We raise all of our animals right in Hopewell, New Jersey, on over 800 acres of owned and leased land.
The farm raises cattle, pigs, sheep, chicken, ducks and turkeys. The animals on the farm are raised on pasture in a rotational grazing system. This means they have some access to shelter, but are primarily on the open land, moving often (sometimes twice a day!) and foraging for part or all of their diet.
Our beef and sheep are 100% grass fed. Our pigs, chickens and turkeys supplement their foraged diet with a non-GMO, locally grown feed of corn, soybeans, flax, alfalfa and minerals. We grind the feed ourselves on demand for the freshest product.
Sheep: Katahdin
The Katahdin is a breed of sheep called a ‘hair’ sheep. That means they do not have wool, just a coat of hair that gets a layer of dread locks in the winter.
The sheep come in all colors. A medium-sized breed, the Katahdin produces superior meat when raised on pasture. Lambing season is a lesson in organization as the flock is generally increased by close to 200%. Katahdin were a developed as a cross between what was called the ‘African Hair Sheep’ and many other traditional breeds such as Suffolk, Hampshire and Southdown, starting in 1957.
Pigs: Berkshires and Ossabaw (with some crosses in between)
Ossabaw
These feral-looking pigs are the descendents of the highly prized Iberian pig brought to our eastern shores with the Spanish explorers over 400 years ago. They are medium-sized pig with a long snout and looks that only a mother could love. But it’s the taste of the meat that had us waiting for months to take delivery of our first breed stock. The flavor of this ancient breed inspired Slow Food USA to add it to its catalogue the ‘Ark of Taste’, which lists heritage breeds in danger of extinction.
Berkshires
Another heritage breed from England that adapts well to outdoor farming, The Berkshire pig is a hardy, large swine with natural mothering capabilities. An excellent grazer, Berkshire meat is known to be rich, savory and a bit darker than other breeds. Aside from exceptional flavor, Berkshire meat is well-marbled, juicy and has outstanding texture. Artisanal Berkshire meat is the most sought-after pork in top restaurants today.
Chickens: Freedom Rangers (meat) and Rhode Island Reds (eggs)
Freedom Rangers
At the farm we have two main breeds of chickens. The Freedom Rangers are slow-growing bird that, you guessed it, does great in a free-range environment.
They are active birds that enjoy scratching into the dirt and foraging for grasses and bugs. Their long hatchling-to-market time (approx. 12 weeks) gives them a rich, deep flavor.
Rhode Island Reds
The Rhode Island Reds are dual-purpose breeds. They both lay brown eggs, but are also heavier birds than the Ameraucanas with exceptionally flavorful meat.
Our chickens will be doing double duty in the spring when they are turned out to pasture to follow the cows’ rotational cycle. All those grasses and protein-rich bugs make the meat and eggs from these birds taste like buttah. (Or just like really good chicken and eggs). Have some and you’ll see what we mean.
Turkeys: Heritage Black Spanish and Broad Breasted Bronzes
The turkeys are by far the most social animals on the farm. All our turkeys are laid, incubated and hatched on the farm. They are kept in a free-range outdoor pen until they are big enough to defend themselves against predators. After that time, they can be found roaming all over the farm – even looking into the windows of our house Both the Black Spanish and Broad Breasted Bronzes are heritage turkeys, with the Bronze growing a little bigger than the Black Spanish.
Cattle: Devon
The Devon, from southwest England, is one of the oldest beef cattle breeds today and it is known in many circles as the best beef cattle for pasturing. It is a red, or chestnut, colored medium-sized breed with a gentle temperament. Males weigh from 1,600 to 2,200 pounds and females weigh in at 900 to 1,400 pounds.
The Devon is a triple-stock breed, meaning that it is prized for quality beef, milk and drafting. Here at Double Brook Farm, ours are raised on pasture purely for beef.
**We partner with regional grass fed operations for the bulk of our primal cuts, but continue to raise Devons for a varietal of beef we call ‘rosé veal’. The calves are harvested younger than the typical market steer or cow, but they are out of pasture and eating the same grass-fed diet as the rest of the herd.