St. Brigid's Farm

A Dairymaid & Scholar...

Robert Fry and Judy Gifford established St. Brigid’s Farm in 1996. When they purchased the farm, the land was planted in wheat and no cows had been milked in the barn for several years. With a vision to grow grass and graze we planted 60 acres in permanent pasture, surrounded it with a high tensile fence, installed a buried water line and designed a laneway using coal mine belting. The farm is now an oasis of grass surrounded by corn and soybean fields.

On Judy’s 40^th birthday, she purchased the last of the 69 heifers that would be the foundation of the herd. Their herd has grown to 200 animals including milking cows, replacement heifers and steers. Every year they sell surplus dairy animals as well as grass fed beef.

Named after St. Brigid, the patron saint of dairymaids and scholars who was renowned for her compassion and often featured with cows at her feet. She perfectly represents the pairing of Judy, the dairymaid and Bob, the scholar.

Located on the scenic Eastern Shore of Maryland the farm is planted in a multi species pasture mix of perennial rye grass, orchard grass, endophyte free fescue, Alsace clover and red clover as well dandelions, horse nettle and curly dock. Corn is planted on 12 acres which is custom harvested for silage. A cover crop is planted after the corn is harvested and is grazed by the steers and heifers in the fall and spring.

Milk from our outstanding Jerseys is marketed through their cooperative, Land O’ Lakes where it is turned into cheese, butter, and non-fat milk powder. Each cow produces about 2,250 gallons (19,500 lbs) of milk per year which is exceptionally rich in butterfat and milk protein. St. Brigid’s Farm consistently ranks with the top tier herds in the nation on the Jersey Performance Index list.

Grass fed Jersey beef is sold directly to individuals and restaurants to offer consumers a delicious and healthy alternative to the options at the supermarket. Bob and Judy are thrilled to have their Jersey beef offered on the menu of our favorite local restaurant, The Retriever, and to have local residents stop by to purchase steaks, roasts, or burger for their next cookout or family dinner.

The pairing of a dairymaid and scholar has resulted in a beautiful farm which produces high quality milk, beef, and dairy stock. Call or email if you’d like a real life visit.

Why Grass Fed Beef?

Health Benefits: Carotene, a fat soluble antioxidant found to be 10 fold higher in grass fed vs. grain fed beef. Vitamin E, another powerful antioxidant 4 times higher in grass fed beef vs. beef from grain fed diets. Cattle fed grass fed diets have meat not only lower in saturated fats but also have higher levels of omega-3 fatty acids. The omega-3s are healthy fatty acids, common in fish oils and flaxseed, are shown to play key roles in preventing heart disease and improving immune function. Conjugated Linoleic Acid (CLA), a powerful anticarcinogen is 2 to 3 times higher in meat & milk from grass-fed ruminant species vs. ruminants fed in confinement on concentrate-only diets.

From Our Farm To Your Table

St. Brigid’s Farm has been producing grass fed and finished beef for nearly two decades. We thank our many loyal customers – both families and restaurants. Customers have several options to purchase our products. We have a monthly Saturday pick up in Chestertown or at the farm by appointment. You can buy as much or as little of individual items from the order list as you wish or you can subscribe to Medley of Meats.