GATEWAY FARM
Phillip and Barbara Hueneke
Our farming operation began in 1977 among the beautiful rolling hills of the Mississippi River near Bellevue, Iowa. Soon after starting the farm we became aware of the hazards and the harmful health effects of applying chemical fertilizers to our crops. We decided to find ways to stop our use of this hazardous practice. Through conservation methods, we gradually eliminated our use of chemicals by working with nature, using organic fertilizer, and intensive crop rotation. Furthermore, our chemical free crops resulted in chemical free feed for our cattle, hogs, and chickens. Soon we saw the benefits of healthier animals and ourselves.
The 1980’s began a decade of financial testing for farmers. There became a need for family farms to find creative ways to support themselves. We knew we had a great, healthy product so we began to distribute our meat to others. And so in 1985…
Gateway Natural Meats was established. We began selling to one retail store in and a few individual customers. Our beef, pork, and chicken products were labeled natural as organic labeling was foreign at this time and no guidelines had been established to certify organic. As our business grew, our customers inquired about more natural and local options. At the same time, we were discovering there were other farmers committed to chemical-free practices and were looking for a market for their product. We offered to distribute their products with ours.
We sell grassfed beef, organic chickens, goat cheese, and organic vegan pies. In Iowa we serve the Dubuque, Cedar Rapids, and Iowa City areas. The Illinois area we serve includes Quad Cities, Sterling, and Rockford. Please visit our products page to view our large variety of items and contact us to see how we can bring these quality products to your doorstep.
