St. Brigid’s Meadows is a certified organic farm in two parcels located 12 miles east of La Crosse on highway 162. We milk a herd of 36 predominately Jersey cows that are rotationally grazed on 56 acres of pasture in the summer and fed baled hay and a small amount of grain in the winter. No hormones, antibiotics, or non-organic feeds of any kind are used. The cows produce about 100 gallons of clean, fresh, sweet-tasting milk every day of the year. But that's not all we do. In trying to fit the model of nature, we are a bio-diverse farm with laying hens, pastured poultry, grassfed beef and pastured hogs. Each animal works with the others in helping maintain a balanced ecosystem. The chickens follow the cows to eat grubs in the manure and help expedite the composting of the waste into dark, rich soil. The hogs feed on pasture and organic grains from our fields. They also eat garden scraps, milk from the cows and any other omnivorous food that complements their diet. The beeves "mow" the grass in the pastures, mimicking the great bison or antelope herds that kept our prairies lush for centuries. The laying hens keep the fly population to a minimum and keep the grass in check as well. Their nitrogen rich manure is spread over the fields as a natural fertilizer to enhance our crops.
Who are We?
The Hundt Family has been farming here on Poplar Coulee Ridge since 1978 and with purely organic practices since 1989 – long before “St Brigid’s Meadows” was even a glimmer in Vince’s eye. The kids are now all grown and off at college or back in Viroqua starting farms and families of their own, but Vince and Dawn still faithfully manage the crops and the beef herd here at St Brigid’s. Years of careful crop rotations, manure applications and strict avoidance of harsh chemical fertilizers and pesticides have resulted in healthy soil that is full of life and vitality.
Who are We?
The Hundt Family has been farming here on Poplar Coulee Ridge since 1978 and with purely organic practices since 1989 – long before “St Brigid’s Meadows” was even a glimmer in Vince’s eye. The kids are now all grown and off at college or back in Viroqua starting farms and families of their own, but Vince and Dawn still faithfully manage the crops and the beef herd here at St Brigid’s. Years of careful crop rotations, manure applications and strict avoidance of harsh chemical fertilizers and pesticides have resulted in healthy soil that is full of life and vitality.
Jason and Kristin Blankenheim manage the dairy herd on the other farm, St. Brigid's Meadows, purchased in 2006. Kristin grew up on a 70-cow dairy in Wisconsin and absolutely loves cows. Jason too is an experienced cow-man, plays the violin, and speaks fluent Arabic. Both Jason and Kristin have degrees in dairy science and nutrition from UW Madison, where they managed the school’s dairy herd until coming to St Brigid’s in the spring of 2010. Kristin is currently completing her master’s in dairy science as well.
