Tucked into the foothills east of the town of Hardwick in Vermont’s rugged Northeast Kingdom, just across the road from Sven’s Vermont property, Porterbrook Farm, Snug Valley Farm is a family-owned second generation dairy-turned-beef operation run by Ben Nottermann, his wife Kelly, father Helm and mother Nancy. Ben and Kelly’s adorable three-year old son Fritz is the star of the farm’s social media, along with their beautiful animals.

The Nottermann’s say “Happy animals taste better,” and their healthy, happy grass-fed beef is some of the tastiest we’ve tried. This can be attributed to the family’s commitment to environmental sustainability and ethical treatment of their animals. The cows are raised without the use of hormones and stimulants. The cows are fed high-quality grass bales during the winter, and rotationally graze over 100 acres of rolling New England farmland, including the pastures at Porterbrook Farm.

If you find yourself in the Northeast Kingdom in October, make sure to visit the Snug Valley Farm on Pumpkin Lane and pick up one of Ben’s Pumpkins, a local fall tradition, and see for yourself where this tasty ground beef comes from.