OUR STORY
The evolution of our
3rd Generation Family-Owned Farm
Hi I'm Emily Wicks, daughter of Lloyd and Barbara Wicks. My parents were dairy farmers just as were my Grandparents.
Growing up on a farm is largely about finding kittens and learning small chores when you are a wee child. As we grew, so did the parents dairy operation changing from Holstein cows into Saanen goats.
Later yet, in 2012, I bought a small herd of Purebred Red Angus from an extraordinary man and his wife, Hillary and Larry Delver, from Calgary, Alberta. This became my passion on the farm, as my own side business, that grew while I was also still working at my parents dairy goat farm.
It was during this time that I met Bowman Simpson, now my husband and partner. This is also when our farm began to diversify even farther yet and our dream of having a little farm shop where we could sell our own home grown food, produce, plants and crafts began to take shape.
ABOUT GRASSHILL FARM
At Grasshill Farm, our cattle live a natural and relaxing life, rotating through perennial pasture fields. They are loved and cared for by my husband and me. Open-face shelters are available for them to take cover from inclement weather, and they enjoy plenty of fun in the sun, when the weather is nice. Our goal as farmers is to keep them safe from predation and to plan for pasture shortages during adverse weather, such as drought, while providing feed during Canada's harsh winters. We spend much of our summers "making hay while the sun shines," which is stored for feed for our animals in the winter.
We want our cows to live their best lives and believe that if they are safe, peaceful, and happy, they will be healthy, and so will the beef.
Many of the cattle in our herd will stay on our farm for their whole lives. We form deep bonds with our cattle as they do with their herd members. Being in the company of friends and family adds a level of security for our calves as they grow into adults. When they observe their mothers being comfortable around us, they are more inclined to trust us too. This bond helps our cattle transition smoothly through the seasons and stages of their lives.
The male calves that are not kept as breeding bulls, called steers, grow to be between 2 and 3 years old. These steers are with us, on our farm, from birth to the butcher, ensuring 100% traceability and allowing consumers to know where their food comes from. The calves all grow up with their mothers until it is naturally time for weaning. The weaned calves stay together in a mini herd. Once the female and steer calves are older, they reintegrate into the main herd.
WHAT DO THEY EAT?
It is simple. They eat grass and legumes, which they pick themselves from the fields for three seasons of the year. We feed them hay in the winter and as a supplement when the weather demands it in other seasons.
We do not feed grain as a ration for finishing.
All of our steers are entirely grass finished.
What grass finished means to us is an all grass/hay diet - no grain diet.
If we were to feed the female cows grain, who are not part of the food chain, it would be to meet a heightened need for nutrients, for example a mother of twins, and thus intended to ensure the animal's well being rather than for fattening purposes. That being said, the majority of our farm land is planted in perennial grassland so we are very fortunate to have enough high quality hay and baleage to meet even our nurse cow standards more often than not.
We provide free-choice loose minerals and salt, available at all times.
They ALWAYS have access to fresh water.
Sunlight + Fresh Air + Clean Water + Exercise + Lush Pasture
= Healthy Happy Cows = Healthy Beef
Our care for the sheep and chickens on our farm, follow these same principles... with the added layer of protection of being brought into a barn and coop at night, as they are more vulnerable to predation.
100% ANGUS BEEF, FREE RANGE EGGS & LAMB
Taste the difference for yourself!
Farm Fresh Pasture Raised
Angus Beef, Lamb, Chicken
Free Range Eggs Hand Picked Daily