TILLERING FARM
Our family farm provides heritage pork & grass-fed beef direct to consumers and organizes seasonal events to encourage fellowship, restore generational wisdom, and build community.
Buy Farm Direct
weekly farmer’s market
farm pick up or delivery
Visit the Tillering Farm Market to place an order for pick-up or delivery.
(Tallow products may be shipped.)
Heritage Pork
- Heritage Cross-Breed
- Raised on Alternative Non-GMO Grain*
- Well-Marbled & Deep-Flavored
- Natural Cures and Clean Seasonings
- Inspected and Approved for Retail Sales
Grassfed Beef
- Irish Dexter Breed
- 100% Grass-Fed and Grass-Finished
- Finely Marbled
- Prize-Winning Flavor and Tenderness*
- Inspected and Approved for Retail Sales
Tallow Products
Traditional & Time Tested
Soap, candles and moisturizers have been made with tallow for centuries. An artisanal, small-batch process offers unmatched quality control.
Nutrient-Rich & Chemical-Free
- Grass-Fed Beef Tallow is naturally high in Vitamins A, D, E &, K, essential fatty acids and antioxidants.
- Jojoba Oil is non-comedogenic, hypoallergenic, anti-inflammatory, & antimicrobial.
- Beeswax is moisturizing, antiseptic, and rich in Vitamin A. It is used as a natural stabilizer.
- Essential Oils add a mild scent and are used at a 1% rate of dilution. No citrus oils are used due to photo-toxic properties.
Healing & Hydrating
Tallow is uniquely compatible with your skin. It is nearly bio-identical to human cells which makes irritation much less likely. It is a lightweight and enriching daily moisturizer.
All-in-One Product
Use on hands, feet, and elbows. Consider for minor scratches, sunburn, stretch marks, chapped skin, cradle cap, diaper rash, eczema, and psoriasis.
For external use only. Avoid contact with eyes. Discontinue use if irritation occurs.
All information is meant for educational purposes only. This information is not intended to diagnose, cure, treat, or prevent disease. The safety of this product has not been determined by the FDA. Sec 21 CFR 740.10
*FARM FACTS
1
TILLERING: A “tillering” is the growth from the original seed of a grass plant. It is how grass spreads and develops over time, becoming stronger and larger. It is the perfect metaphor for our story as farmers; we started our married life in a small apartment on Grandma and Grandpa's farm, moved to a five-acre hobby farm in Corcoran and, a few years, later moved on to our current acreage in Milaca.
(Our logo was designed by an extremely talented MN artist. See more of his work here.)
2
GRAZING: Rotating pastures for beef and hogs can seem overwhelming at times, especially on the days that everyone needs to move! But, it's vital for the health of our land & water resources as well as the animals. Soil is a living and breathing entity and we need to protect it from overgrazing through attentive pasture management. We put significant time and effort into an organized grazing program so we can continue to provide heritage pork and grass-fed beef - with those high Omega 3s and CLA! - for years to come.
3
ALTERNATIVE GRAIN: Foraging and rooting are natural pig behaviors that we fully appreciate and encourage in our farming practice. It helps them maintain great physical condition. However, pigs are not "grass-fed" animals. A daily feed ration with a proper percentage of protein and vitamins/minerals helps pigs flourish. We did a lot of research into the options and landed on a locally-sourced mixture of field peas, barley, and oats. This is very digestible and makes their fat nice and firm. It also affects the taste in a positive way. When we first started this type of feeding, it was tempting to look at the higher cost over corn/soy and wonder “is it worth it?” Our customers say, “YES!”
4
BREEDING STOCK: We have our own breeding stock. For cattle, this is called a 'closed herd." For pigs, this is called a "farrow to finish" program. This gives us the chance to both be very intentional with genetics and husbandry (vaccine-free and antibiotic-free) as well as interact with our animals from their very first breath. In some cases, that means ensuring they are able to literally take that breath. That being said, we know that our animals have a purpose when we raise them. As good farmers say, they have a great life and just “one bad day.”
5
IRISH DEXTER: We chose to raise Irish Dexter cattle based on the meat quality & their ability to thrive on grass. Our herd is 100% grass fed and grass finished. Their small stature often means smaller steaks but the taste makes up for it! A recent ADCA Bulletin shared that, "In 2019, Dexter beef won the American Royal Grass-fed Steak Competition against Angus, Angus-cross, Wagyu, and others. Steaks from many breeds were judged on tenderness, juiciness, and flavor."
6
BERKSHIRE-CROSS: When we started researching hog breeds, we knew we wanted to find something that was unique. Berkshire kept coming up as the pig people "used to raise." Cross-breeding with Red Wattle and Mangalitsa has given us healthy, efficient, and friendly animals. There is a richness, texture, marbling, juiciness, tenderness, and overall depth of flavor that is like no other pork we've had before.
"It's almost miraculous. If you want robust, immune-vibrant animals, fresh diversified forages are the fastest, cheapest, and surest way to get there.
- Joel Salatin "The Stockman Grass Farmer" (Volume 23, #7)
FARM STORE
Help promote our family farm through a choice of
graphic tees, sweatshirts, and coffee mugs.
FARM EVENTS
We have three goals for the events that we host.
Watch for details on our social media pages.
Encourage
Fellowship
Restore Generational Wisdom
Build
Community
FALL
"Forestry Workshop" (Coming Soon!)
WINTER
"Winter Wreath Workshop"
“Pick-Up” Broomball Games
SPRING
"Beginner Gardener Workshop" (Enrolling Now! May 4, 2024)
SUMMER
"Farm Play Dates"
ONGOING
"This Week on the Farm"
We will strive to be a light in our community and
foster a sense of authentic fellowship with each
customer interaction.
ABOUT US
When we got married in 2009, owning a farm was a dream that Rob had and soon shared with Samantha, who had a growing appreciation for the "real food" movement and an interest in other health-related topics.
On a small hobby farm, we started raising our own beef and pork because we truly enjoyed the challenges and rewards of animal husbandry. We noticed that our time and efforts were producing really great tasting meat and also started learning about the health benefits of grass-fed beef and forage-based pork.
Starting our own family solidified the idea that we wanted to invest our time and resources into farming on a larger scale and we made the leap to buying acreage in Milaca, where we now live. Farming is a good way to cooperatively leverage our combined skills and interests. We find joy in being good and faithful stewards of our land and take pride in implementing farming practices that are both creative and intelligent.
We have two young farmhands. The boys work alongside us in many ways but their strengths are: taming barn kittens, playing with chickens, climbing trees, constructing bike jumps, and building roads and rivers in the gravel driveway.
We love being a family that has outdoor adventures year-round. We all enjoy riding single-track on our mountain bikes (sometimes competitively but mostly just for fun), gardening, and canoeing in the warmer months. When temperatures drop, we get out the fat tire bikes & snowshoes, and flood the backyard rink for skating and broomball.
We are hopeful that our work is making a difference in our community. The farming lifestyle allows us the time to help a neighbor, the opportunity to listen to the stories of the people we meet, and the chance to raise our kids in an environment that builds character on a daily basis. We all have a certain sphere of influence and we look forward to including you in our journey of sustainable agriculture!
CONTACT US
Stay up to date with "Tillering Farm Texts."
Text "TILLERING" to 833-561-4731
*By texting, you agree to receive promotional messages regarding farm products, pop-up sales, and seasonal farm events. Msg rates vary, are sent via auto-dialer, and msg and data rates may apply. This agreement isn’t a condition of any purchase. You may text STOP to opt out at any time.
