Alden Hills Organic Farms is a family-owned organic farm in Walworth, WI that sells high-quality pastured meat. It was founded by Gary Powers in 2009 and is still managed by the family. Levi Powers, Gary’s son and the manager of Alden Hills, says that getting the organic certification was very important for them right from the start.
“The organic label means something, it shows we care about the land we farm on,” Levi says. “Organic is not perfect, but it is a good starting point for the future. We usually tell people that buying local and organic, as well as getting to know your farmers is the best possible option.”
Alden Hills bases their farming values on three tenants – healthy land, healthy animals, and healthy people. Levi says that they don’t put any harmful chemicals on it, only compost or natural fertilizers approved under the organic label. One of the most important farming practices Alden Hills promotes is removing Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) from their food chain. By doing so, they ensure the preservation of natural soil biodiversity. Levi says that animals play a big part in keeping the soil healthy as well. All animals at Alden Hills are grass-fed and raised on open pasture.
Another important aspect of organic farming is processing the produce. “One thing a lot of people don’t think about is how their meat is processed,” Levi says. “Everything needs to be approved, including equipment cleaning supplies. We have our own poultry processing facility and we process for the majority farms in our area.”
Alden Hills Organic Farms sell their produce online and deliver to Chicago and their local area. They also work with a few restaurants and grocery stores, and customers also have the option of picking up directly from the farm. To learn more, visit https://www.aldenhillsorganicfarms.com/