Christina (Berget) Meylor and her family raise pigs at Silver Creek Family Farms in Darlington, Wisconsin. Eco-friendly farming practices and commitment to community make Christina one of our Country Leaders®.
Berget Farms began its operations by breeding pigs with 20 pigs from farrowing to completion over 50 years ago. In the 1980s, they moved the sows to a backyard farm and raised up to 300 pigs. In 2002, the Berget Farms swine division was renamed Silver Creek Family Farms. Currently, it is a 1,500-pig unit that sells approximately 50,000 weaned piglets annually.
Silver Creek employs six full-time and three part-time employees. The farm prides itself on exceptional animal husbandry, productivity, sustainability and a amiable, family atmosphere.
“You can’t raise 1,500 sows on your own,” Christina said. “We have a fantastic team of employees who do a great job – they are like family to us.”
Sustainability at Silver Creek Family Farms means doing things today that will lead to a better future tomorrow. Some of these things include managing feces and keeping the water robust.
Manure is carefully managed on Silver Creek Family Farms. The manure is collected in a pit under the pigsty and placed in a cement-lined tank. Manure is an excellent source of nutrients for plants and is used as fertilizer in agricultural fields. The Berget family follows a nutrient management plan written by a crop expert. The plan is like a recipe for the exact amount of nutrients each field needs. Manure is always applied to the cover crop to prevent runoff and absorption of as much nutrients as possible into the soil.
“You can’t create more land and you can’t produce more freshwater. You have to take care of it and that’s what we’re trying to do,” Christina said.
The Berget family is associated with Lafayette Ag Stewardship Alliance breakthrough group. Network with other farmers in the area it’s a great way to learn modern things and develop modern techniques to try on land.
The National Pork Council it also provides guidance for farmers on how to achieve their own sustainability goals.
“We’re not reinventing the wheel. We use proven practices that are producing results across the country.” said Christina.
The team at Silver Creek Family Farms proudly adheres to We care commitment set by the National Pork Producers Association. Six principles guide the We Care commitment: food safety, animal welfare, public health, environment, people and community.
“We love the principles of We Care,” Christina said. “We are active in our community and strive to go above and beyond the people who work with us. We care deeply about our resources, from animal welfare to protecting our land and water.”
Silver Creek Family Farms’ goal is to become carbon neutral. They are already taking steps to save energy and sequester carbon dioxide on the farm. The team uses a variety of environmental practices as part of their fertilizer management program that have the dual benefit of improving the soil and capturing carbon dioxide. They are also conscious of their water and energy consumption and are taking steps to reduce their carbon footprint and raise efficiency.
One way is to replace the heat lamps in the barn with more energy-efficient delicate bulbs Silver The Creek team reduced energy consumption. The team is also exploring modern water management technologies to monitor water utilize and distribute water effectively to animals.
“We want to be as efficient as possible in producing pigs to feed the world.” said Christina.
The Berget family has been recognized for its management and animal husbandry. In 2018, the family received the Soil Stewardship Innovation Leadership Award from the Lafayette County Department of Land Conservation. The team received Wisconsin Pork Association (WPA) Distinguished Service Award in 2023 for its sustainability focus and busy involvement with WPA. Additionally, Christina currently serves as president of the Wisconsin Pork Association.
A great team helps the Berget family achieve their goals. Christina hopes to continue the family legacy for future generations.
