Our Family Story
Harley Farms originated in East Kennett, England. Roger and Julie, together with our children James and Emily, used natural farming protocols to farm over 4,500 acres that included 2,500 breeding ewes and lambs, 1,000 head of fattening cattle, outdoor farrow to finish hogs, and also produce all our own winter supply of forage.
In 2000, we moved to Canada from the UK, and in 2002 we purchased our present farms near Keene, Ontario. Here, we started working on and developing sustainable agricultural standards and protocols that would work in Canada, to protect the environment, animal welfare, and the financial well-being of the farmer.
Our Mission
At Harley Farms, our goal is to produce livestock and crops in a way that aligns with the surrounding natural environment and places a special focus on animal and bird welfare. For more information visit our Regenerative Agriculture page.
As a result, our customers can have confidence that Harley Farms products are fully traceable and come from livestock which are humanely and sustainably raised.
Our Approach
Our farming system is grounded in the belief that our animals should be raised as humanely and naturally as possible. Our farm animals are kept together in family groups for most of their lives, which reduces their stress levels and supports their overall health. We also believe in maximizing the use of our pastures and forage crops, which allows the animals to subsist predominantly on the plants and crops they are meant to consume, thereby reducing our dependency on grains in our livestock finishing program.
We strive to provide our animals with as much fresh air and abundant space to roam as possible, preferring to shelter rather than confine them. Our Heritage Tamworth sows, for example, can be seen out in the fields year-round with their young. Even on the coldest, snowiest days, the pigs seem happiest outside as long as they have a dry and warm shelter to retreat to when they’re ready to come in. We breed livestock best suited to the climate and surrounding environment and likely to thrive and fatten off a diet based on pasture and forage.