Vernon Valley Farm

Located in Sussex, NJ, Vernon Valley Farm, raises grass-fed beef, pastured pork, and naturally grown vegetables, producing fresh, healthy, and flavorful food for the community.  Its operation is strictly chemical and drug free. From the health and well-being of its animals, all the way down to the worms in the soil, they harness nature’s synergies to farm, rather than industrial methods.

All of their cows are born on the farm and raised on the farm's pastures. They have spent years fine-tuning the mix of grass species to make a diversity of forage available, irrespective of the weather. From spring through early winter, they move the herd daily to a fresh area, a system known as intensive rotational grazing designed to mimic the natural grazing patterns of herd animals in the wild. This allows the grass enough time to rest and regrow and helps build healthy soil and break insect and parasite cycles. Livestock feed in an open sided barn on grass hay in the winter with free access to OMRI approved sea salt, vitamins, and minerals, which in turn re-mineralize the soil.  The farm uses the historic bedded manure pack system that puts a greater emphasis on animal comfort rather than production efficiency. The resulting compost is spread back on the fields after the winter and helps grow vegetables.  The pigs are allowed to enjoy the fruits of their foraging as they are moved through a series of pastures and wooded areas and have access to supplemental protein sources from locally grown and milled feed, fruit and vegetable scraps, and whey from a cheese-maker.