Frequently Asked Questions

Yes we offering Home Delivery via shipping carriers covering New York and Pennsylvania.

Yes! Our Locations page has all of the details.

Yes! Our Locations page has all of the details.

Visit our Subscribe and Save page for all of the details!

EBT is accepted for all purchases, including bulk meat options. Payment via EBT must be completed in person.

Learn about how our cheeses are made and each style of cheese we offer in our Cheese Guide.

Gelato is Italian-style ice cream, made with milk instead of heavy cream. In the US, ice cream must be a minimum of 10% butterfat. Our gelato is 5-6% butterfat, so technically we can’t call it ice cream. It’s lighter and has less sugar, so the flavors come through brilliantly.

While we are not certified organic, most of our farm practices follow organic practices and some go beyond what is required, such as our 100% Grassfed cattle and our recycling and reuse on the farm. We do not use any synthetic fertilizers or pesticides on our land. We believe in transparency in our practices and relationships with our customers, so please feel free to Contact Us if you have any questions about our farming practices.

Our products never contain antibiotics. We rarely use antibiotics and only when absolutely necessary. We start with preventative health strategies, which include sunshine, green grass, fresh air and water. We have a lot invested (emotionally and financially) in our cows, and we give them the best medical care available, if they need it. If a cow is treated with antibiotics, her milk is discarded until the antibiotics have cleared her system.

Hormones are necessary for life. Every plant and animal product naturally contains hormones. “Hormone free” is a misnomer used in marketing. Do we supplement our animals with any hormones? No.

No, our milk is pasteurized. Pasteurization means the milk is heated, then immediately cooled. We pasteurize milk at 145°F for 30 minutes, which is the lowest legal required temp.

All of our cheeses and yogurt are pasteurized. Soft (fresh) cheeses are legally required to be pasteurized in NY because they are aged less than 60 days. As a result, our fresh cheeses are safe for pregnant women to consume. We choose to pasteurize our hard cheeses as well.

No, our milk is not homogenized and as a result the cream rises in the milk. You can skim it off or shake it back in - but some flecks of cream will still remain separated. In contrast, in homogenized milk, the butterfat molecules are crushed into tiny pieces, keeping them from separating and rising to the top.

A1 and A2 are different types of protein/casein in milk. Each cow has a gene to produce milk with one type or the other. We have not tested our cows for A2, because it’s unlikely our milk would be 100% A2 and we wouldn’t want to remove cows from our herd for this reason. A2 casein is easier for some people to digest, but for most people it makes no difference.

We are grateful to work with a handful of small, local, family-owned meat processors that we trust to harvest our animals humanely. Butchering is a tremendous amount of work, and our processors are an integral link between our farm and your plate. Our beef is dry aged, then vacuum sealed and flash frozen to preserve peak flavor and quality. Our pork is also vacuum sealed for optimal storage.

Cuts will stay fresh up to one year in the freezer as long as the vacuum seal has not been compromised. If a seal comes loose, you can use this product first. Once a product has been thawed, cook it within 2-3 days of refrigeration.

As a general rule, one cubic foot of freezer space will hold up to 25 pounds of meat.

We ship orders in corrugated box(s) with an insulated liner and ice packs or dry-ice to ensure everything is kept at safe temperatures during transit.

Dry-ice is added to boxes with frozen product to ensure that your product arrives at safe temperatures. It is not unusual for the dry-ice to be completely dissipated by the time the order arrives. Dry Ice is extremely cold at -109.3°F or -78.5°C and should always be handled with protective gloves to protect your skin, (an oven mitt or towel will also work). If touched briefly it is harmless, but prolonged contact with the skin can freeze cells and cause injury similar to a burn.
More safe handling tips:
• Dispose of dry ice by letting the unused portion dissipate in a well-ventilated area. Be sure that this is not left in a public area or where it can be accessed by children or pets.
• You should never dispose of dry ice in a sink, toilet or other similar places. This can destroy the structure because of temperature differences.
• Do not place dry ice on a tiled or solid surface countertop as again the extreme cold may cause damage.
• Do not dispose of dry ice in the trash or garbage.

Yes! When possible we use reclaimed materials in our packaging - reducing waste and your shipping charges. Feel free to keep your box and liner, but we love to get them back to reuse them. As a small farm, returned boxes really help!
Here are a few ways to return:
• DROP OFF: if you pass through our area, drop off at our Ovid or Rock Stream farm stores or at Ithaca Farmers Market anytime!
• MAIL IT BACK TO US (WE SO APPRECIATE IT!): US Postal Service can return boxes via “media mail” for $3-5 with a used book in the box for our local library (or $6-7 priority mail). You are promised good Karma!
HOW DO I SHIP IT BACK MEDIA MAIL RATE?
Put an old book in the box. Tape it closed and it’s ready to return! Add the appropriate postage in stamps or mail at the post office. Drop off at the post office!
MAIL to: 4721 State Route 14A, Rock Stream, NY 14878
No rush on returning the boxes, we are just happy to get them back. Thank you!