Snake River Farm Minnesota

Snake River Farm Minnesota We raise and sell grass-fed bison, beef, and pastured hogs. Sold by the 1/4 & 1/2, direct to families We pasture raise all of our animals in a natural setting.

We sell grassfed bison and beef and pastured hogs direct to the consumer, by the1/4 and 1/2. We pasture harvest our animals to minimize stress for them and for us. The Snake River created a unique landscape of native prairie, oak savanna, wooded lowlands, wet meadows and tamarack swamp. We seasonally rotate the herds through open and wooded pastures as is best for the animals and the land. Meat an

imals are humanely harvested and processed locally. We tame mustang horses that we adopt from the BLM as yearlings. We train all of our horses to ride, to drive and for farm work. a one-room schoolhouse, farm museum and wildlife. We welcome visits and tours especially educational groups but by appointment only, as this is a working family farm. Please email for information. [email protected]

[email protected]

Cold weather and fresh eggs-Two of the eggs in the photo below were still warm, under a hen. The third egg which is froz...
11/30/2025

Cold weather and fresh eggs-Two of the eggs in the photo below were still warm, under a hen. The third egg which is frozen and cracked was uncovered. It is not particularly unusual for eggs to freeze. Normally the expansion that cracks the shell does not break the flexible membrane that lines the shell. When the egg warms up, the crack closes.
An egg like that could not go into commerce. It would too much of a salmonella risk to the public. There is very little or no risk to farmers whose immune systems have been exposed for a lifetime to farm animals.

For more of Tom’s writings:

https://www.thesnakeriverfarm.com/uploads/1/3/1/6/131648817/snake_river_farm_animals_on_a_50_below_morning__1_.pdf

www.thesnakeriverfarm.com

We Won A Pony With This Photo-A photographer advertised in ourlocal paper, if you hired him tophotograph your kids, he w...
11/23/2025

We Won A Pony With This Photo-
A photographer advertised in our
local paper, if you hired him to
photograph your kids, he would put
you in a lottery for a pony.
That is how we came by a pony named Babe.
She was probably a 1/2 Shetland and 1/2 common saddle horse. Shetland are by nature
strong willed and tough. Most people would be
surprised to know they were not developed for
children, but for use in English mine tunnels.
Stories by Tom-follow the link for the full story.

https://www.thesnakeriverfarm.com/uploads/1/3/1/6/131648817/we_won_a_pony_with_this_photo_-_copy.pdf

https://www.thesnakeriverfarm.com/

Look who I found while checking out which organization I wanted to support on Give to the Max day! Sustainable Farming A...
11/21/2025

Look who I found while checking out which organization I wanted to support on Give to the Max day! Sustainable Farming Association

A mainstay at the corral on Farm Day-This sweet soul will be leaving for Virginia this week & will be working as a legal...
11/18/2025

A mainstay at the corral on Farm Day-This sweet soul will be leaving for Virginia this week & will be working as a legal assistant with HSLDA. They are a legal nonprofit that advocates for homeschoolers in the courts and the legislature. She will be missed at the farm as well as her families farm-Jopp Family Farms.

Did you know one whole summer Tom and I worked on a Farmall Tractor Project? Thats where I really got to know Blake as h...
11/15/2025

Did you know one whole summer Tom and I worked on a Farmall Tractor Project? Thats where
I really got to know Blake as he and numerous helpers positioned the tractors for me to photograph. “No no turn the tires this way please” “Could you move them out of the dappled sunlight?” I’m sure they never expected that when they asked me!

Tom wrapped up his writings and published just as Covid shut down Minnesota. No farm days or events to promote, no book signing tours 😁just a dandy little comprehensive book about Farmalls and farming stories.

Heres a link for further information:
https://www.thesnakeriverfarm.com/store/p1/International_Harvester_Tractors_from_1921_to_1960.html

I wondered if Northern Lights affect livestock so i googled it and this came up about humans. It can affect your body, w...
11/15/2025

I wondered if Northern Lights affect livestock so i googled it and this came up about humans. It can affect your body, with evidence suggesting potential impacts on cardiovascular and nervous systems, though research is ongoing and some effects are debated. Studies indicate that geomagnetic disturbances may influence heart rate variability (HRV), blood pressure, and sleep, and some research suggests a link between geomagnetic activity and cardiovascular mortality, especially for those with pre-existing conditions. While the atmosphere protects us on the ground from harmful radiation, the magnetic field changes may still cause physiological stress.
I’m not sure about that however I do believe the fear of missing out on the atmosphere changes during the event did cause a lack of sleep-FOMO is real 😆

No matter where you were last night I hope you had a few moments to take in the Northern Lights! Stunning. Take a peek t...
11/13/2025

No matter where you were last night I hope you had a few moments to take in the Northern Lights! Stunning. Take a peek tonight for perhaps a few more glimpses.

Minnesota hunters are preparing for the start of fi****ms deer season tomorrow. Deer often visit the farm, but are not r...
11/07/2025

Minnesota hunters are preparing for the start of fi****ms deer season tomorrow. Deer often visit the farm, but are not raised as livestock. The farm does not allow deer hunting, and the absence of dogs creates a refuge for the deer as they pass through is what Tom explained to me the spring I photographed twin fawns. The Doe was on the other side of fencing and was very aware of my presence. Telephoto makes it appear I’m much closer. At some point that day mom moved her family to a different location. I was very lucky to get that moment. 💞

Writings by Tom-We do not yell at our animals.I can imagine the need to yell in a dangerous situation but I cannot recal...
11/07/2025

Writings by Tom-

We do not yell at our animals.
I can imagine the need to yell in a dangerous situation but I cannot recall such a situation in recent years.
We handle and work with all of our animals calmly, gently, and courteously.
Animals that are treated calmly are themselves calm. You will see that when you visit the farm.
Providing a low stress life for the animals has many benefits.
Calm animals are easier to handle, easier to care for.
It is easier for me to work with calm animals.
Calm animals are healthier and grow better.
Whether I am working with horses, cattle, buffalo, hogs, sheep, or smaller animals, every interaction is a training experience. The animals either learn new behaviors, behaviors that I want from them, or they learn to be edgy and wary.
I used the word courteous above. I know that seems like an odd choice in this context. I do not believe it is out of place.
For example, when I am traveling through the animal’s pastures, whether on foot or on a tractor, I take care to give them time to move away. Or, I walk around the animals so they do not have to scatter before me.
It might seem odd but they, especially the senior animals have their own sense of dignity.
To read full stories of Tom’s writings

https://www.thesnakeriverfarm.com/uploads/1/3/1/6/131648817/a_short_letter_about_animal_handling_at_the_snake_river_farm.pdf

Happy Halloween from everyone at the Farm 🎃👻🐈‍⬛
10/31/2025

Happy Halloween from everyone at the Farm
🎃👻🐈‍⬛

Writings by Tom-Four of the livestock species I am writing about, bison, cattle, sheep and goats are ruminants. Ruminant...
10/20/2025

Writings by Tom-
Four of the livestock species I am writing about, bison, cattle, sheep and goats are ruminants. Ruminants have complex stomachs that allow them to prosper on roughage. That means grass or grass hay primarily.
The digestive process of rumination produces heat as a by-product. Bacteria in the animal’s stomach generate that heat. The bacteria are there to aid indigestion. The bacteria break down complex fiber.
The generation of excess heat is terrifically important to ruminants in winter.
The ability to produce heat during digestion, coupled with a winter coat of hair allows these animals to be comfortable in the coldest weather. They are not just getting through the winter. In fact, these animals are most comfortable at temperatures much colder than the temperatures at which humans are comfortable.
This is in fact one of those areas where treating animals as we would like to be treated is a mistake.
Since, this extra heat is a byproduct of ongoing digestion it is important that the animals have palatable hay and freedom of movement available at all times. To view the entire story & more writings by Tom go to -
www.thesnakeriverfarm.com/animal

Animal care in winter by Tom Barthel-I will be sharing snippets of Tom’s stories with his full version available on the ...
10/13/2025

Animal care in winter by Tom Barthel-I will be sharing snippets of Tom’s stories with his full version available on the website:
https://www.thesnakeriverfarm.com

Winter feed and keeping warm-

Four of the livestock species I am writing about, bison, cattle, sheep and goats grow excellent winter coats, if properly acclimated. That means they should be outside as the fall turns to winter. If so, their bodies respond naturally to the seasons.

Bison grow an especially wonderful winter covering. Their hair count per square inch of hide is significantly higher than other animals.

Occasionally, I see horse blankets on horses in cold weather. In general, that is a bad practice. A blanket will prevent the horse from acclimating to the weather. Its body will not know whether to grow winter hair or which parts of its body to cover. Interfering with natural functions is seldom helpful to them.

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18251 62nd Street
Becker, MN
55308

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