There's nothing quite like setting foot on an organic farm to fully understand the systems at play. Grazing cows aerate and fertilize healthy soil, and healthy soil grows nutrient rich grass for them to graze on. The clean, organic, nutritious milk that we then enjoy supports our own bodies, and the wellbeing of the farmers and cows that produce it. All of us, together, are part of this system.
At Stonyfield Organic, we work to share as much of this full experience with you as possible, and often invite our blogger friends to join us on farm visits, to learn first hand what it means to be an organic farmer.
We recently visited Julie and Steve Wolcott at Green Wind Farm, and the experience inspired several of our friends to share the day with you.
"...What stood out about Julie, among other things, is her deep love for her cows. Each of them has a name, chosen based on a theme for the family: like constellations or woman singers. The cows actually have best friends: other cows that they eat with in the fields and try to get the spot next to in the barn. And there are absolutely "bossy cows" who rule the roost. As we walked with Julie through her fields, we learned her deep care for soil health and the forages that her cows graze on. You are what you eat, and she wants the absolute best for these cows."
- Sonja Overhiser of 'A Couple of Cooks' Read More
"Julie knows each of her cows well — their names, their personalities, their habits. She has discovered that farming this way means her cows live longer — twice as long. And they are much happier and healthier. In fact, she said visits from the vet, which used to be a weekly thing, are pretty much non-existent now."
- Gabrielle Blair of 'Design Mom' Read More
"Have you ever met a person so very present and connected that they immediately raise your own vibration? Yea, that's Julie Wolcott. ...While she also has a sugar house and sells homemade Vermont maple syrup, dairy-farming is her bread and butter (pun intended). She names all of her cows and knows each family and their specific traits. She has quite possibly the best naming technique I've come across, naming each family according to famous musicians, poets, writers,etc.. Julie is a warm spirit with two lifetimes of experience to share, and she opened up her heart and her home to us."
- Erika Villalobos of 'Essentially Erika' Read More
"We met Julie who owns the organic farm with her husband and right away we could see the passion she has for farming, her cows and cultivating high-quality pasture for her animals to graze... I was absolutely fascinated to learn more about the pasture the cows eat and on Green Wind Farm, the pasture is saturated with a myriad of plants. While the cows have preferences (they love dandelion which is a great source of vitamin C and stimulates liver activity), they will often gravitate toward different plants in the pasture depending on how they are feeling."
- Julie Fagan of "Peanut Butter Fingers" Read More
"I have to tell you about Julie. Because your life needs Julie…. Trudging through high grass in our rain boots and ponchos, we made our way through the open grazing fields in a heavy drizzle, as she explained to us the nature of organic farming, and why she made the transition. In short, going organic meant that her farm would stick around another generation. On top of that, it was a no-brainer for her, because it meant her cows (of whom she all names herself, like famous historical women, or constellations! hello, someone please call me the Little Dipper.), would be healthier and happier, able to roam the pesticide-free fields."
- Bev Weidner of Bev Cooks Read More