Frequently Asked Questions
Do you ship product?
No, we don’t ship any of our products. We believe in local farming, and that local provides the freshest food. If you think you like the products we sell, and the way we raise our animals and grow our food, we encourage you to seek a local farmer, CSA or farmer’s market in your area. We appreciate your interest, and hope you can find someone in your area.
Do you deliver?
I'll give you the engineering answer: it depends. It depends on what you are purchasing and where you are. We sometimes deliver to west Longmont or north Boulder, because we drive that way frequently for work. If you are buying eggs only, chances are, we won't deliver. Once we put eggs in a vehicle to drive them somewhere, all profit goes out the gas tank. If you are purchasing a large quantity of meat products, like a whole lamb, or 30 chickens - we would consider delivering in a time that works for us, if you are anywhere between Denver and Fort Collins. We don't have a standard delivery route right now, and if you come out to the farm to purchase products, you can pick out exactly what you want!
Do you have products available year-round?
Yes and no. We often have meat in the freezer - lamb and pork rarely sell out. Chicken and turkey often sell out in the late fall or early winter. We don't raise young birds in the winter, as it is too difficult to keep baby chicks alive in the cold months. We also do not process birds in freezing temperatures, as it is an outdoor endeavor, that involves a lot of water and is too uncomfortable for the processors to perform the work. Once we process our last batch of chickens in the fall, when they sell out, they are done until April or May. Egg production also wanes in the winter. We do not artificially light our birds, so once the temperatures drop and the amount of daylight is too minimal, our birds stop laying. So some of our products are seasonal. If you are looking to stock up your freezer for the winter, it's best to stay in touch with us through the fall.
Do you take credit cards?
We do have a Square reader and can take credit cards on site. We also accept Venmo @longshadowfarm, and Paypal at kristin@longshadowfarm.com.  Of course, we take checks and cash, too!
Are you certified Organic?
The answer is no, but we practice that way as best as we can. We don't spray any -cides on our food. No pesticides in our orchard, no fungicides in our greenhouse, no chemicals of any kind. We don't give our animals medicine unless they need it. We do make an exception for our sheep, who get vaccinated for CL and tetanus every year. We do this far in advance of processing the meat, and the injections are all subcutaneous. We also, are not looking for an organic certification. It's costly for a small operation like ours, and organic certifications actually allow the use of some chemicals that we don't use, and we feel it's become a marketing gadget more than a useful tool since so many allowances are made. We choose to practice in the most sustainable and cost effective ways that we can, without getting bogged down in paperwork.
Yes and no. In 2014, we switched one of our laying flocks to 100% certified organic, GMO-free layer feed. However, that producer no longer services small farms, so we are unable to source organic poultry feed in bulk, and buying by the bag is too time consuming and wasteful for us. Our sheep and cows are fed our pasture and purchased hay. We are not certified organic, but we don't spray our pasture with anything.
Can we see you process your food?
SURE! We love a few extra helping hands on chicken and turkey processing weekends. And we’d love to show you how it’s done, so you can learn what really happens to your food. Some of our customers like to pick out their own Thanksgiving turkey, and lend a hand in the plucking and processing. We think people appreciate their meals much more when they have a hand in really creating it. So of course you can come and watch, but be prepared to lend a helping hand, too!
Are you USDA certified for processing?
No. We are not USDA certified. The USDA gives an exemption for small processing facilities, and for processing done for personal consumption. So when we process for another family for chickens they will eat themselves, the USDA does not require certification. They also have a small farm exemption for anyone processing less than 1,000 birds per year.
Our lamb meat is processed at Arapahoe Meats in Erie, who are licensed by the CDA to process small livestock. They do a great job with our lambs, and we're glad to have them! We are able to sell retail cuts of meat through the Ranch to Plate act.
I have a surprise rooster, can you give it a home for me?
Even though I would love to, we have to say no. Due to the quick spread of illness among birds, we can't take in stray birds, no matter how wonderful they are. Bringing in just one bird that might have a respiratory illness can effect our entire flock of over 400 birds. We just can't risk it. This is called Bio-Security, and it is why some farms don't allow visitors in their pens with their bird. Also, we are NPIP certified and can only bring in birds from other certified sources.
Do you sell breeding stock or baby chicks?
Lambs - our sheep flock has a very contagious, non-fatal disease called CL (caseous lymphadenitous). It causes lesions on their skin, but the illness is contagious to other sheep, as well as goats, and is much more dangerous to goats. We are slowly vaccinating it out of our ewes, but the lambs are susceptible and we don't want to spread it.
Turkey Poults - we hatch just enough turkey poults for our own needs, and typically don't have enough to share, if that changes, we'll let you know.
Baby Chicks - we are happy to sell baby chicks, however, we are not able to sex them, If you only want females, I am not able to determine the sex of my baby chicks until the roos start to crow!
Ducklings - We do also sell ducklings in the spring. We still will not guarantee the sex of the duckling.
Quail - we can hatch quail year-round. Again, we can't sex them as hatched.