A HEALTHY PLACE TO CALL HOME

Our Farmland is Home to Hundreds of Different Species of Birds and Other Wildlife

Nestled between the Coastal Redwood Forest, the Pacific Ocean and the Smith River, our farmland sits at the confluence of an exceptional wildlife habitat. As stewards of that land, we put forth our best efforts to care for wetlands, riparian zones, the surrounding land, and any critter that calls our farm home. Hundreds of species of birds and other wildlife choose to live here, even if some are just passing through along their migratory journey, the Pacific Flyway. Just like our organic farming practice, healthy soil and year-round green grasses are the foundation for benefits much larger than our farming ecosystem.

ALEUTIAN CANADA GEESE
Crescent City is a critical spring staging area for Aleutian Geese as they make their way south to winter in the Modesto area. As such, they require large amounts of high quality forage so they can increase body weight and reserves. Our animals have to compete for grass with these geese; 35 geese can eat as much as 1 of our cows and each year tens of thousands spend time on our land and neighboring farms. In cooperation with the government and private landowners, we developed a plan to set aside lands adjacent to the State Park for the geese to feed on. Our efforts made a significant contribution towards removing the Aleutian Goose from the Federal Endangered Species List.


BALD EAGLES
Our love for nature connected with our love for our country when a family of bald eagles began nesting on our property. Having seen one generation of chicks leave the nest, a spectacular sight has been enjoyed on many dairy tours, we look forward to many more to come.


BEE HIVES
The management of our pastures has involved a variety of clovers that are beneficial to many animals, including bees. We have partnered with Diggin Livin out of Cave Junction, Oregon to house hives on three different parts of our farm. A mutually beneficial relationship for all critters, we hope the hives can provide a stable home for bees indefinitely.

BIRD SPECIES
With over 200 species of birds spotted on our farm. We are right in line with the Pacific Flyway filled with multiple feeder birds that fly through, and may decide to nest along their way. We are happy to be considered a hotspot on the eBird website. We encourage you to look at the varieties of birds that visit the farm.

HOGS
Integrating organic heritage pastured pigs to our mix was a project started by Vanessa when she was in FFA. The heritage breeds of both Tamworth and Berkshire pigs provide a nice “creamy” flavored cut of meat. Their addition to the farm provides a well-rounded balance to the holistic farm approach.

ROOSEVELT ELK HERD
In 2009 a herd of 52 Roosevelt Elk crossed the Smith River onto our property. Since then, they have nearly tripled in numbers while calling our property home. Their grand appeal provides a nice touch to our surroundings and to our close relationship with nature.

LAND CONSERVATION

Our EcoDairy Farm is Committed to Protecting, Restoring and Enhancing Wildlife Habitat

We work with the California Fish and Wildlife Service, California State Parks, the North Coast Regional Land Trust, and the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) to conserve and nurture wildlife habitat on and around our farm. We have property dedicated to different conservation easement programs such as the Wetlands Reserve Program (WRP) and the Grassland Reserve Program. We do this because we want to protect, restore, and enhance grasslands and wetlands on our property. These long-term conservation and wildlife practices ensure that wildlife can roam on our lands for generations to come. This allows us to enhance the plant and animal biodiversity while simultaneously protecting our important grazing areas.

A FARM WHERE LIFE FLOURISHES