A Peace Country farm is producing certified organic meats while also striving to preserve its natural biodiversity.

Located west of Grande Prairie near the hamlet of Goodfare, First Nature Farms produces around 2,000 servings of organic meat per week.

“We use no synthetic fertilizers, we use absolutely no pesticides, herbicides, fungicides, nothing,” said Jerry Kit, owner of First Nature Farms.

“We follow all the organic rules and we have for 30 years.”

After taking a course in holistic management those three decades ago, Kit did lots of “soul searching” and came to two conclusions.

“One is I wanted to earn an income by feeding people healthy foods and I wanted to keep the natural biodiversity of the farm healthy also,” he said.

“The answer was simple then: go organic. I’ve never regretted that decision.”

Although other organic farms exist in the Peace region, mainly producing organic grains, First Nature Farms distinguishes itself by specializing in animals.

Pork serves as the main source of income for the farm. It also produces beef, bison, turkeys and chickens. The farm has preserved its natural biodiversity with 85 per cent of the property made up of forests, meadows, creeks and beaver ponds.

“Organic food is very closely connected with nature,” Kit said.

“We just rely on natural systems for building up our soil and growing healthy animals. We don’t use any types of medications for our animals. We just feed them good food and they grow naturally healthy.”

Animals are given free range to meet organic standards, which Kit noted wasn’t the case in the more industrial food system.

Kit expressed pride in his two children who have “taken the lead.” His daughter Kari had grown her first crop of chickens, while his son Donovan bought an organic farm of his own next door to First Nature Farms.

“I haven’t grown wealthy from being an organic farmer but I have profited in other ways,” Kit said.

“We nourish some of the finest people I’ve ever met and I feel really good about what they’re eating.”

More information on First Nature Farms and how to go organic can visit firstnaturefarms.ab.ca.