The Noordman’s, along with our four children, have farmed Dale’s homestead since the early 1980’s.  The 585 acre farm has been organic since the early 1990’s and the rest was converted in 2000.  In 1998, Betty joined the “crafter shows” in many areas, displaying organic flours as whole wheat pancake and bread mixes.  The Farm Bureau included our bread mixes in their gift boxes of Minnesota Grown products.  Likewise, just this year the Morris, Minnesota Stevens County Historical Museum displayed both pancake and bread mixes in their gift boxes, too.  We support the “Minnesota Grown Campaign” and display this logo on our designer pacs.  This label means at least 80% of our market items are produced and processed right here in Minnesota.

We are a small diversified farm-owned food business, and our family does the production and marketing for our products.  There is room on the farm for kids, recreation, and is open to customers who want to visit.  Our techniques in raising animals are different from conventional production in that we raise livestock on pasture seasonally, and straw bedding in the winter.  We don’t use confinement techniques, especially for our beef.  The cows are always outdoors in the fresh air and we do not supplement our feed with hormones, animal by-products, or antibiotics.

Our newest animal is the “grazing chickens and turkeys”.  These free-ranged birds are superior over store-purchased poultry because they are ranged on outdoor greens and organic grains, but sheltered at night.  Therefore, vitamin and mineral content is premium and the greens are high in Vitamin B.

As of 1999, our grains and vegetables are being used to bake organic breads.  Our local baker has baked breads for various functions such as the Minnesota Organic Conference, the Annual UMM Meeting in Morris, MN, the LSP Banquet in St. Paul, and many other events, using our products. 

We call ourselves “Life Design” because we are trying to add value back into the soil for “balance”.  We fear that modern production agriculture has left this out and we strive to improve with our diversified methods of raising animals and producing grains and vegetables.  Please call for availability on all meats and grain products.

Visit their Web site at http://www.ruralsolutions.com/lifedesignorganics/ for more information.