About Us

Marvin and Holly have lived on a family farm for most of our married life. Marvin is a network engineer who works from home from NTS and presently manages our farm full time.  I am a Registered Respiratory Therapist that works at Tallahassee Memorial Hospital.   We have been married 37 years this September 2021 and are definitely living our dream with raising Dexter Cattle.  We are both close to retirement age and wanted to do something to keep us “busy” after we retired.  Little did we know how much work it was going to take to get started and how much we would learn as we went along.  It has been an amazing journey so far!

Our farm name is Apafia Farm which is an acrostic for A Place Apart From It All, (see what we did there) simply because we feel it is!  There is such a peace here on our farm. Almost always there is a breeze blowing…birds singing and yes cows mooing about something!  We enjoy visitors so please feel free to contact us to make arrangements for you to come visit us.  

We are not fancy but just a basic small family farm.

The family farm is divided up between 3 brothers.  We have lived out here for almost the entire time we have been married.  Our part of the farm is about 19 acres.  The fenced in pastures are about 12 acres.  We did pasture boarding for horses for years before we closed that down in 2016 after we purchased our first Dexter Herd.  I thought I would miss our horses but to be honest I have not missed them. I enjoyed the time we had horses but also realized that we needed to change.

 The next three years was a roller coaster ride of learning so many new things!  I cannot believe it has been 3 years already coming up this August! Cows are very different from horses in ALL aspects!  I have found I really enjoy working with them.  All have such different personalities that come out when you walk through the herd to see how they are doing!  Also love the babies!

THOMASVILLE, GA (DECEMBER 17, 2020)—The beef cattle at Apafia Farm are now Certified Animal Welfare Approved by A Greener World (AGW)—North America’s most trusted and transparent farm certifier.
One of a portfolio of leading farm certifications offered by A Greener World, the Certified Animal Welfare Approved by AGW label lets consumers know animals are raised outdoors on pasture or range in accordance with the highest animal welfare standards in the U.S. and Canada, using sustainable agriculture methods on an independent farm. Consumer Reports has rated Certified Animal Welfare Approved by AGW as the only “highly meaningful” label for farm animal welfare, outdoor access and sustainability—and the only animal welfare certification in which they have confidence.
Marvin and Holly Golden’s beef cattle are also Certified Grassfed by AGW. Certified Grassfed by AGW is an optional, additional accreditation for Certified Animal Welfare Approved by AGW farmers and ranchers raising cattle, sheep, goats or bison according to the Certified Animal Welfare Approved by AGW high-welfare standards and a 100 percent grassfed feeding protocol.
Marvin and Holly Golden of Apafia Farm raise Irish Dexter Cattle, a traditional livestock breed well suited to pasture-based management and known for their docile temperament and high-quality meat. The couple chose to pursue Certified Animal Welfare Approved by AGW and Certified Grassfed by AGW certifications because they felt the programs best mirrored their exemplary animal husbandry practices and commitment to sustainability.
Marvin Golden of Apafia Farm says,
“We wanted to have a certification that carried some weight. AGW provides that by carefully screening everything involved in raising our animals and visiting the farm to see the operation up close and in-depth. Our AGW certifications are important ways that we verify our practices and demonstrate our commitments to high-welfare management and sustainability to our customers.”
AGW Director of Communications and Outreach Emily Moose says,
“In a marketplace crowded with misinformation and greenwashing, trusted third-party certifications like Certified Animal Welfare Approved by AGW and Certified Grassfed by AGW deliver real transparency for farmers and consumers. We’re proud to work with farmers and ranchers like Apafia Farm to promote their high-quality products and sustainable farming practices.”
Certified Animal Welfare Approved by AGW, Certified Grassfed by AGW beef from Apafia Farm is available for reservation and purchase by the halves. Once purchased, the beef requires local pickup at the processor in Monticello, Florida. For more information, please visit apafiafarm.com, follow the farm on Facebook and get in touch with the Goldens at (229) 228-1682 through the contact page on their website. ABOUT A GREENER WORLDA Greener World (AGW) identifies, audits, certifies and promotes practical, sustainable farming systems by supporting farmers and ranchers and informing consumers. AGW's growing family of trusted certifications includes Certified Animal Welfare Approved by AGW, Salmon Welfare Certified by AGW, Certified Grassfed by AGW, Certified Regenerative by AGW, and Certified Non-GMO by AGW. Each program is designed to have positive and measurable impacts on the environment, society and animals, and to encourage truly sustainable farming practices. AGW's standards and procedures are robust, transparent and achievable. A nonprofit funded by public donations, AGW offers a range of resources to help people make informed food choices, including an Online Directory of certified farms and products and Food Labels Exposed--a definitive guide to food label claims (available in print and online). For more information visit agreenerworld.org.
ABOUT CERTIFIED GRASSFED BY AGWAGW's respected Certified Grassfed label is the only grassfed animal welfare label in North America. Unique among food labels it guarantees:

• Ruminant animals raised outdoors on pasture for their entire lives, with a 100% grass and forage diet
• Animals raised according to the highest animal welfare and environmental standards in the U.S. and Canada
• High-welfare handling, transport, and slaughter of animals—including an annual review of slaughter facilities

According to market-research firm Nielsen, recent sales of grassfed beef rose nearly 40%, over six times the rate of conventional beef. But while demand for grassfed meat is sky-rocketing, not all grassfed certifications are meeting consumer expectations—and some continue to permit highly questionable practices. Some meat currently marketed as grassfed could come from animals confined on dirt feedlots for long periods outside the growing season, or where growth hormones and subtherapeutic antibiotics are used—just as long as they were fed cut grass or forage. For more information visit agreenerworld.org/certifications/certified-grass-fed/.