Mountain View Farm - How We Grow

Soil Health

At Mountain View Farm we pay particular attention to the health of our soil.  We utilize many of the cultural practices common in organic vegetable production: crop rotation, cover cropping, on farm composting.  We believe healthy soils lead to healthy food and healthy people.  All of our produce is grown without synthetic fertilizers, pesticides or herbicides.

Markets

In 2010 we will be attending the Penn Quarter Farmers Market on Thursdays from 3-7 pm and the 14th and U Street Farmers Market on Saturday mornings. Both markets are located in Washington, DC, about 60 miles from the farm. We also offer a small number of CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) shares for neighbors and friends who live close to the farm.  By providing food shortly after harvest, we aim to ensure optimal nutritional benefits and freshness. 

Environment

Nestled below the Blue Ridge, our pastures are surrounded by hundreds of acres of woodlands and wetlands. Several streams wind through the valley, punctuated by ponds and springs, all of which create a broad habitat supporting many native species of trees, shrubs, and wildflowers and many species of wildlife. The climate of the western Virginia Piedmont favors the growth of a wide variety of productive, high-quality grasses and legumes. This provides a wonderful home for our animals.

Pasture Health

We raise our animals on natural pasture in an integrated, rotational system. The system simulates the movement of wild herds that used to graze an area and then move on when the grasses were depleted, not returning for weeks or months. This process of grazing and regrowth encourages the development of rich soils, maintains the vigor of the grasses, and increases the diversity of grass species. In addition, interspecies grazing on the same pasture decreases the risk of parasites and other potential health problems.

What does grass-fed mean for you?

It is not just the animals that benefit from living on pasture. Grasses, broad-leaved forbs and legumes provide a tremendous amount of nutrition that in turn becomes available to humans through animal products. Studies have shown that meat and eggs from animals that range on pasture have higher amounts of Vitamin A, Vitamin E, Omega 3 fatty acids, and Conjugated Linoleic Acids (CLAs) as compared to those raised in a confinement setting.  Click here for more information on the health benefits of grass-fed products.