At Maple Hill, we’re proud that our family farms have made a big name for themselves by thinking small. By staying committed to regenerative practices and conscious animal farming, they’ve put Maple Hill on the map for making the highest quality milk. Bigger isn’t always better– let us explain why we think our smallness is part of the reason we can set a higher standard for dairy.
100% Grass-fed Cows Produce Less Milk
How big is the Maple Hill Milk Shed?
Photo taken by Margaret Sandrof, at the Tafel Family Farm.
100% Grass-fed Cows Produce Less Milk
It’s true, Maple Hill cows produce less milk. They consume more grass per pound of milk produced, too. We don’t milk them as often, and we don’t force them to make more than their bodies are inclined. That’s because we believe it’s important that a cow only make as much milk as nature intended.
Cows who live on 100% grass-fed organic dairy farms live quality lives. In general, living conditions on our small family farms are more comfortable (pasture, sun, and grazing vs. being confined in a feeding barn). Our cows are fed the diet they are designed by nature to eat (grass!). They’re less susceptible to the maladies common in cows fed a grain or corn based diet, and they live longer, happier lives because of it– three times longer than the average dairy cow. Our dairy cows live their whole life on our family farms. In fact, it is very common for our cows to live 8-10 years, sometimes to the age of 16 or 17, compared to 3 or 4 for conventional dairy cows. Even as babies, our calves are never fed supplemental grain, soy, or corn, but enjoy a milk diet until they start to graze for themselves.
By eating an exclusively 100% grass-fed organic diet their entire lives, they eat what they were meant to eat, and make the kind of milk they were meant to make– a nourishing, creamy, delicious dairy that honors the animal and the land they’re regenerating.
How Big is the Maple Hill Milk Shed?
The Maple Hill milk shed is made up of 135 independent farms, each with an average of 50 cows. We think this is a critical part of why Maple Hill farms make the highest quality milk in the dairy aisle—the humanity, intention, and commitment of our farmers to produce each gallon, even if it means longer days. Most of the cows have names and the farmers know all of their animals.
Farms with smaller herds are able to manage their pastures and animals better and more attentively; The core tenet of regenerative agriculture is farming in sync with nature, not against it. Farmers are able to focus on practices and techniques that improve the soil health on our farms, because soil health is the foundation on which everything else stands. With smaller, manageable herds, our farmers ensure their cows can roam freely, eat the grass they need, and heal the soil while they’re at it. The end result is improved biological life in the soil, functioning water and mineral cycles, improved crop and animal health, and premium, nutritious 100% grass-fed organic milk. It’s truly a win-win.
These days, it can feel counterintuitive to go back to basics when we’re surrounded by innovation and technology to propel us into the future. But we think some things were meant to stay close to their roots. Our Maple Hill milkshed is a reminder that simple and small can be immensely important, and make some of the best milk you can find.
At Maple Hill, we’ve been committed to regenerative practices since 2009 because we know the highest quality dairy begins with the health of soil, grass, and cows. We believe that 100% grass-fed organic dairy farming done right is the pinnacle of organic, nourishes families with the best nutrition, and leaves the earth better than we found it. We are proud to be selected as a USDA Climate Smart Partner — supporting the production of climate smart commodities throughout the United States.
Our 100% Grass-fed Organic dairy products include: 100% grass-fed whole milk, 100% grass-fed 2% reduced fat milk, 100% grass-fed butter (salted and unsalted), 100% grass-fed kefir (plain, vanilla, and strawberry), 100% grass-fed greek yogurt (plain and vanilla bean), and 100% grass-fed cream-on-top yogurt (plain and vanilla).
