Home on the Vander Eyk Range: A New Organic Herd?

I love this time of year in cattle country. The pastures have been empty for months because cattle summer elsewhere, typically high up in the forest. In those months, moms have had babies and they all return to their lower elevation homes for the winter. We see many babies this time of year frolicking in the pastures.

Two of the more notorious pastures in our area are owned by the Vander Eyk Dairy, the organic dairy that lost its certification this past spring. One pasture is in the foothills and another at about 2500 feet elevation, just a ten minute drive from our house. On these pastures the Vander Eyks grazed their heifers and claimed that such grazing met the organic standards for dairy production. The heifers lived in paradise while the cows (doing the heavy lifting for the dairy and actually producing the milk) got to live in an industrial dairy near Pixley.

Ever since the last of the Holstein heifers was moved from the Vander Eyk pasture in June and since the decertification became public, I have wondered if we would see any Holsteins in the mountains this winter. It is pretty unusual to see Holsteins in beef cattle country. After losing their organic certification, there has been discussion that the Vander Eyk dairy might seek recertification. As I said, I've wondered what we would see here this winter. The Vander Eyk pasture land could surely be an indication of its intentions.

My husband Sander checked it out the foothill property last week and claimed to have spotted three Holsteins.

"Sander, but you only got pictures of beef cattle."

"No, there were some black and white cows too."

"Sander, just because it's black and white doesn't make it a Holstein. When you think of Holstein you need to think 'Dalmation' like from '101 Dalmations.' We have the movie in the front room. "

"I know what a Holstein is. I am sure there were three Holsteins there. I got pictures of them."

"All of the pictures are of beef cattle."

"Really? You're right then, the Holsteins were not in the picture, but they are there. I saw them. I saw three of them to be exact."

Before the USDA decided to enforce the organic standard, I expect evidence like Sander's was good enough for certification.

Times are changing. This dairy was decertified in the spring for not meeting the pasture requirement. The USDA is getting tough. A ruminant animal with black and white fur isn't necessarily going to count as part of the herd any longer as much as my urbanite husband insists that it is. And then they really need to be pastured when they are actually milking -- the key part of the law that inspired the decertification of the Vander Eyk Organic Dairy, the removal of one Aurora Dairy from the organic system, and the lawsuits against the Aurora Dairy and its retailers like Wal-Mart.

Holstein Sighting

For about a week, the household joke has been the "Holsteins" that Sander spotted.

"Maybe they were Halfsteins, not really Holsteins," said Sander after I drove by the property twice and saw no dairy cattle.

When our Kindergartener son got involved in the discussion this morning adding "There are no Holsteins there," Sander decided to investigate further.

"Look at my computer screen!"

Thanks to a whole lot of pixels, Sander was able to display something pretty amazing on his computer screen.

"Holy cow! Those are Holstein!"

What has been the household joke for the better part of the week turns out to be on us. There are at least three Holsteins in the foothill area.

To complete the Vander Eyk cow census for December, I should add that I did find one Holstein grazing in the higher elevation Vander Eyk pasture.

I took a picture of the animal as a courtesy to the dairy. When the dairy seeks recertification, this picture can provide independent documentation that they are meeting the pasture requirement. My husband Sander is also available for testimony.