Starlight Hill Farm
Practicing Humane Husbandry
Our small family farm is tucked away in northwest Michigan. We raise sheep for meat and fiber, pigs for meat and tilling, and chickens for meat, eggs and insect control. A pair of English Shepherd dogs helps things run smoothly.
Let us custom raise food for your table. All our animals are humanely raised with lots of room to roam and are not kept in small dirty pens. We haven't had a need to vaccinate and only worm as needed. In four years there has only been one ewe and one lamb that needed a course of antibiotics. The larger stock end their lives here on the farm without the fear and trauma of being loaded up and transported 60 miles to the processor. Custom processing is done locally at Honor Family Market, five miles from the farm. Until there is a mobile processing unit available poultry is taken live to a Manton Amish farm with a state inspected facility.
All our feed for poultry and pigs is purchased in bulk from McCrimmon's, a family owned feed mill, in Marion, MI. Hay for the sheep is grown by Mackey Farm in Bear Lake. We buy from these folks because they are family operations that consistently deliver superior feed. It also cuts down on fossil fuel use since they bring in one delivery what would take us many trips in our truck.
We accept Bay Bucks, a local currency, for 10% of the cost. http://www.baybucks.org/
A price list/order form is available on this site or can be requested by email or snail mail.
Grassfed lamb
Attention LOCALVORES! Our sheep are on the 100 Mile Diet. They browse and improve our land and neighboring acreage by eating weeds and grass. We also feed grass hay grown within 30 miles of our farm. Grassfed is healthier for man and beast. According to various research studies, the meat from grass-fed ruminants contains more conjugated lineolic acid (CLA), omega-3 fatty acids, beta-carotene, vitamin E, and vitamin A than the meat from grain-fed animals. CLA and omega-3 fatty acids are good fats with anti-cancer, anti-diabetes, and anti-fat properties.
If you purchase a lamb, the pelt is yours, if you wish. You may pick it up at the farm on butchering day or I can scrape, salt and send it off to be made into a beautiful, washable lambskin.
Lambs were born in May, reserve yours now before they are all spoken for. SOLD OUT
Butcher hogs
Weaned pigs will be purchased in September from a local, centennial farm and spend their days tilling next years garden spot. Fresh air, wholesome food, clean water and plenty of space to root and play makes for contented pigs. Because they are free to roam and exercise the meat is dense and lean.
1/2 hog left, reserve now!
Poultry
We raise a commercial strain of broilers called Cornish Cross because they are economical and gain weight fast. We order day old chicks from a Michigan Hatchery and they spend their first weeks in the barn. They then move out to either pasture or to improve next year's garden. Our chickens live cage free with plenty of room to peck, scratch and dust bathe. Meat will be denser than commercially raised chicken because our birds get all they exercise they want. We will raise two batches. One will be ready in early August and the other in September. Reserve your birds now.
SOLD OUT
Pekin Ducks come from the same hatchery as the chicks and also live cage free. They will be ready mid August. SOLD OUT