Cave Springs Farm

Established In 2003, Cave Springs Farm Is Located In Jefferson County, Indiana About Two Miles North Of Kent. The 1930's Farmstead Was Somewhat Neglected When We First Arrived Five Years Ago, But We Saw Potential. The 60 Acres Are A Balance Of Timber, Tillable Ground, And Pasture. We See Ourselves As Stewards Of The Land. With This In Mind, The Farm Is Cared For Using The Practices Of Sustainable Agriculture – Working With The Rhythms Of Nature. Our Team Of Three Belgian Draft Horses Supplies All Farm Power. Soil Fertility Is Maintained Using Well-timed Applications Of Composted Manure Produced By The Livestock Raised On The Farm. While The Methods May Be “old Fashioned” To Some, It Allows Us To Slow Down And Develop A Personal Relationship With The Land. In The Words Of Lyndon B. Johnson, “the Best Fertilizer A Piece Of Land Can Have Is The Footsteps Of Its Owner”. Whether Its Moving The Livestock To A Lush, New Pasture; Plowing New Crop Ground With A Team Of Horses, Or Just Enjoying Time In The Woods; As Its Caretakers, We “fertilize” Our Land On A Regular Basis. While It Is True That Industrial Food Can Be Found For Less, By Purchasing From Cave Springs Farm, You Are Supporting Your Local Economy And Local Agriculture. The Food You Eat Travels Across The County, Instead Of Across The Country. You Are Developing A Trusting Relationship With The Farmer Growing The Food You Feed To Your Family. You Are Making Sure That No Hormones Or Antibiotics Are Entering Your Food Supply And That Animals Are Raised Using Humane Methods With Plenty Of Sunshine, Fresh Air, And Quality Feed. Only Wholesome Food Goes On Your Table. While It Is True That Food Can Be Found For Less, Your Family Deserves More. Product Descriptions: Poultry Our Laying Flock Consists Of Approximately 20 Dominique And Dominique Cross Chickens. Dominique's Are A Heritage Breed Noted For Their Thriftiness On Pasture. Using A Mobile Henhouse As Their Base Of Operations, The Chickens Range Freely Over The Farm During The Spring, Summer, And Fall. Batting Clean-up In The Pasture Rotation Schedule, They Eat Grass, Insects, And Grubs While Spreading The Manure Left Behind By The Other Livestock. When Ready To Rotate, The Henhouse Is Pulled To A New Pasture By The Team Of Horses. Studies Have Shown The Eggs Produced In This Fashion Are Higher In Omega 3 Fatty Acids. Winter Quarters For The Laying Flock Is A Spacious Coop In The Main Barn With Continual Access To A Covered Outdoor Run. Cornish Rock Crosses Are Raised As The Meat Birds. The Chicks Are Started In The Barn Until Approximately Two Weeks Of Age When They Are Moved Out Into A Bottomless, Mobile Coop Known As A Chicken Tractor”. The Tractor Is Moved On A Daily Basis To Provide The Growing Chicks With Access To Fresh Grass And Insects, Which Supplements Their Diet Of Grain. Studies Have Shown Chicken Raised In This Fashion To Be Higher In Omega 3 Fatty Acids. When The Chickens Reach The Target Weight Of 5 Lbs. (typically 6-8 Weeks Of Age), They Are Taken To A Usda Inspected Processing Facility. Hogs The Hogs Are Purchased As 40 Lb Feeder Pigs From A Local Hampshire Hog Breeder Who Selectively Breeds For Lean Meat. They Are Fed Nutritious Grain And Table Scraps. They Live Out In The Open Where They Have Access To Plenty Of Fresh Air And Sunshine. It Takes About Six Months For The Pigs To Finish Out As 240 Lb Hogs. At This Size, They Are Taken To A Usda Inspected Processing Facility And Butchered Per The Customer's Instructions. A Whole Hog Typically Will Produce About 120 Lbs Of Meat For The Table; Half Hog, 60 Lbs; And A Quarter Hog, 30 Lbs. Lamb Lamb Was Added Here At Cave Springs Farm In 2008. We Currently Have A Breeding Flock Of Kathdin And Dorper Hair Sheep. The "sheepy" Taste Of Lamb Is Rooted In The Lanolin Of The Wool. Since Hair Sheep Do Not Have Wool, They Are Known For Their Mild Flavor. Beef Cave Springs Farm Has A Small Herd Of Red Poll Cattle. Calves Are Weaned And Sold To A Local Farmer That Finishes Them As Grass Fed Be