| Buying meat that is local and raised responsibly is an important part of being sustainable. Read about how you can do that here. Hemlock Hill Farm is a family-owned farm that has been owned & operated by the DeMaria family for three generations. Nicolas and Katherine DeMaria moved from the center of Peekskill to the current location of the farm in 1939. The farm nowadays is owned by their son John, and managed by their granddaughter Laura. Hemlock Hill raises and processes animals on the 120 acre farm, including cows, pigs, chickens and sheep. They control every step of the production and distribution cycles to ensure the quality of their products: – They raise their animals with permaculture and biodynamic standards, which promote organic land care and practices, ecosystem diversity, as well as water management and re-wilding. For example, part of the farm’s acreage is kept as woodlands, which provide both shade and shrub grazing for their cattle in Summer. It also allows the local wildlife to thrive in its natural habitat. They support community resilience by partnering with other local businesses, such as reusing mashed barley from a local brewery (Captain Lawrence in Elmsford) to feed their cattle. The animals’ diet is constant and composed of 70% grass and 30% barley. They also compost any farm waste possible and sell this compost to the public. – Hemlock Hill Farm is a USDA certified slaughter operation for beef, pork and lamb. – Hemlock Hill Farm also processes chicken, duck and goose under a custom license. – They own a store on the Farm, open 7 days a week all year long, except for very few major Holidays, like Christmas and New Year. Store hours can be found on their website. The store, of course, is supplied with their own meats but also fresh produce and fruits from local growers, as well as dairy products from nearby farms. It also offers a choice of other foods and beverages, such as honey, breads, beer- all from local producers. Hemlock Hill Farm offers a flexible CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) participation to its clients. For more information, please inquire at the farm store and website. The DeMaria family love their land and love to share their love of the land with the community. It offers tours of the farm, for a small fee, every Saturday at 10 am & 12 pm, between May and October. The tours allow consumers to see and understand how meat can be produced humanely, in a sustainable way. Hemlock Hill also organizes Harvest Days in October on the farm’s grounds, which include pumpkin picking, local vendors presenting and selling their fares – a bit like a Farmers’ Market! The DeMaria family listens to its community and adjusts to its varied needs. Visit their website at www.hemlockhillfarm.com for more information. |