Sidehill Farm: One Organic Dairy, Two Organic Businesses

Real Organic Podcast

#069: Amy Klippenstein and Paul Lacinski of Sidehill Farm in western Massachusetts discuss their decision to become a certified organic dairy, and then soon after, to certify with Real Organic Project. They also share the story of separating their creamery from the farm and creating two viable, less-stressful businesses.
Sidehill Farm is a Real Organic Project certified dairy farm and creamery in Hawley, Massachusetts. After co-founding the farm, owners Amy Klippenstein and Paul Lacinski chose to separate the creamery, which they continue to operate, from the farm, selling their herd to Meadowsweet Farm. Both businesses continue to prosper in this new arrangement.
To watch a video version of this podcast with access to the full transcript and links relevant to our conversation, please visit:
https://www.realorganicproject.org/sidehill-farm-one-organic-dairy-two-businesses-episode-sixty-nine
The Real Organic Podcast is hosted by Dave Chapman and Linley Dixon, engineered by Brandon StCyr, and edited and produced by Jenny Prince.
The Real Organic Project is a farmer-led movement working towards certifying 1,000 farms across the United States this year. Our add-on food label distinguishes soil-grown fruits and vegetables from hydroponically-raised produce, and pasture-raised meat, milk, and eggs from products harvested from animals in horrific confinement (CAFOs - confined animal feeding operations).
To find a Real Organic farm near you, please visit:
https://www.realorganicproject.org/farms
We believe that the organic standards, with their focus on soil health, biodiversity, and animal welfare were written as they should be, but that the current lack of enforcement of those standards is jeopardizing the ability for small farms who adhere to the law to stay in business. The lack of enforcement is also jeopardizing the overall health of the customers who support the organic movement; customers who are not getting what they pay for at market but still paying a premium price. And the lack of enforcement is jeopardizing the very cycles (water, air, nutrients) that Earth relies upon to provide us all with a place to live, by pushing extractive, chemical agriculture to the forefront.
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