Our Eggs & Pork

Why Aren’t Our Eggs and Pork  ‘Certified Organic’ Anymore?

Short answer: Because we care passionately about our livestock and about you!

Hidden Creek Farm chickens and pigs forage on our Certified Organic pastures, but they also need grain to thrive, especially in winter when there is little forage for them to eat. 

At Hidden Creek Farm we are committed to the health of our livestock, pastures, and customers. We do NOT believe in using soy as a supplement. Although soy is an inexpensive way to boost protein in feed, it is also an estrogenic, which is believed to increase the incidence of cancer and reproductive malfunction in livestock and in humans. Ashan, et al found that there “are many studies raising concerns about the potential negative effects of it, due to the presence of allergens, also they contain anti nutrient agents who inhibit micronutrient absorption, it may also cause hypothyroidism, being deficient in a few essential amino acids, it is considered as an incomplete protein source. It may also cause hormonal consequences in infants in their later life.” (https://biomedres.us/fulltexts/BJSTR.MS.ID.002239.php)

In fact, soy isn’t properly digested by monogastric animals like chickens and pigs! It is just pooped out on the pasture where it overloads the environment with soy-trapped phosphorous. Kevin Fletcher of New Country Organics notes in an interview with Oak Hill Homestead that soy “is very high in phytic acid, and monogastric animals like chickens and pigs (non-ruminant animals) don't produce the enzyme phytase that breaks up the nutrients in phytic acid. As a result, when raw soy is fed to a monogastric animal, they cannot efficiently extract the nutrients – proteins, fats, amino acids, vitamins and minerals – from the soy.”

A few years ago, we heard a rumor that our ‘US Organic Certified soy-free grain’ actually came from Turkey through the port of Baltimore. Hmmmm. That was curious. So we started researching a bit into where ‘organic certified’ feeds come from. Peter Whoriskey points out in his May 12, 2017, Washington Post article that fraud is rampant in the organic feed industry! “The United States has seen large spikes in the amount of organic corn and soybeans entering from Turkey, according to USDA statistics. Between 2014 and 2016, the amount of organic corn arriving from Turkey rose from 15,000 metric tons to more than 399,000 metric tons; the amount of organic soybeans coming from Turkey rose from 14,000 metric tons to 165,000.” Now, anyone who vaguely understands the Organic Certification process knows that it is impossible to ramp up from 14,000 to 165,000 metric tons in two years. There isn’t enough organic certified land in Turkey to support such a jump.

We cannot find bulk soy-free organic certified grain from the US anywhere within delivery range. 

We have searched. And searched and searched. It is just not available.

At Hidden Creek Farm we refuse to sell our customers products from our livestock or garden if we cannot verify where their feed or nutrients come from. We don’t believe we can control feed from Turkey, or anywhere else outside of the U.S. In fact, when overseas ‘organic certified’ feed has been tested, it fairly regularly shows trace elements from pesticides. (Whoriskey, 2017) 

So, we instead made the decision to work with Virginia farmers, like Surnrise Farms, who grow and mill non-GMO grain, and distributors like New County Organics and Upperville Farm & Feed who carefully check their sources. We know what goes into our feed, where it comes from, and who is responsible for it. And by doing so we are also actively supporting our hard-working and dedicated Virginia agricultural community!

We are proud to provide you with exceptional eggs raised on our Organic Certified pastures. 

We refuse to provide you with eggs from chickens fed with feed we cannot trust.

At Hidden Creek Farm we are Local ~ Wholesome ~ Good

Hidden Creek Farm Eggs: So pure you can see the counter below.