Food & Drink

However, if you happen to drive out to Timbercreek Organics farm, situated only 5 miles from Barracks Road Shopping Center, you’ll find industrious young farmer Zach Miller, 28,  and his wife Sara, 29,  producing what they call “better than USDA certified organic” eggs, chicken, turkey, pork, and beef. Their products are pesticide, herbicide, fertilizer, antibiotic and hormone free and can be found in restaurants and specialty stores around the local area. Their mission is to provide the best quality food as close to home as possible in an effort to reduce our carbon footprint.

Inspired by the rotational grazing methods of Joel Salatin at Polyface Farm, the Millers strive to raise their animals in a free-range pasture where each animal not only helps preserve the nutrients and dignity of the land but also creates a more ideal feeding ground for the rotation of the next animal. For example, grass-fed cattle prepare the fields for poultry by mowing down tall tougher grasses that are not palatable to birds, and their hooves help aerate the soil. The chickens come along behind, scratching the cattle manure into the ground and eating the little pests popping up for perfect fertilization of their pastures so as fallowing a fallow period, those same pastures are vibrant and fecund in forage for the cattle once again. In spring, the pigs, which the Millers call “natural tillers,” are busy helping with what they call “a pasture reclamation project” by foraging a good portion of their diet from the land, supplemented with Countryside organic feed. After depleting the resources in one area, they are moved along to forage elsewhere. 

The eggs at Timbercreek Organics are true free-range from heritage breed birds that nest and roost in a mobile house that moves in rotation behind the cows. Most of their diet is derived from foraging, but they get additional nutrients from organic feed as well as the pigs. The turkeys are seasonal but live a similar lifestyle. I can vouch from this past Thanksgiving that they are deliciously flavorful and tender birds. The beef is of extremely high quality Angus cows that live in a stress-free pasture grazing environment. The flavor and texture of the meat is indicative of the happiness and lifestyle of the cow.