The Eaton Farm

Eaton Farm has been in Jerry Eaton’s family for three generations. He and his wife, Elizabeth, recently added on to the farm, bringing its total acreage to 115. Aside from the physical growth, the Eatons have made significant changes to the way they manage their animals and their land—changes that benefit the earth and the food it produces.

The farm’s pasture and produce were recently certifiedorganic—Eaton Farm products are all raised without hormones, antibiotics, or steroids. All of the animals are fed non-GMO feed; the lambs and beef cattle are 100% grass-fed, and the pigs are raised in a manner called ‘silvopasture’, which means that they have access to forest roots and nuts.

Last fall, the Eatons started a deep-composting, no-till cultivation method in the fields. “It’s a better way to feed the soil, and keep weeds and disease at bay,” Elizabeth says.

The Eatons' market-style CSA is different from many programs like it. Customers pay up front for their share (produce, meat, or both), then visit Eaton Farm’s market stand to “shop” for the contents of their box. “It’s really a win-win for us and for our customers,” Elizabeth says. “They get what they really want, and we can focus on cultivating our goods instead of packaging boxes.”

You can find Eaton Farm year-round at the Hyde Park Farmers’ Market. Customers who belong to the Good Eaton Club can pick up their orders at a private home in Clifton once a month. If you’re interested in purchasing a CSA share, they range from $355 to $850 for 20 weeks of pickups.

— Caitlin Koenig

Eaton Farm
6880 N. Scott’s Ridge Rd.
Madison, IN 47250
TheEatonFarm.com
eatonfarming@gmail.com
FIND IT AT: Hyde Park Farmers’ Market (year-round), Clifton CSA pickup location (second Monday of the month)