The Animals

FAQ

Here is a list of frequently asked questions from our customers. If you have a question that didn’t make its way onto this list, feel free to directly contact us and we’d be happy to help!

  1. Where is your farm located? Our farm is in Chelsea, Alabama. 170 Hidden Acres Circle, Chelsea, Al 35043 
  2. Are your animals ever given any antibiotics, vaccines, or hormones? They are not. We have found with regenerative farming and good rotational grazing practices, the animals stay happy and healthy.
  3. Is it common to have feathers remaining on my poultry items? Yes! Don’t be alarmed if you find the occasional feather on any of our chicken and/or turkey items. This is naturally occurring as we do not use any harmful chemicals to remove them. If they are different colors that’s just the color of the poultry’s feathers.  
  4. What if the item I'm looking for is sold out? If you're looking for an item that appears to be sold out, no worries!  We update inventory constantly, so check back often and stock up when you see it next. You can also sign up for an in-stock reminder or contact us directly. If you’re a local customer, always contact us, as local inventory is different.

BEEF

  1. Are your cows ever fed grain? No. They are rotationally grazed through our pastures, not grazing the same piece of ground until the grass has recovered. During the winter the cows get fed hay. We rotate our cows once or twice a day to new, fresh ground. 
  2. Do you sell shares of Beef? Right now we do not. But we do hope to in the future, once our herd grows to a size that we can accommodate selling shares of beef. 
  3. What type of cattle does Sweet Magnolia Farms raise? We currently have some Angus and some South Poll cattle that we raise for beef. We are slowly moving to the South Poll Breed. 
  4. Regarding cow vs. calf, at what age are your cows typically slaughtered? Our cows do take longer than conventional grain fed beef. Ours take anywhere from 24-30 months to finish on pasture. They are strictly grass-fed and grass-finished cows that are rotated once or twice a day.
  5. How frequently do you rotate your cattle herds? We move our cows at least once a day to new pasture. 
  6. Is your beef subjected to a dry-aging process? The beef hangs for 2 weeks before getting packaged. 
  7. Do you provide minerals for your cows? Yes. We use a system that lets the cow choose the minerals they need. There are 20 different mineral bays for them to choose from. Cows are very intuitive, so they know which minerals they need (or don’t need). They smell each mineral, lick the ones they need, leave the ones they don’t. They actually only absorb 20% of the intake and they poop out the other 80%. That 80% goes back into the ground to help with restoring what the soil is lacking. Cows are incredible.

PORK

  1. What do you mean by pasture-raised pork? We raise the pigs outside where they get fresh air and sun light 24/7. We rotate our pigs at least once a week to fresh pasture or forest so they are not on the same piece of ground more than one time in their life. 
  2. Are sides and whole hogs available for purchase? Yes, we do offer half and whole pigs. You can check the website or reach out to us personally to see if there are any available. 
  3. Could you specify the breed of hogs you raise? We have a closed group of Berkshire hogs. We farrow them on pasture and raise them here on the farm until processing. 
  4. What constitutes the primary diet for your hogs? The hogs get access to all the grass, bugs, roots, and fresh water they want. We supplement them with organic, soy-free feed.
  5. How is the process of bacon curing and packaging managed for your hogs? Our bacon is cured with salt, yes just salt and then slightly smoked with real wood from a smoker. It’s truly the best bacon and you can experience the natural flavor of the pork.

POULTRY

  1. What do you feed your pastured poultry? We feed the chickens and turkeys an Organic and Soy free feed that we order and it is mixed fresh the same day. 
  2. Do y’all process the poultry on the farm yourselves? Yes, we process all of our chickens and turkeys right here on the farm.
  3. Could you specify the breed of chickens you raise? We raise both the Cornish Cross and the Red Broilers for our meat birds. 
  4. What breed of turkeys do you raise? We raise the Traditional Broad Breasted Turkeys.
  5. Do you use chlorine baths during your poultry processing? We do not use any chemicals during the processing of our poultry.

ORDERS/DELIVERY

  1. We do not offer shipping services. Our available options for obtaining products are limited to pickup locations, specifically the Coastal Alabama Farmers and Fishermen's Market in Foley, Alabama and our farm located in Chelsea, Alabama. If you are interested in a drop location near your community, please reach out to discuss details. 
  2. How is the meat securely packaged? The pork, beef, and lamb are packaged at the processing facility. The poultry is packaged on farm in a clean environment and vacuum sealed to ensure freshness. 
  3. Is there an option to return products? What should I do if I'm dissatisfied or have a complaint? If you are not satisfied with any of our products we ask that you reach out to us via email or phone so we can make it right.