Verge Grad Profile
Sven Stave, Farmer, Field to Fork Premium Pastured Poultry
Graduated from Calgary PDC in 2014
Expertise: Holistic livestock management, pastured poultry production
Sven’s Story
Originally from Germany, Sven moved to Canada in June 2010 after spending two years travelling through New Zealand and Australia. After completing his Verge PDC and Joel Salatin’s “Pastured Poultry Profits“, Sven decided to go into poultry production. He had the good fortune of interning with Blake Hall of Prairie Gold Meats, who specializes in grass-finished beef and pastured pork in Central Alberta. After being taught the ins and outs of a more holistic and sustainable way of farming, Sven was given a chance to start his own enterprise at Tamara Ranch.
This past summer, he raised over 700 pastured broiler chickens. Sven is committed to providing customers with a nutrient-dense, sustainable, and humanely raised chicken that cannot be found at conventional grocery stores.
On His Time with Verge
Sven has always been interested in the connections between animals and habitats and how humans can use this knowledge to sustain themselves through management techniques that works with rather than against nature. Permaculture naturally resonated with him, with its focus on sustainable, regenerative, and self-maintained systems.
One of Rob’s quotes that stayed with Sven was that “A PDC course is a great way to start and a bad way to end!”. For Sven, this naturally lead to one conclusion – To become a farmer!
About Field to Fork Farm
Field To Fork Farm currently specializes in holistic poultry production, servicing central Alberta with deliveries into Calgary, Red Deer, and other areas. Conventional chicken farming is one of the most abusive production models in the world. Field to Fork does things differently by providing chicken with natural sunlight, space, fresh air and forage. All birds are raised without steroids and without exposure to faecal-contaminated air or artificial light. Antibiotics are only used when animals are acutely sick.
Running birds over pasture also provides numerous benefits to the farm, including enhanced soil fertility, weed and pest control, and disease vector reduction for other livestock. Harmonious with nature, regenerative to soils, grasses, and animals – That’s what Field to Fork Farm strives to do.
Connect with Sven & Field to Fork Farm
Sven directly markets his chickens to customers, allowing him to establish strong producer-consumer bonds and connect “feeders with eaters”. Without the middleman in the value chain, customers get a premium product and more money flows back to Field to Fork Farm.
One of Sven’s goal is to be as transparent as possible – He welcomes those interested to to contact him or visit Field to Fork Farm anytime!
Phone: 403-598-6955
Website: www.fieldtoforkalberta.com
Email: sven(at)fiedltoforkalberta.com
Address: 2 Springfield Avenue, T4N0C4, Red Deer, AB
