Blog – Page 5 – Hiland Naturals

Farmers Who Inspire Us: Robert Of Rehoboth Ranch

May 6, 2015 / Posted in: Interviews

At Hiland Naturals, we seek to inspire farmers to do better, to raise their animals in a way that is healthy for both animal and human alike. Sometimes, however, other people inspire us. A person that inspires us is one of our favorite customers, Robert Hutchins and family of Rehoboth Ranch in Greenville, Texas.

We recently sat down to talk with Mr. Hutchins about his farm and about his family to learn why he likes us so much, and he shared a story with us that we weren’t quite prepared for.

Why Raise Rabbits?

May 4, 2015 / Posted in: Farming Practices

The backyard farmer is accustomed to growing vegetables and, typically, raising chickens, but there’s certainly room on pasture for another type of small, meat-bearing creature. Rabbits can easily be raised on the homestead, make good pets—and even better dinners. We certainly wouldn’t discourage you from raising non-GMO poultry, but there are a lot of great reasons to raise non-GMO rabbits as well.

Let Us Introduce You To The Non-GMO Project

May 1, 2015 / Posted in: Science of GMOs / Tagged: healthy eating, non-GMO feed

The natural food movement is picking up momentum, and the new rhetoric surrounding it is all about informed choices and accountability. Most nations across the globe no not consider GMOs to be safe, but American regulations allow them in the food supply based on scientific studies—scientific studies conducted by the big corporations that benefit the most from their use.

While the health risks of GMOs are certainly up for debate, the fact that more and more Americans want to be informed of GMOs so they can steer clear of them is not. Many fight for product labeling when GMOs are involved, and others—like Joel Salatin—aren’t interested in more government interference in our food production. The companies that want consumers to know that their products are proven to be non-GMO, however, can take matters into their own hands.

The Non-GMO Project is a nonprofit which is now key in the fight to inform consumers about what they are ingesting every day. With the Non-GMO Project verified seal, you can be confident that you are opting for the healthiest choice possible.

Let’s Debate: Margarine Vs. Butter

April 29, 2015 / Posted in: Science of GMOs / Tagged: backyard farming, healthy eating, natural foods

There are lots of things up for debate in the world of healthy eating, but we don’t typically take the time to sit down and chat about which fatty spread poses the bigger risk to our health. Most people don’t even know the difference between margarine and butter, just that margarine has been hailed as the healthier option in our modern world. Have we ever stopped to ask ourselves why that is? Looking more in depth at these two delicious items may give us a clue.

Organic Is For Everyone: An Interview With Fertrell’s Jeff Mattocks

April 27, 2015 / Posted in: Interviews / Tagged: backyard farming, Fertrell, Jeff Mattocks

We at Hiland Naturals use Fertrell in our GMO-free livestock feed because we think it’s important to give your family the best nature has to offer, so you, in turn, can raise healthy food. We recently spoke with Jeff Mattocks, Vice President and Animal Nutrition Specialist at Fertrell, about the importance of healthy soil, healthy animals, and healthy people.

In the first part of our interview, we talked to Jeff about raising animals and feeding people in the best possible way. Here you’ll read all about eating organic and starting your own backyard farm.

Which Is Best, Organic Or Non-GMO?

April 24, 2015 / Posted in: The GMO Debate / Tagged: organic food, the GMO debate

Genetically modified organisms are causing problems for people who eat across America. So basically everyone. The majority of us don’t know when we are ingesting them because food is so easy to get and inexpensive to procure that we rarely take the time to check labels or become truly informed about what goes into the things we eat. Backyard farming is changing all of that. People are quick to jump on the organics food bandwagon, but there are somethings we all need to recognize when it comes to the organic movement and non-GMO foods.

Healthy Soil, Health Animals, Healthy People: An Interview With Fertrell’s Jeff Mattocks

April 22, 2015 / Posted in: Interviews / Tagged: backyard farming, Fertrell, Jeff Mattocks, science of GMOs

We at Hiland Naturals use Fertrell in our GMO-free livestock feed because we think it’s important to give your family the best nature has to offer, so you, in turn, can raise healthy food. We recently spoke with Jeff Mattocks, Vice President and Animal Nutrition Specialist at Fertrell, about the importance of healthy soil, healthy animals, and healthy people.

In the first part of our two-part interview with Jeff, we talk about how farming practices have changed and what we as farmers can do to keep up with the times in a scientific, yet natural way.

Working Within The Bounds Of Nature: Talking GMOs And Farming With Terrell Spencer

April 20, 2015 / Posted in: Interviews / Tagged: backyard farming, Farmer Veteran Coalition, Terrell Spencer

For about eight years, Carla and Terrell Spencer have been successfully growing their farming operations in the Boston Mountains near West Fork, Arkansas. Theirs is a story of struggle, and ultimately, success. Hiland Naturals spoke with “Spence” about his work with the Farmer Veteran Coalition, being a parent, and his stance on GMOs.

A Short Guide For Feeding Healthy, GMO-Free Pigs

April 17, 2015 / Posted in: Farming Practices / Tagged: farming practices, GMO-free pig feed, raising pigs

For many, chickens are the gateway animal. Once you’ve successfully dipped your toes in that pond, you may be ready to handle a bigger, more complex animal on your homestead. Pigs are an ideal animal to add to your list of accomplishments, but there’s a great deal to know before you start to feed your own GMO-free pigs. These highly intelligent creatures require a real healthy diet, and if you want healthy humans, you must raise healthy meat.

The Essence Of Human Spirit: Talking Backyard Farming With Joel Salatin

April 15, 2015 / Posted in: Interviews / Tagged: backyard farming, GMO debate, Joel Salatin

Hiland Naturals is committed to providing GMO-free feed to the masses, and we’re very proud to be a Non GMO Project verified brand, but not everyone feels the same way we do about GMOs. We wanted to hear from someone who really understands the debate from every angle, so we looked to a living, breathing example of successful sustainable farming in the United States—Polyface Farms.

The “farm of many faces” operated by the Salatin family, at the head of which sits third generation alternative farmer, Joel. He’s a highly-sought after speaker because of his deep insight and impassioned prose and the perfect person to weigh in on the GMO debate.

This is the third and final installment in a three-part series where Joel talks to Hiland Naturals about everything from his feelings on GMOs to the effects of a backyard farm on family. Because Hiland Naturals caters to people believe in the backyard farm, eating organic, and staying accountable for their own food choices, we wanted to see what Joel had to say about the impact of the backyard farm on families. This is what he had to say: Read more