FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (FAQ)

At this time, we do tours by appointment only. Head on over to our contact page to schedule a time!

While our products aren't certified organic, we're proud advocates of regenerative agriculture. Organic farming follows stringent guidelines set by the USDA, ensuring products are produced without synthetic fertilizers or pesticides. However, our commitment to regenerative agriculture goes a step further. Rather than just sustaining current land resources, we aim to improve soil health, enhance biodiversity, and foster ecological balance. Regenerative agriculture is not a set of prescribed practices but a mindset that focuses on outcomes—like healthier soil, cleaner air and water, and a more sustainable environment overall. It's not about dismissing organic practices but offering a more holistic and adaptive approach to farming that benefits both consumers and the land. We recognize that organic certification is a valuable choice for some producers and consumers. However, we believe regenerative agriculture provides an innovative and adaptable path forward, allowing us to contribute positively to the health of the land, which, in turn, benefits everyone who depends on it.

Farm Stapels, commonly misspelled as Farm Staples, was started by us, the Stapel family. It's a play on words that combines our family name, Stapel, with the concept of providing staple items you might find on a farm, such as honey, milk, and more.

👉 Single Source: When you buy from us, you know exactly where your food comes from. You can trace it back to the exact cows, chickens, or bees it came from. 👉 Freshness: Farm-raised products are often harvested or processed shortly before they reach your plate. Store-bought items, on the other hand, may have been harvested earlier and undergone transportation and storage processes that affect their lifespan. 👉 Quality: We choose specific farming practices that influence the taste and quality of our food. Unlike store-bought products, our farm fresh products go through minimal processing and retain more of their natural flavor. 👉 Supporting Local: Buying from local farmers allows you to establish a personal connection with the people who grow your food. You can ask questions about their farming practices, learn about where your food comes from, and develop a sense of trust in the products you're purchasing. Send us a message, and ask away! Farm-raised products offer a direct, wholesome and fresh alternative to mass-produced, store bought items. We are grateful for every choice you make to support all of us here at Farm Stapels. Thank you for being part of our farm family!

Our fresh comes from our herd of 260 Holstein and Jersey cows. We also raise our own youngstock, ensuring a sustainable and self-reliant operation. In addition, we are proud to operate another farm where we devote our passion to raising animals exclusively for exceptional beef. Our commitment extends further as we raise a new group of pigs on our farm each year.

To start, we are certified in animal welfare and wellbeing! Our farm goes through a certification process with The FARM Program, a national animal welfare initiative. There are four areas of this program: animal care, environmental stewardship, workforce development and antibiotic stewardship. Next, we have orange fitbits for our cows. This lets us know a lot about that cow, including if they’re not feeling well, so we can take care of their individual needs. They also have a balanced diet. We feed them TMR (total mixed rations), so they get all the necessary nutrients! We do more than what's listed here, including providing regular veterinary care, hoof trimming, and all necessary health measures to ensure they’re well taken care of.

They’re actually like Fitbits for cows! These tags help us monitor each cow’s health and activity levels. If a cow isn't feeling well, we know right away and can give her the care she needs. This means we can manage each cow individually rather than the entire herd. Our cows are well taken care of, and we’re here to ensure they’re happy and healthy.

We feed our cows TMR. TMR stands for Total Mixed Rations. We use this method of feeding our dairy cows to ensure they get all of the nutrients they need in each bite, and TMR ensures every bite tastes the same. 🌽 This is a mixture of corn, the whole plant choppedup. 🌱 With a grass mix - kale, ryegrass, clover, cereal rye. This is also chopped up, and stored in oxygen free environment to preserve it. 🌼 And canola meal, vitamins and minerals to balance it out. We also have a nutritionist that comes monthly to test the feed and balance the rations.

Answered by our beekeeper, Carolyn! ☝️ The number one reason to buy honey direct from a keeper would be the opportunity to ask questions and get answers directly from the source. We strive to build relationships with everyone who comes to our "backdoor" to buy honey, giving them a chance to step onto the farm! ✌️ Secondly, our honey goes directly from the bee hives to the extracting shed to you in its purest, most natural form. Many companies that sell for the store shelf will heat their honey so that it is pasteurized and stays liquid in the bottle longer. Also, the journey from the hive to the shelf is a lot longer, with many grocery stores even offering honey from other countries! 👌 Lastly, while not all, but some commercial keepers feed their bees sugar syrup even during a nectar flow. The bees will turn this into honey, but the taste just doesn't compare to honey gathered only from natural local sources. Build a connection to your local farmers! The opportunity is always here. 😊

Most of us have a jar of honey in our pantry, but did you know that store-bought honey might not be as “raw” as they claim? Many grocery stores sell honey that is heated, filtered, and often contains added fillers like corn syrup, which can diminish its natural benefits. When it comes to our honey, our bees can collect pollen up to a 2-mile radius (they can cover some ground 💪) of our farm, ensuring our honey is genuinely local and packed with nutrients. When you order honey from us, you know exactly what you're getting—real honey. What’s special about our local raw honey? 🐝 No Heating - Unlike many commercial honeys, we never heat our honey. Heating can destroy beneficial enzymes, vitamins, and minerals, reducing its health benefits. That’s a no-no around here. 🐝 Pure and Natural - Our honey contains only the good stuff—no added sugars or fillers. You get the full health benefits of raw honey, including anti-inflammatory properties, antioxidants, and natural antibiotics. Try adding a spoonful to your daily routine to help with allergies. “A spoonful of [honey] helps the medicine go down…” That’s how it goes, right? 🐝 Local - Our bees pollinate the flowers, trees, and crops around our farm. This not only helps the environment but also ensures that our honey can help with local seasonal allergies by introducing trace amounts of local pollen. The pollen color can change depending on where the bees are getting it - yellows and oranges are most common, but we’ll also spot browns, greens, reds, and even purples in our hives. 🐝 Crystallization - Don't be alarmed if our honey crystallizes—this is a natural process that indicates purity. Crystallized honey has not gone bad; it's just the honey holding onto its valuable properties. Simply place the jar in warm water (not over 100°F) to return it to a liquid state, preserving its antioxidants. You don't want to kill the antioxidants that make this a healthy alternative to refined sugar. 🐝 Traceability - You can trust that our honey is exactly what we claim—real and raw. We harvest it with our own two (sometimes more 😉) hands. Fuel your body with the real, local and raw stuff. 💪

No need to fret! If we need to change your delivery for any reason, we will notify you via email and/or text.

When your order is delivered, it will be placed in a cooler. You have the choice to purchase a Farm Stapels branded cooler or use your own. We kindly request that you also place your empty, rinsed bottles in the cooler for easy collection during the delivery.

We will have a planned route and estimated delivery time based on your location.

We currently deliver locally to the Cedar Grove, WI and Oostburg, WI area. Please enter your zip code in the checkout page to see if we offer delivery in your area.

We prepare orders ahead of time to be scheduled for pick-up. Please peruse the wonderful farm-fresh products on our website, place an order, and visit us in person when you come to pick up!

Creamlime, also known as creamtop milk, is *non-homogenized* milk that separates into layers of cream and milk, allowing the cream to rise to the top. It’s called creamline because of that line where the cream and milk touch. This is closer to how milk was traditionally made, offering a richer taste and texture.

Let's keep it simple: A2A2 refers to the type of protein found in the milk. The type of protein a cow produces is based on genetics, and most cows produce milk with A1 protein, which can cause digestive discomfort for some people. A2A2 milk contains only the A2 protein, which is easier to digest and similar to the original milk people used to drink. This is what our cows produce, and it could be a better option for those who have trouble with regular milk. If you’d like to give our delicious, A2A2 creamline milk a try, be sure to follow us and stay connected for the release!

Glass bottles help maintain a colder temperature, ensuring optimal freshness. Glass preserves the natural taste of milk without any interference from plastic. Additionally, glass bottles can be reused for years when properly cared for, reducing the environmental impact of single-use plastic and landfill waste. By choosing glass, we prioritize quality, taste, and sustainability.

To return the glass bottles, simply bring them back to the store where you originally purchased the milk. Alternatively, you can rinse the bottles and place them in your porch cooler for our delivery personnel to collect when they deliver your next fresh batch of milk. We appreciate your commitment to sustainability and reusing the bottles!

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