How These Farms Actually Farm

Tillage, and why most of this page is blank

We checked all 406 farms for a published statement about how they work their soil. 4 of them said. That is not us being lazy, it is what is actually out there: farms talk about organic and grass-fed because customers ask, and almost nobody writes down whether they till. So we record the 4 that do, we say "not stated" on the rest instead of guessing, and we are asking farms directly as they claim their listings.

• Good Dirt Farm, Latrobe, PA: No-till. In their words, "regenerative, organic, and no-till"
• Hazel Fields Farm, Latrobe, PA: Reduced tillage. In their words, "Low till, no chemical type of farm."
• Pond Hill Farm, Kittanning, PA: Reduced tillage. In their words, "No synthetic fertilizer/chemicals use, cover crops, limited tillage, and other strategies are used to encourage a healthy soil microbiome while avoiding contamination and erosion."
• The Goodman Farms, Harmony, PA: No-till. In their words, "we plant our crops without tilling and use a deep compost mulch system to grow our produce. This method keeps the soil covered, increases diversity and keeps the soil structure disturbed as little as possible."

Farm here and want your soil practice on the record? Send it to us, it is free.

Regenerative Farms (22)

Farms that describe their own work as regenerative. We are quoting them, not certifying them. There is no legal definition of the word, so what it means in practice varies farm to farm, and the farm page shows you the wording we found and where we found it.

Blue Moon Acres, PenningtonCherry Grove Farm, LawrencevilleCotton Cattle Company, AsburyDouble Brook Farm, HopewellLima Family Farms, HillsboroughPK's Four Brothers Farm, BernardsvilleCherry Valley Organics, BurgettstownDeer Run Acres, EdinboroFlannel Roots Micro Permaculture Farm, Belle VernonGood Dirt Farm, LatrobeHarmony Acres Dairy, Belle VernonHEAL Farms, Apollo

All 22 regenerative farms →

No-Till Farms (2)

Farms that say they grow without turning the soil. This is rare to find published, which is exactly why it is worth collecting.

Good Dirt Farm, LatrobeThe Goodman Farms, Harmony

Pasture-Raised Meat & Eggs (56)

Farms that say their animals live on pasture. Ask each farm what that looks like through the winter, since the answer differs.

Beaver Brook Ranch, HopeCedar Ridge Farm, BlairstownCherry Grove Farm, LawrencevilleCotton Cattle Company, AsburyDouble Brook Farm, HopewellFarview Farm, FlemingtonHometown Hills Farm, WantageHope Cress Farms, BlairstownLima Family Farms, HillsboroughPK's Four Brothers Farm, BernardsvilleRiver Bend Farm, Far HillsSickler's Circle View Farm, Monroeville

All 56 pasture-raised meat & eggs →

Grass-Fed Beef & Lamb (52)

Farms describing their animals as grass-fed. Some finish on grain, so ask about finishing if that matters to you.

Beaver Brook Ranch, HopeCherry Grove Farm, LawrencevilleCotton Cattle Company, AsburyDouble Brook Farm, HopewellHometown Hills Farm, WantageLima Family Farms, HillsboroughPK's Four Brothers Farm, BernardsvilleWormuth Farm, WantageAcreage Farms, KittanningBroadrun Farms, Beaver FallsBrookwood Farm, FreeportBurns Sheep & Cattle Co., New Wilmington

All 52 grass-fed beef & lamb →

Certified Organic Farms (17)

Farms that state they hold USDA organic certification. Certification is a real, checkable thing, so this is the firmest claim on the site.

Blue Moon Acres, PenningtonChickadee Creek Farm, PenningtonRamblin' Sol Farm, Cream RidgeSummer Wind Farms, NewfieldAcorn Hollow Farm, KittanningCherry Valley Organics, BurgettstownClarion River Organics, SligoConover Organic Farm, BurgettstownMorris Farm Pick-Your-Own Organic Produce CSA, IrwinRustic Rock Maple Farm, ClaysvilleSpiral Path Farm, LoysvilleStarr Valley Farm, Leechburg

All 17 certified organic farms →

Certified Naturally Grown Farms (4)

A peer-reviewed alternative to USDA certification, used mostly by small farms. Listed only where the farm or the certifier says so.

Enon Valley Garlic, Enon ValleyPond Hill Farm, KittanningYellow Creek Farm, ProspectCrated Earth Farm, Belleville

All 4 certified naturally grown farms →

No-Spray Farms (19)

Farms that say they do not spray, without holding organic certification. Plenty of small growers work this way because certification costs more than it returns for them.

Fernbrook Farms, ChesterfieldHometown Hills Farm, WantageRamblin' Sol Farm, Cream RidgeRancocas Creek Farm, SouthamptonBowser's Blueberries, RenfrewDePalma Farms, LatrobeEnon Valley Garlic, Enon ValleyGood Dirt Farm, LatrobeHazel Fields Farm, LatrobeHighland Farm & Garden, MeadvilleMusic Meadows Farms, CabotPond Hill Farm, Kittanning

All 19 no-spray farms →

Non-GMO Farms (19)

Farms that state they use non-GMO seed or feed.

Beaver Brook Ranch, HopeCedar Ridge Farm, BlairstownDouble Brook Farm, HopewellHope Cress Farms, BlairstownLima Family Farms, HillsboroughBrian's Holiday Birds, WexfordConover Organic Farm, BurgettstownDeer Run Acres, EdinboroFootprints Farm, Gibbon GladeHaffey Family Farm, IndustryNature's Grove Farm, LatrobeThe Family Cow, Chambersburg

All 19 non-gmo farms →

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