Welcome to the
Family Farm
Meet The Family
Mem and Pep
Henry moved to the farm with his family in 1945 at the age of 14 and started taking charge early on. In 1961 he married Raymonde Choiniere and together they raised 3 talented children, all of which are still involved on the farm in one way or another.
Guy and Beth
At the age of 19, Guy Choiniere started to take lead on the farm. In 1993, he married Beth and together raised their two kids on the farm. In 2005, they shipped their first load of Certified Organic milk to Organic Valley.
Mathieu and Julia
Mathieu is the son of Beth and Guy and continues to work on the farm to bring new ideas and eventually take over the farm as his dad did before. His partner, Julia, owns Jubees' Bakery and sells product in our farm store. She also helps tackle the social media side of the farm.
Hannah and Josh
Hannah is the daughter of Beth and Guy and grew up working on the farm. She has since married her husband Josh and moved off the farm, but they continue to keep strong ties.
Who Are We?
We are a small diversified organic dairy farm located in the beautiful Northwestern corner of Vermont. We do our best to produce the highest quality milk, meat, eggs and honey so you can live a healthier life.
Our Story
Welcome to the Choiniere Family Farm! We are a 4th Generation dairy farm settled by Phillip and Bernadette in 1945 and quickly passed down to Henry Choiniere. We have been growing, making mistakes, learning, teaching and trying new ideas ever since. In 2002, we decided to make the transition from conventional farming to organic, and in July 2005 we shipped our first load of certified organic milk to Organic Valley. In 2014, we took the challenge a step further when the opportunity arose to produce 100% grass-fed milk and we have been thrilled with the results. We now milk 80, very happy, Grass-Fed Organic dairy cows for Organic Valley, along with raising 80 free range laying hens, 50 broiler chickens, 6 pigs, 6 ducks, and 2 extra cuddly dogs.
Our Vision
Here at the Choiniere Family Farm, we do our best to grow the healthiest products so you can live a healthier life. We believe that true health starts with the soil, that's why our number one priority is making sure the soil has what it needs to do it's job.
Working in harmony with nature, our practices maximize production, animal health, and boost nutrient levels in our products. All while sequestering carbon, building soil organic matter, supporting soil life, and reducing soil erosion and nutrient runoff.
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Sequestering def: the act of removing, separating, or seizing anything. In this case, taking carbon from the air and returning it to the soil.
Our practices
Rotational Grazing
Rotational grazing is the backbone of any good organic operation. The cows are given only enough pasture to last 1/2-1 day and are then moved to a new pasture for their next meal. This prevents the cows from killing the grass from over grazing and trampling. Rotational grazing is a great tool for preventing soil erosion and sequestering carbon into the soil while maximizing pasture production and cattle health.
Bedded Pack Housing
Our cows go out every single day of the year. Unfortunately, every day isn't always nice. So we built indoor pastures to protect them from the elements and contain their waste, while giving them the room to walk around, play and lay down.
Grazing Annual Forages
The animals aren't the only ones who slow down in the heat of the summer. Most perennial grasses become less productive in the heat of the summer. Annual forages give our pasture system some high energy, high volume feed to pick up the slack when the perennial cool season grasses aren't doing so hot!
Manure Injection
Have you ever smelled a field after a fresh coat of manure was spread on it? Those are all valuable nutrients being lost to the air and potentially to runoff. Manure injection keeps nutrients in the ground where they can do their job. Not in the air. Not in the water.
100% Grass Fed Cows
Contrary to popular belief, cows can thrive on a 100% grass diet! Our cows are fed a 100% grass/legume diet, and have been since 2014. The result provides products that are higher in Omega-3 fatty acids and higher in CLA's!
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CLAs are a naturally occurring fatty acid found in meat and dairy products. It is also a popular dietary supplement that is sold with claims of helping people lose fat, maintain weight loss, retain lean muscle mass, and control type 2 diabetes -- the type of diabetes that is often associated with obesity.
Water Quality
Working with the NRCS, we have invested over $200,000 into preventing soil erosion into the Rock River along our property. Between planting 5000 trees, creating cattle lanes, utilizing buffer strips, building lined waterways, managing our water runoff and following a nutrient management plan, we are doing our best to minimize our impact on the Lake Champlain watershed.
Organizations/Certifications
We are proud to be a part of many supportive and innovative organizations
