The milk used to make Kalona SuperNatural products is predominantly procured from small Amish and Mennonite farms living in a 250 mile radius around Kalona, Iowa. There are three main Amish/Mennonite communities located in this area: one in Kalona, Iowa, one in Bloomfield, Iowa, and one in Memphis, Missouri. These communities are relatively self-contained, each with their own bishops and community leaders that help guide how each settlement will engage with the world and each other.

We at Kalona Farms are very sensitive to the cultural concerns of each community. We go out of our way to accommodate belief systems, given the realities of the milk business and industry. Typically, milk is picked up from farms every other day to ensure quality. Amish and Mennonite communities have a strong belief that Sunday should be a day of rest, doing only the very minimum amount of necessary work in order to keep the operation running. We accommodate this belief, avoiding “Sunday pickup” which for us entails a lot of extra scheduling but ultimately is worth it if the producers feel their cultural beliefs are taken seriously.

We also work with the fact that the Amish do not allow electricity in their communities. Dairy farms use a lot of electricity, so in order for these Amish farms to be certified grade-A we help them identify strategies that adhere to the regulations but also stay true to their beliefs.  Some strategies include recommendations for milking systems that are simple, effective and legal, recommendations for cleaning materials that can be used by small children, as well as design support for construction of new facilities or the retrofitting of existing ones. The Amish faith and community primarily tries to exist in a 18th century mindset while living in a 21st century reality. We find this admirable and have inculcated their sensitivities into our business practices.

Ultimately, growth in organic milk from small sustainable farms will come from the Amish and Mennonite community. Kalona Farms is committed to helping small farmers make organic farming a viable lifestyle. We have encouraged their young people to stay with farming, and have provided a strong pay price from which the y can support a small farm and family quite comfortably.