Okoboji Organics is a family farm, dedicated to raising healthy food for local families. We raise pastured chickens and pastured pigs on certified organic pasture. Our land was certified organic in 2019 and our animals were certified organic in 2021. Any meat raised on our farm prior to 2021, was fed certified organic pasture and certified organic feed. We also use organic-approved animal health t
reatments on an as-needed basis. Any non-certified organic meat is marketed under our sister brand, Okoboji Pastures (). We are a small farm, excited to introduce farming to our kids, work together as a family, and improve the quality of a beautiful piece of Okoboji farmland. We direct market our products and focus on quality rather than quantity. All of our animals are raised outside on certified organic pasture. We raise around 200-300 chickens per year, in two to three batches throughout the growing season, about 25 turkeys, and about 10-12 pigs a year. All our animals are rotated to new perennial pasture daily or twice a week (pigs) using a technique called managed intensive rotational grazing (MIG). This type of rotational grazing on perennial pastures improves soil health and builds better pastures that support good water quality. "A University of Wisconsin study showed that pastures are the best "crop" for reducing runoff, erosion, and phosphorus pollution over any other land use. A similar study done by USDA- Agricultural Research Service, North Appalachian Experimental Watershed, Coshocton Ohio revealed that both surface and groundwater in the pastured watershed was just as good or better than water leaving the adjacent pristine wooded watershed" (http://livestocktrail.illinois.edu/pasturenet/paperDisplay.cfm?ContentID=6618). We worked with the local Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) to make sure conservation and water quality are at the core of our farm management plan. Our organic certification (land certified 2019) includes annual on-farm inspections that confirm we are following all the USDA organic rules and regulations. We strongly support high integrity, transparency, and ethical farming and are strong advocates of organic certification. We look forward to growing healthy food for our community, and following farming practices that promote diversity of plant growth, healthy soils, clean water, and happy and healthy animals. Stay tuned for more updates as our business grows! Thank you for the opportunity to provide you with local, healthy food that benefits our local families and the environment!
