are marketed through Sno-Pac Foods after being certified by the
Organic Growers and Buyers Association.
We like to buy our necessary items locally and form relationships with local people who buy our food products because we care about the people in our community and they help to keep us honest.
We enjoy working with other farmers who diversify their operations to allow for the building up of the land and to spread their risk while developing other sources of income. These farmers are also more willing to share resources with one another and develop a caring community of people who also care for the land.
We encourage the raising of livestock in ways that are healthy for the land and the animals. The social and economic life of the community is not served by large livestock companies that concentrate production and spread ownership among investors who live outside the community. For some understanding as to why this is important to us, see some of the the material on the Iowa Hog Confinement Webpage.
National Catholic Rural Live Conference is a national organization working throughout the country for some of these same issues involving agriculture, local communities, families and the environment.
Ellen Macdonald's Bookmarks - An incredibly long list that will definately come in handy.
Klauke Family Farm and Floral
