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What we do at J. & C. Nyman Farms is sustainable & ethical farming
We’re a family owned, ethically run, value-added local food producing farm. We also strive to be a source of information and community development centered around allowing our customers to get intimately in touch with the origins of their food.
The 2009 Meat CSA is here!
Order the 2009 Meat CSA here!
Click here to WIN a Beef Tenderloin Roast – Delivered right to your door!
Click here for the 2009 Meat CSA Brochure (be sure to email this link to your friends to show your support for ethically raised meat produced in the name of taste and nutrition – not profit!)
Check out the farm blog for some interesting food for thought.
Current Farm Events:
- Fantastic PORK SAUSAGE is on it’s way! Order before March 15, 2009 to get a free sausage on a bun at our Maple in the County stop! Contact us for details!
- MAPLE IN THE COUNTY: Come visit us for your maple syrup fix. Check out our Maple in the County page for more details.
Get the Farm News by email!
To receive our occasional updates via email, please send your contact info (name and email address) to us via email. You will get advance notice of when to order some of our very limited, delicious ethical meat. Enjoy!
Hours of operation:
Saturdays from May to September – Find us on the farm if we don’t come out to meet you!
By chance or by appointment any other time – Keep in mind that just because we may be home, does not mean that we’re necessarily available ‘by chance’.
Hi Colleen
Is the farm certified? Is the feed?
I thought that certification is the only way to be deemed ‘organic’.
If not certified, what controls do you have in place re:feed, lifestyle, slaughter and processing?
Let me know.
Jennifer Cobb
By: Jennifer Cobb on April 20, 2008
at 2:01 pm
Hi Jennifer,
Thanks so much for your questions.
We are not certified organic and, for that reason, we say that produce ‘beyond’ organic meat . We accepted this description (with much consideration) because we feed non-GMO, pesticide free feed that we grow here on the farm and we raise our animals in a distinctly non-factory setting. Where organic chicken from the grocery store can be raised it’s entire life in an artificial light-filled, ammonia smelling barn with 30,000 other birds, our chickens spend their entire life breathing fresh air and, for the most part, basking in the sunshine while they peck at grass and bugs, as an example.
As for controls, we subject ourselves to the strictest controls possible by having an open door policy. Our customers are invited to drop by anytime and tour the farm. Those who like what they see and trust what we say will become great assets to our farm and will feed themselves with us. Those who feel differently – and we hope they are few and far between – will go elsewhere for their meat.
I realize that slaughter and processing cannot be seen at the farm. At this point, we must follow government regulations which do not allow us to sell animals slaughtered and/or processed on the farm. The only alternatives are the reasonably local government inspected processors or sourcing out a Kosher processor which would constitute a more than 250km drive to slaughter. Taking our animals on a drive of this distance is not only counter to our personal ethical standards but would noticeably reduce the quality of the meat.
I hope this answers your questions. Again, I’m glad you brought this up as we don’t want to mislead anyone. John and I will revisit the use of the word ‘organic’ on our site as a result of your concern.
Please let me know I can help with any more information.
Sincerely,
Colleen Nyman
By: colleennyman on April 20, 2008
at 3:14 pm
do you have eggs available year round?
if so we’d like to start buying from you asap
By: Andrea on November 30, 2008
at 10:51 am
Hi, Colleen!
I just wanted you to know that I get a warm fuzzy feeling every time I show up at your place, you guys have a good thing going!
I am working on posting some recipes on my blog, the address should be attached to this response, may I mention your website on my blog? I kinda already did, but I can take it off, hee hee!
mich
By: michelle lambton on April 6, 2009
at 2:26 pm
Hey Michelle!
I’m so glad you have a good experience here. Sometimes I’m child frazzled, as you can likely tell.
And no prob about mentioning us on your blog. I’ll check it out.
Cheers,
Colleen
By: colleennyman on April 8, 2009
at 8:25 pm
I’m very interested in the share system and was wondering about your growing a pig for us. Would you kindly provide us with information on the cost of shares for the various animals that you raise, as we would also be interested in eggs and meat chickens later on. We would not require delivery, but would do our own pick up if that makes a difference. Eagerly awaiting your response. Susan
By: Susan on April 15, 2009
at 9:00 am
Hi Susan,
So you’d like a pig, would you?
We generally don’t grow entire animals for people but I can’t see why we woulldn’t. Anyone who orders a whole share of pork is generally getting that anyway.
The egg price is not found on our Meat CSA page. They sell for $4/doz. You can either get on the waiting list to see if we have enough for all the members who want them or you can pick them up here on a first come first serve basis. (I guess our eggs are good because they’re very much in demand!)
All other prices are on the Meat CSA page. We do have some members who pick up directly from the farm and we appreciate that to no end but it does not affect their cost.
Let me know if you have any more questions. (I think an FAQ page is in order!)
Happy Eating!
Colleen
By: colleennyman on April 16, 2009
at 9:59 am
I would like to know how your animals are slaughtred? Are they put to sleep first,thenslaughtered? Thank you,Denise Thorbjornsen
By: Denise Thorbjornsen on April 24, 2009
at 9:37 am
Hello Denise,
Thank you for your question.
It is my understanding that the abattoirs we use must follow the Meat Inspection Regulations, 1990 of the Canadian Food Inspection Agency that state:
79. Every food animal that is slaughtered shall, before being bled,
(a) be rendered unconscious in a manner that ensures that it does not regain consciousness before death
There are several subtitles to (a) that list the ways that it can be rendered unconscious.
With this knowledge, we have operated with our processors the way we do with our customers. We ask that our customers meet us and assess for themselves if they will trust us with the production of their food.
Having said that, we also welcome our customers to drop in on us at any time and we maintain an open door policy. While slaughter houses can’t exactly be open door, I will be requesting guided and comprehensive tours of our processors facilities in the coming weeks. This way, I can answer questions like yours more specifically with exactly what techniques are used.
In many ways, I feel it is an issue of trust on many levels. First, we all need to trust our own intuition as to what impact feeding ourselves can have on other lives and still be healthy for us, physically, spiritually and psychologically.
Secondly, we can create a short chain of trust from customer to producer to abattoir owner, eliminating as many links – possibly weak – as possible.
In the end, we can bless and thank our animals and trust ourselves with the many choices that go before what to cook for dinner.
I hope that helps. If you have any more questions, please feel free to contact us again.
Colleen
By: colleennyman on April 26, 2009
at 9:29 am