FAQ
1. Is your meat ethically raised, and can you accommodate special needs like halal or kosher meat?
Windy Heights treats all of their animals ethically, ensuring they are healthy, safe, and have freedom of movement. The Walsh's welcome everyone to come see the farm and learn more about their regenerative and sustainable practices.
In order to harvest animals in compliance with halal and kosher rules, Windy Heights has been working with a number of other area farmers to gain control of an under-utilized abattoir across the road from their farm. Their goal is to renovate the facility to match what community members need so that they can meet a diversity of needs. If you require something specific with regards to the meat you purchase through the Meatshare campaign, make sure to add this requirement at the end of your order. We have a number of years before we can start repaying the shares, which gives us time to ensure we have the appropriate harvesting processes and facilities in place.
​2. How long do I have to wait for my meat?
Consider Meatshares a form of slow investment, like slow food - the longer the food (or money) sits, the more flavour (and value) it creates. We anticipate being able to start repaying the Meatshares within 2 years. Part of fulfilling these orders is building up the herds to match demand and raising them to harvesting size. Goats will finish faster than pigs who finish faster than cows. Simultaneously, we need to get the Northeast Avalon Abattoir Co-op's community meat processing facility up and running.​​​
​​​​​3. How can I support Windy Heights if I don't eat or want meat?
There are other ways you can support Windy Heights! You can share the information and Meatshare opportunity with others! You can donate money or invest larger amounts outside of the Meatshare program. You can purchase a Mushroom Subscription or buy other products and services directly from the farm. You can connect Anita and Gerard if you know of potential partners or ways they might make money in different ways! Reach out to Windy Heights directly, there are many ways to get involved!​​​​
4. Can I buy more than one share?
You sure can. Buy all the Meatshares you want. And be a Meatshare spokesperson! Share the opportunity with others.​​​​​
5. Who is organizing this campaign and managing the money?
A group of us "Friends" of Windy Heights have come together to help Anita, Gerard, and Gerry get this campaign, website, and order form up and running. Us "Friends of the Farm" include Kyle and Wendy Reid Fairhurst, Hillary King of Reclaim Community CDO, Daphne and Spencer King, Sam McLean and Paulette King, Paul Hickey and fellow members of the Northeast Avalon Abattoir Co-op (including Gully Hill Farms @Killick Ecovillage, Stoney Ridge Farms, and Spruce Grove Farms).
Anita from Windy Heights has full responsibility for accepting the etransfers, tracking investments, and holding the funds in the NLMeatShare account until we have reached our minimum raise of $130k by 10 December 2025. She is also responsible for returning the funds if we do not meet this goal, managing budgets and accounting if (and when!) we do. For those of you who don't know Anita, she is a Chartered Professional Accountant in addition to being co-owner of Windy Heights and manager of all things finance, orders, and deliveries.
6. What are the risks of purchasing MeatShares?
One of the risks of this particular campaign is that if we do not raise $130k by 10 December 2025 and Windy Heights cannot repay their investor, the bank may take over the farm sale. That is why we are holding the funds in a separate account until Windy Heights' future operations are assured. Any amount we raise over and above the loan repayment amount will be put towards Windy Heights' climate resiliency and herd-building projects.
Another risk we have to consider is what if Windy Heights cannot fulfill all of the share orders within the next 2 years? While Windy Heights has all the necessary skills, experience, equipment, and space to grow enough animals, we ask that people be prepared that, if necessary, the MeatShares might take an additional year for a full repayment. Note, we will be repaying the shares in the order that they are pledged, so order early to be one of the earliest ones to receive your meat!
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Then there are the typical risks that come with farming, and with joining any other CSA scheme: the climate and weather might make one or two of the next few years bad for growing; we may lose some of our animals to illness or premature death; markets might fluctuates further impacting the cost of food and value of meat; etc. But as community supporters, we also have the ability to get involved and help manage some of these risks. We can help on the farm, bring alternative revenue and other ideas to the Walsh's, and continue to buy their other products and services to give them a strong financial base.
The impact of this project on our local healthy food resource cannot be understated. We are not just rallying around a business, or even amazing individuals ... we are building local food security and ensuring long term access to healthy, chemical-free, nutrient rich food.
7. How will the money be spent?
The money raised from the MeatShares campaign will only go towards the following activities:
a. repaying Windy Heights' current debts
b. implementing climate resilience and farm diversification projects, and
c. building up their herds so that the MeatShares can be repaid sooner than later
8. What is Fusion Holdings Ltd. and how are they connected?
Fusion Holdings Ltd. is the legal name for Windy Heights Farm and on the bank account that will be accepting the etransfers.
9. Is this an investment or pre-orders?
This Meatshares Campaign is not really structured as an investment but is a much more simple pre-order model where you pay now and get your meat (with added value) at a later date. This allowed us to start raising money quickly and simply without having to draw up investment documents or get lawyers involved. But, we can foresee a time in the future where we could set up a Meatshare campaign that is more a Community Investment program rather than a Community Supported Agriculture program. Join the email list to keep watching for other opportunities to invest in local food security and area farms.