22 Oct Meet Burroughs Family Farms
Meet Burroughs Family Farms
Benina of Burroughs Family Farms
Burroughs Family Farms, located in Denair, California, started out as a small dairy in 1906. Today, it is now a full-circle collaboration of family-owned and operated farms producing and selling regenerative organic almonds, olive oil, and grass-fed, pastured meats and eggs.
We expanded to almonds in the late 1980’s, eventually adding olives and walnuts. In 2006 we started transitioning the first almond blocks to organic and by 2015 the whole farm was certified. Our transition to organic began our journey down the regenerative path as we saw firsthand how regenerative practices could restore the health of our soil and land, while helping us produce delicious, nutrient-dense foods. In June of 2022 the farm was certified Regenerative Organic by the Regenerative Organic Alliance.
Livestock integration is one of the 5 principles of regenerative agriculture. Grazing animals actually improve the condition of the soil rather than damaging it, and a significant amount of carbon can be sequestered because the land is always kept covered and the roots and soil microbiome are nourished and left mostly undisturbed. To put this principle into action, we started raising sheep, which graze our organic orchard floors during part of the year.
Below are a few questions Burroughs Family Farms answered for us:
What is the most rewarding part of raising lambs on your farm?
We love adding more life to the farm. Raising lambs allows us to stack enterprises and produce quality protein while simultaneously improving the health of our orchards. Plus they are cute!
Why do you think it’s important for consumers to buy locally raised lamb?
Buying locally raised lamb helps sustain family farms and strengthen the local economy. It gives consumers the opportunity to trace the meat back to its source and see exactly how it was raised. Burroughs Family Farms lambs graze freely on nutrient-dense pastures and in our regenerative orchards–the end result is nourishing, high quality protein.
How can customers get in touch with you or purchase your products directly?
Customers can visit burroughsfamilyfarms.com to learn more about our regenerative practices and purchase our grass-fed lamb (available in bulk and smaller quantities of lamb chops/ground lamb). Browse their lamb products.
What’s your favorite way to enjoy lamb? Do you have any family recipes or favorite dishes you’d recommend to customers?
I love a leg of lamb slow roasted with rosemary, garlic and salt.
Here’s a great Leg of Lamb Recipe from the California Lamb website’s collection if you’d like to give this a try!
Do you have any exciting upcoming projects or initiatives you’d like to share with our audience?
We’re hosting our 4th Annual Regenerative Tree Nut Field Day on January 21-22, 2025. It’s a fantastic opportunity to connect with regen experts, farmers, policymakers and a diverse group of changemakers all working towards a healthy and truly regenerative food system. Attendees will tour our regenerative organic orchards, learn practical skills in implementing regenerative practices and connect with like minded businesses. Tickets are on sale now and can be purchased at burroughsfamilyfarms.com/pages/regenerative-almond-field-day.
You can also follow Burroughs Family Farms on Facebook and Instagram.