What’s happening on the VG family farm: summer edition

Many of our customers already know that VG Meats is a fourth generation family business that’s run by four brothers from Norfolk County. Mom and Dad VG still live on the family farm, Grandma is a stone’s throw away and eldest brother Cory lives at nearby Hillview Farm with his own family. We’re proud that the next generation is growing up with the same values and experiences that have shaped our family and our business, and we love life on the farm.

With summer in full swing, we’d like to give you all a look behind the scenes. Here’s an overview of what’s happening at Hillview and other family properties this season.

We’re withstanding the heat well

To call the last few days hot would be an understatement—we’ve had some pretty extreme temperatures. Fortunately, our holistic management and longstanding commitment to renewable outcomes mean that our fields have remained lush and green despite the intense heat. This is because we have healthy soil and plenty of groundcover to keep the moisture in for longer periods of time. A dry spell can cause serious damage to farmland, but our soil is moist and rich in nutrients, so the grass remains healthy and grazing is going well. When that extreme heat was followed by rain, we were grateful—and the soil soaked up that water like a sponge. The cattle are happy, hydrated and well-fed with no need to bring in supplementary feed!

Turkeys are on the ground

Thanksgiving may seem far away but we’ve already got turkeys on the ground. These pasture-raised birds are enjoying the fresh air and sunshine with plenty of access to shade, clean water, lush grass and delicious clover. We’re also busy tending to our rabbits and ducks, collecting quail eggs and more. If you’re interested in getting some farm fresh eggs, talk to your VG Meats butcher—they go fast in store (the quail eggs in particular) but our team can always set some aside for you. It’s worth the effort for this local treat, and it’s a good way to get to know your butcher better. Trust us—our butchers love talking to customers, answering product questions, talking about the farm and offering cooking tips or personalized product recommendations. The more you get to know them, the better they can help you in store—so don’t be shy!

We’re getting ready for competition season

In previous years, VG meats has won numerous awards for our local beef, poultry and pork products. We’re currently preparing to enter this year’s competition, so wish us luck! Your favourite products may just be “award-winning” favourite products this fall. It’s an exciting time for our team! Remember, you can shop in store or online at VGFarmToCity.ca.

Thanks for reading, and please reach out if you have any questions at all. We’d be happy to hear from you, and look forward to sharing around round of updates in the fall.