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Beef is a Medicinal Food for Optimizing Human Health. But Are You Getting Enough... of the Right Kind?
September 30, 2024

Studies are increasingly revealing that red meat (beef, specifically) is uniquely able to support human health and development, in a way that plant-based diets cannot. This news is timely for... (read more)

 

How to Get Enough Vitamin K2 In Your Diet
November 7, 2020

Many of you have heard of vitamin K2 and the importance of getting adequate amounts of it. Perhaps you've also heard it helps regulate calcium absorption, improves insulin sensitivity, and... (read more)

 

The Secret to Optimizing Collagen Synthesis in Your Body
October 3, 2020

Many of our friends have discovered the benefits of bone broth, especially as a source of healthy gelatin/collagen. When we consume the gelatin/collagen found in bone broth, it helps our... (read more)

 

Here is an Easy Way to Improve Your Sleep
July 18, 2020

Glycine is an amino acid. Your body can produce up to around 2 grams of glycine per day on its own, which it synthesizes from other biochemicals, but you need... (read more)

 

Do We Become What We Eat? Please Consider This
July 4, 2020

Sometimes, you just know something. It's like you know it deep inside. You may not have the science to back it up, but still, you believe. And yet, you'd agree... (read more)

 

A Delicious Way To Increase Your Selenium Intake
June 14, 2020

Although we live in one of the most beautiful places on earth, the soils of Vancouver and southwestern BC are often deficient in the essential trace mineral selenium. This is... (read more)

 

Three Great Natural Sources of Vitamin D
June 6, 2020

There could be yet another reason for us to increase our Vitamin D intake, according to researchers. Scientists here in Canada are now studying the link between Vitamin D and... (read more)

 

Nourishing Your Body with Natural Choline
May 31, 2020

Almost half of our customers buy food from us because they are addressing personal health issues. It is amazing for us to talk to each one of you. We love... (read more)

 

Is Organic Healthier? Study Shows Remarkable Benefits
February 15, 2019

A recent study reported that people who eat organic food can exhibit some profound benefits. Specifically, detectable pesticide levels in their urine were radically reduced when they changed their diets... (read more)

 

A Delicious Way To Boost Your Polyphenol Intake
January 27, 2018

Polyphenols are mostly found in fruits and vegetables. They are micronutrients with antioxidant properties. They help us stay healthy, as described by Dr. Mercola. But how can we get enough... (read more)

 

Better Than Garlic Butter, Whipped Lard Is So Good
September 11, 2017

So many of our friends are adding healthy lard to their diets for the vitamins A, D, E, K, healthy monounsaturated fat, and superb flavor. This recipe is so delicious... (read more)

 

Chicken Bone Broth - A Healthy Start to Your Day
March 17, 2016

If you haven't started drinking bone broth yet . It is a powerhouse of nutrition, simple to make, and ultra-convenient. Plus, it provides health benefits.

Is it the plentiful marrow? The... (read more)

 

Making Ultra-Nutritious Beef Back Ribs
March 7, 2016

This cut is a "little-known" way to get the best of both worlds: bones and meat. I like to have meat with the bone-in, in order to get the nutritional... (read more)

 

How To Make Super Healthy Pork Rinds
February 25, 2016

You might not know that pork rinds are a healthy snack, but according to some Paleo diet experts, they are. Pork rinds have zero carbs, zero glycemic impact, are brimming... (read more)

 

A Delicious And Easy Way To Boost Your CoQ10 Intake
February 16, 2016

Very few of us are getting enough CoQ10 in our diets, yet researchers say it is one of the most important nutrients to overall health. If you're not familiar with... (read more)

 

How To Get Your Daily Dose Of Vitamin D From Pork
February 9, 2016

During the winter months, we all have a tendency to become deficient in vitamin D. Doctors tell us we need to supplement. Yet many of us would rather get our... (read more)

 

Air-Chilled Chicken: 4 Reasons It's Better
August 28, 2015

One thing few consumers realize is that when they're buying store-bought chicken, its weight has often been artificially boosted with chlorinated ice-water.

When chickens are slaughtered their carcasses need to be... (read more)

 

 

This Orphan Lamb Is Too Cute!
March 19, 2015

Sometimes when we have baby animals on our farm, we have to hand-raise them. A few days ago one of our ewes gave birth to a gorgeous lamb but since... (read more)

 

These Fascinating Meat-Sheep Are New Additions To Our Farm
March 12, 2015

Grass-fed beef isn't the only red-meat that contains super-abundant quantities of healthy nutrients. Grass-fed lamb ranks just as high, but is relatively under-consumed in Canada and the United States. A... (read more)

 

These Pigs Are Having A Picnic In The Forest, Watch Them Having Fun
September 9, 2014

Integrating our farm with nature is one way to promote resilience in the ecology, resulting in healthier animals and a healthier planet. Watch as our dark-skinned heritage pigs enjoy a... (read more)

 

Why Happy Cows Love Rotational Grazing... Watch As They Get Moved
July 11, 2014

Because our cows are raised exclusively on grass, we use a system of pasture management called rotational grazing, where we move our cows into new pastures sequentially. It's sort of... (read more)

 

Watch As These Happy Chickens Enjoy Life, On The Grass And In The Sun
June 18, 2014

Have you tried our certified organic chicken yet? We believe it's the most humanely raised chicken available in the Lower Mainland. Plus, it's absolutely delicious. Our chickens are soy-free and... (read more)

 

She Went Vegan To Cure Her IBS
June 15, 2014

One of our favorite friends and customers is Jennifer Browne, who recently authored Happy Healthy Gut: The Natural Diet Solution to Curing IBS and Other Chronic Digestive Disorders. It's a... (read more)

 

Just Born: New Piglets, And They're Absolutely Adorable
June 4, 2014

One of our mama sows just had 9 piglets and we wanted to share this adorable video of her with her babies. Watch as the piglets nurse from their contented... (read more)

 

Alpaca's Getting Haircuts, Just In Time For Summer
May 20, 2014

One of the species we have on our farm is alpacas, which we raise for their gorgeous, ultra-warm and anti-allergenic fibre. Watch this short video as we shear one of... (read more)

 

 

Baby Calves Galore, Momma Cow Has Twins
May 11, 2014

Right now there are plenty of gorgeous calves being born on our farm. It's a good time of year to be born if you're a calf, because the Moms are... (read more)

 

Pigs On Spring Pasture At Sumas Mountain Farms
May 1, 2014

It's spring on Sumas Mountain Farms and our gorgeous pigs are thrilled as the soil returns to life and the sunbeams begin warming the earth. Today as I was out... (read more)

 

Could West Coast Maple Syrup Be A Nutrient-Dense Superfood?
April 24, 2014

We're starting to produce small quantities of maple syrup from our Big Leaf maple trees. Our West Coast rainforest maples are different than the sugar maples back east. It's more... (read more)

 

 

How To Make Your Own West Coast Maple Syrup
April 23, 2014

For the past few years we've been experimenting with making our own small supplies of maple syrup. Few people are aware that such a thing is possible out here on... (read more)

 

Watch Out For Local Suppliers Selling Fake Organic Food
April 18, 2014

Don't let yourself be tricked by false organic food claims. At least one significant local supplier is advertising food to its Vancouver customers as organic even though it very clearly... (read more)

 

How to enjoy the benefits of wild Oregon grapes and thimbleberries
April 16, 2014

On our farm there is a balance between pasture and forest. Large portions of our land remain as woods, with a variety of native flora and fauna. In addition to... (read more)

 

A Traditional Festive Roasted Ham, With The Bone-In
April 11, 2014

When Christmas or Easter time comes around each year, our family often has a ham. For us, it's a big dinner. Or, to use an old fashioned expression, a feast.... (read more)

 

The astonishing super-nutrition of red marrow beef bones
April 2, 2014

The concept of eating bone marrow may be new to some of us, but to our ancestors it was a regular and vital part of their nutrition. It was normal... (read more)

 

A Christmas Pig's Head Feast
December 10, 2013

More people are swapping-out traditional turkey in favor of alternatives such as roast ham or the more exotic (yet also traditional) roast pig's head. What I didn't know was that... (read more)

 

 

Buying your chicken in the US? It could be imported from China
November 20, 2013

Many BC residents go shopping in the US, especially for chicken because it's so inexpensive. But could that ultra-cheap chicken be coming from China? The answer is now "Yes" ---... (read more)

 

Rethinking seafood: 4 alarming reasons why it may be unhealthy
November 14, 2013

New research is suggesting that seafood may be loaded with deadly contaminants. Here are four recent reports which are making us think twice before we eat ANYTHING caught from the... (read more)

 

Thanksgiving at Sumas Mountain Farms
October 15, 2013

One of the pleasures of farm-life is raising your own turkey for Thanksgiving. Our turkeys (not yet for sale) are a unique heritage turkey --- unique because they are white... (read more)

 

Lard: the momentum just keeps growing
September 17, 2013

Many of our customers have been advocates of pasture-raised lard for some time now, and it's gratifying to see the abundance of articles and research supporting this position. No longer... (read more)

 

Another big health reason to buy organic, grass-only beef
August 21, 2013

First, the good news. Our cattle herd has never been happier, grazing on mountain pastures and enjoying the warm weather, living the way they were designed to. We're so grateful... (read more)

 

How to avoid dangerous fluoride levels in non-organic food
July 25, 2013

As if we needed more reasons to go organic, an interview posted at Dr. Mercola's website reveals the alarming extent to which fluoride has contaminated a large portion of the... (read more)

 

Why grass-only beef has yellow fat, and why it's better
July 18, 2013

One of the unique characteristics of grass-only beef is the yellow fat. Although when you unpack a roast or a steak at home you won't typically notice that the fat... (read more)

 

Shill scientists still bashing organic
July 9, 2013

Forty years ago, the American Association for the Advancement of Science pronounced it a "myth" that organic foods were healthier. In the wake of this pronouncement, the media came out... (read more)

 

Organic mixed farms vs. conventional monocultures
May 6, 2013

In agriculture, the term "monoculture" describes the practice of growing a single crop or species over a large area, for years at a time. Monocultures are typical in today's industrial... (read more)

 

Why buying locally produced food isn't enough
April 19, 2013

The "locally produced food" movement is strongly beneficial, on several levels. First, it keeps food dollars in the community, supporting local prosperity. Second, it avoids long-distance transportation --- which can... (read more)

 

More reasons to love, experience lard
April 1, 2013

Many of us know the benefits of eating butter from grass-fed cows, but what about the myriad health and cultural advantages of eating pork lard?

Researchers are now admitting, lard from... (read more)

 

Dandelion chickens on spring pasture
March 25, 2013

There are few things more pleasant than seeing, feeling and smelling the vast richness of life that accompanies springtime on the farm.

The layer chickens particularly love this time of year.... (read more)

 

Bees and bugs: pollinators in action on our farm
March 19, 2013

As the spring weather comes, pastures and trees are coming back to life. Fruit trees are starting to bud, and within a month we hope to see some blooms. It's... (read more)

 

Small-scale family farms under attack by local governments
October 30, 2012

First, the good news. Small-scale rural family farms are on the increase, as people seek to reconnect with the land, traditions, and their rural roots. Some of these small operations... (read more)

 

CKNW news "The Bill Good Show" interviews Sumas Mountain Farms
October 10, 2012

Bill Good invited us onto his radio show to discuss how "getting to know your farmer" of locally-grown organics can clean up what's wrong with the food industry.

Click here to... (read more)

 

CBC television news visits Sumas Mountain Farms
October 8, 2012

The folks from CBC television news visited our farm to learn how local, organic small-scale family run farms can be healthier for people, the animals, and the planet.

Click here to... (read more)

 

Why organic, local, small scale agriculture is healthier & safer
October 3, 2012

The trend toward high-capacity "farms" and mega-slaughterhouses has transformed the process of food production into a mechanistic, industrialized system of chemical dependency. The impact this system is having on the... (read more)

 

Reflections on Lard - and vitamins A, D, E & K
August 8, 2012

For the past year, we've been eating a considerable amount of lard. By considerable, I mean nearly every day. Usually for breakfast.

Most of the lard we eat is used... (read more)

 

6 reasons why pastured pigs are healthier and happier
June 27, 2012

Now that it's getting into summer, the pigs are enjoying the wide variety of roots and grasses they can forage from the bushlands and pastures. Their idea of fun is... (read more)

 

The best meatballs I've ever had
June 25, 2012

Not too long ago my Mother in-law made a wonderful meal of spaghetti and meatballs. But these weren't just any meatballs. No, these were different because she made them from... (read more)

 

Why organic farms are the best way to increase "green space"
June 20, 2012

Metro-Vancouver's expensive land-acquisitions throughout the Lower Mainland have been in the news recently. It turns out they've been buying-up hundreds of acres (for millions of tax-payer dollars) as part of... (read more)

 

This tastes so good: Bacon-stuffed Pork Chops
June 18, 2012

A few days ago my wife made a phenomenal dinner and I just thought I'd share it with you. This was one of those Sunday dinners that made me say... (read more)

 

Cows on spring pasture
June 11, 2012

One of the most pleasant things about raising cattle is to watch them as they are turned out onto new spring pasture. Thick and lush, bursting with new life, sweet... (read more)

 

Making parks more useful --- food security 101
June 4, 2012

Metro Vancouver's recently announced "Experience the Fraser" mega-park is meant to provide recreation along a massive trail system from Hope to Richmond. And now, some people are worried that productive... (read more)

 

Reconstructing local food economies
May 29, 2012

During the past century we've witnessed the disintegration of local, small-scale food production. It has shifted to a highly industrialized model, dominated by massive agribusinesses which work hand-in-glove with the... (read more)

 

Why our eggs are totally soy-free
May 22, 2012

As far as we know, we are the only source of soy-free (certified organic) eggs in the lower mainland of BC.

Virtually all egg-producers feed their layer chickens soy-based feed. This... (read more)

 

A cow's life at Sumas Mountain Farms
April 30, 2012

Right now it's early spring on our farm, and calves are being born. The babies are scampering around their mothers, kicking up their legs as they prance around in the... (read more)

 

New Rideshare service allows customers to "carpool" their orders
April 24, 2012

We just wanted to let our customers know that we've added a new service to our website called "Farm Rideshare" --- which allows you to "carpool" your order with other... (read more)

 

Now in stock: certified organic grass-only beef
April 21, 2012

We wanted to let our customers know that we've processed a few more of our organic, grass-only beef cattle, and we now have plenty of lean-ground beef, as well as... (read more)

 

Reprieve: no GMO pigs in the food supply... for now
April 18, 2012

It's just been announced that the University of Guelph's GMO-pig is not going to be on grocery store shelves, at least not yet.

The genetically-modified pig was known as "enviro-pig" and... (read more)

 

Is food really too cheap?
April 12, 2012

When I was a boy, my father told me something about modern agriculture that I'll never forget. "Food is too cheap," he said. Too cheap? Really? I didn't know what... (read more)

 

Easter hams are now in stock; more beef in 4 weeks
March 21, 2012

When Easter time comes around each year, our family usually has a ham. For us, it's a big dinner --- to use an old fashioned expression, a feast.

Now that we... (read more)

 

Pork tenderloin is now back in stock: soy-free, certified organic, pastured, heritage breed
March 12, 2012

We are now stocked-up with all your pork favorites, including tenderloin which we were out of for the past few weeks. We processed several of our gorgeous pigglies just a... (read more)

 

Save the bees: What we're doing this summer
March 5, 2012

The world's bee population is dropping rapidly, and it's already having a serious impact on crop production in certain regions. The phenomenon is known as Colony-collapse disorder, which is the... (read more)

 

Producing and preparing your own food
February 27, 2012

One of the things we're grateful for is the ability to produce and prepare our own food. We're thankful we can eat real food that hasn't been processed somewhere in... (read more)

 

Bee wars: the next frontier in global food dominance
February 20, 2012

Many kinds of food crops need insects to pollinate them. There’s no way around it. Without pollinators (like bees) a large portion of the planet would be dead.

So it's alarming... (read more)

 

False organic claims: How some local food-suppliers are misleading consumers...
February 13, 2012

Do you know that the food you're buying is really "organic"? Several local food suppliers are selling food as "organic" when in fact it's not.

The word "organic" is a regulated... (read more)

 

The best way to avoid eating Roundup
February 6, 2012

It was recently reported that Roundup (Monsanto's glyphosate herbicide that conventional crop farmers use to keep their fields free of weeds) is being found in peoples' urine, in the groundwater,... (read more)

 

Tapping big-leaf maple trees for sap
January 30, 2012

Now that we've had some really cold weather, it's time to start tapping for sap.

Many people are surprised to discover that Big Leaf Maples (which is what we have here... (read more)

 

Snowing on the farm
January 23, 2012

At this time of year (January) it's not uncommon to have snow on our farm, even when the rest of the lower mainland isn't getting any. Being on a mountain,... (read more)

 

What buying local food in the Lower Mainland actually looks like
January 16, 2012

Over the past few years we've been trying to buy as much of our food from local, organic producers as possible. Yes, we produce a large portion of our own... (read more)

 

Pig's head: a healthy, traditional food
January 9, 2012

One of the things about pigs is that almost every part of the animal is edible. But more importantly, certain parts are very nutrient-dense. Such is the pig's head ---... (read more)

 

Why local, organic food is important to our family
January 2, 2012

Trying to source locally grown, organic food is something that’s important to our family, although our reasoning on this issue might be different than some. For us, eating local is... (read more)

 

Lard, Raw Milk, and Organ Meat: a formula for optimal health?
December 26, 2011

According to the Chicago Tribune, there are thousands of people who are reporting remarkable health benefits from a diet consisting of mostly animal fats, particularly lard. Their diet is known... (read more)

 

Livin' Lardge: rendering pork lard, for health
December 19, 2011

These days, researchers are telling us that lard from healthy pigs raised outdoors is good for us, saying it's high in vitamins A and D, and mono-unsaturated fats. Some researchers... (read more)

 

Organic pastured pork is now in-stock... and it's soy-free
December 9, 2011

I wanted to let our customers know that we've processed a few of our organic, "soy-free" pasture-raised pigs, and are now taking orders for chops, bacon, sausages, ribs, hams, and... (read more)

 

Maple Sap as an alternative to bottled water
December 6, 2011

Many people don't know that you can tap local Big Leaf Maple trees for sap. Here on the farm we have plenty of maples, and we began tapping them in... (read more)

 



Soil: the wealth of nations
December 1, 2011

This morning as I'm writing this, I'm looking out over the Sumas flats, an area of farmland that stretches from Abbotsford to Chilliwack. Years ago, these flats were covered with... (read more)