Free-range meat & poultry

At Trillium Wood Farm, we believe that allowing our animals full access to pasture fosters a healthy, symbiotic relationship between them and the land. Animals are meant to live outside, period (with access to shelter!). When they are given the right conditions and diet (grass, roots, bugs, and local grain for some) they rarely need intervention on our part. We emphasize preventative, natural care and only bring out the big guns of pharmaceuticals when necessary–as an obvious part of humane practices is not letting animals suffer unnecessarily. The end product is healthier meat for you, the way it was meant to taste. All of our local meat comes from pastured and grass-fed animals, including cattle, bison, sheep, hogs, and poultry which are rotated through scenic, grassy fields on Trillium Wood Farm or our partner farms.

 

 

Cattle are ruminants, which means that their unique digestive systems allow them to obtain all of nutrient requirements off of forage (unlike hogs and poultry). Due to land limitations on our farm, we have partnered with a few of the BEST beef producers (in our opinion) in the state to bring you options of both 100% grassfed and certified organic (but not 100% grassfed) beef. Click "About" and "Our Partners" to learn more about these farms!

 

One of America's original red meats, Bison are also large ruminants designed to convert grasses, clovers, and such into delicious, wholesome protein! Click "About" and "Our Partners" to learn about our partner farm, Circle K Ranch, in the beautiful eastern Upper Peninsula. New to eating bison? While it's very lean, you won't miss the fat at all with it's light, slightly sweet flavor (with ZERO gaminess).

 

Like cattle, sheep are also ruminants and can meet their dietary requirements solely from fresh or stored (hay, haylage, baleage) pasture forage. We raise our sheep totally on pasture where they have access only to grass, leaves, and other plants to maintain optimal health. During the winter months we provide them with hay to replace the fresh greens. Not only does this lead to healthier animals and meat, but helps with pasture regeneration.

 

Pigs are misunderstood animals. Contrary to the notion that they are filthy, dumb, or dangerous, they are highly intelligent and gentle to humans when raised outside as they were meant to. We bring you succulent forest pork from mixed heritage hogs raised outdoors with love. They spend the entirety of their lives in our woods or on pasture foraging foods such as apples, grass, insects, nuts, and roots. We also provide them with a locally milled grain blend to supplement their foraged diet, along with vegetable scraps, and occasional spent grain from a local brewery. Our herd includes heritage breeds like Gloucestershire Old Spot, Berkshire, and Duroc which we selected for temperament, meat quality, mothering instincts, and ability to thrive on pasture.

 

Our poultry enjoy locally-milled grain every day in addition to fresh greens and grubs on pasture. We get our chicks and turkey poults at a day old from Eagle Nest, the family-owned hatchery we work with in Ohio. They spend a few weeks (depending on outdoor temps) in our shipping container brooders outfitted with heat lamps and fans until they start growing true feathers–the sure sign they are ready for the outdoors. While our turkeys do best roaming free on pasture, our chickens are housed in giant mobile coops called chicken tractors. These floor-less, covered structures give them protection from weather and predators while allowing us to control their impact on the land. Check out our social media for pictures of fields we've taken from scrub land to rich pasture utilizing our chicken tractors! As we only raise chickens spring-fall, we sometimes sell out mid-winter due to its popularity. Ever had a pasture-raised chicken or turkey? You'll never go back.