Not Just About Profit
In a small valley, leading into the Zumbro River, chickens, ducks, guinea fowl, goats and more than 100 lambs roam the fields. This is the home of Rising Moon Farm, operated by Melissa Peteler and Catherine Friend.
For Melissa and Catherine, farming is more than just making a profit. “It is about protecting the land, working with it rather than against it, improving the soil without chemicals, building the land’s natural strengths rather than forcing it into inappropriate uses.” Rising Moon Farm succeeds in all the above goals by raising their lambs humanely and treating them with kindness and respect. Because the lambs at Rising Moon Farm live their lives in pastures and are grass and grain-fed, there is no question that the animals lead calmer and healthier lives.
In 2000, Rising Moon Farm received a Greenbook grant from the Minnesota Department of Agriculture under their Energy and Sustainable Agriculture Program for their project entitled: Sustainable Weed Control in a Commercial Vineyard. The project that will specifically test non-chemical forms of weed control and evaluate the impact these methods have on annual yield, profits and labor requirements..
Health Benefits
Not only are the animals treated with respect and enjoy their lives, but more people are enjoying the taste and health benefits of lamb raised using natural and environmentally sustainable methods. A recent study done at the University of Wisconsin revealed that conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) works to prevent cancer and heart disease and reduces fat composition. CLA regulates several enzymes within fat cells to encourage the cells to discharge fat into the blood instead of accumulating it in the cells. The research also found that among chicken, beef, pork, turkey and dairy products, lamb has the highest CLA content. Researchers have also found that grass-fed animals contain three to four times the rate of CLA when compared to grain-fed cows.
Melissa and Catherine are encouraging people to make a healthy choice and eat pasture-raised lamb. The lambs on Rising Moon Farm are raised on their mother’s milk, fed on lush pasture and grain, and are not treated with any anti-biotics or hormones, so all of their growth is natural.
Lamb is also easy to cook and delicious. “Lamb kebobs sizzling on the grill spice up the summer and lamb stew simmering on the stove warms up the winter,” said Melissa and Catherine. Not only is lamb tasty, but 3 oz. of cooked lean lamb contains only 176 calories and is a good source of zinc, protein, niacin, and vitamin B-12.
A Grape Stomp
Rising Moon Farm is also venturing into growing grapes. Their one-acre vineyard yielded a fine crop of St. Croix, Frontenac and LaCrosse wine grapes. While Melissa was busy tending to the lambs and other farm chores, Catherine drove the grapes to Northern Vineyards Winery in Stillwater and actually donned rubber boots and climbed into the vats for some grape stomping. Rising Moon Farms is already planning for their next grape crop and both Catherine and Melissa anticipate a larger harvest from their vineyard in the future.
Whether it is healthy and tasty lamb or sun-ripened grapes, Rising Moon Farm is committed to growing agricultural produce in natural and environmentally friendly ways. The farm is a great place to visit, say Melissa and Catherine, and if you and your family would like to see the way lamb is raised they encourage any interested people to visit. From the llama guarding the flock from predators, to the goats clearing the brush and providing foster care for young lambs, Rising Moon Farm is a healthy and sustainable example of farming.