One of my favorite farm tours to date has been at Mayfair Farm in Harrisville, NH. Co-owners Craig Thompson and Sarah Heffron are incredibly informative and can explain their sustainable production methods at length, even for a layperson like me (I bet you were expecting me to talk about the samples of their amazing baked goods, weren’t you?). 
They love to talk about the research, investment, and trials and errors that have led to their on-farm practices. I admit, I can be guilty of scrutinizing the farming practices and sources of my food more than most (I work at a food co-op with great choices, so why not?), and Mayfair Farm has managed to earn my trust. They are dedicated to sustainable farming practices, raising animals humanely, without destroying the environment. Their pigs have year-round access to the outdoors, are fed non-GMO grains milled by the farm, and are allowed to forage naturally in their woodland pastures.
The bond of trust with their customers is part of why Sarah and Craig chose to go through the rigorous verification process to become the only Non-GMO Project Verified pork producer in New England; a respected designation they have recently been awarded for a second year running.
“Consumers have a right to know what is in their food and how their food is produced,” Sarah says. “It should be easy to walk through a supermarket and feel confident in products like our pork that carry the Non-GMO Project Verified label.” From the volume of inquiries our co-op receives about which producers use GMO feed, I agree that our customers appreciate this kind of transparency and third party verification. 
On that note, Mayfair Farm is also a designated Step 4 producer by the Global Animal Partnership Animal Welfare Rating Program in recognition of its pasture-centered farming practices. In addition, they were recently named a New Hampshire Farm of Distinction, exemplifying excellence in stewardship and agriculture. Both of these are momentous achievements and I am so thankful we are able to support this incredible farm by offering a broad range of their products in our store.
If you want to know more about Mayfair Farm, check out their website, or stay tuned later this month as we announce the dates of the farm tours our co-op organizes for the public – Mayfair will likely make the list!
