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Spring Creek Farm is a very small, diversified, farm raising Dutch Belted dairy cows, Tamworth pigs, Romeldale/CVM Sheep, Blue Slate turkeys, and numerous breeds of chickens. Most of my livestock are heritage breeds that we raise for a variety of reasons. Many modern breeds were bred simply for maximum production using the farming techniques of very large farms (e.g. confinement facilities). I choose to farm using more traditional small-scale practices once common on family farms. Heritage breeds often tend to thrive better than modern breeds when raised under these conditions. For example, the free-range turkeys and chickens forage around the farm for a large part of their food. The pigs live outdoors and farrow outdoors year round. The cows produce plenty of milk, though they're fed very little grain. Another reason I raise heritage breeds is that the quality of the products is superior. There's simply no comparison between Tamworth pork and the bland, dry pork found in supermarkets. The same is true of heritage turkey. While the breasts of my turkeys are smaller, the flavor and moistness cannot be beat. Conservation of traditional livestock breeds is my final goal. The genetics of these breeds are unique and will be lost if not conserved. Some of the breeds I raise are critically low in numbers and in danger of becoming extinct. I feel the best way to ensure a continued future for these breeds is to use them to fill their original purpose: meat, milk, fiber, and eggs.
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