All Virginia landowners are invited to learn about direct marketing of livestock products at a Field Day scheduled for October 6th at Mount Air Farm in Crozet, Virginia. Mount Air is comprised of 900 acres of pasture and woodlands, where owners William, Lois and Karl Keller raise beef, poultry and pork. When the Kellers bought the farm, the deleterious effects of chemical-heavy farming practices on the land were evident. Since 1989 the Kellers have used natural, healthy methods, such as rotational grazing, to create a more sustainable farming operation. The Kellers selected stock bred to thrive in a free range environment.
Rotational grazing keeps their fields vigorous and prevents soil erosion.
No synthetic fertilizers, pesticides, antibiotics or growth hormones are used. Many consumers in the Charlottesville area buy their meats from the Kellers. The pastures and a natural veal operation are organically certified by the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. The single greatest challenge any livestock farmer must face in direct marketing meats is finding a way to have their animals processed in accordance with USDA inspection regulations. This is such a critical issue that the first three speakers on the program will be talking about processing.