Know Your Farmer: Meet Bryan

July 24, 2026

Know Your Farmer: Meet Bryan

Every bag of hay has a story.

At VitaHay, that story does not begin in a warehouse, a factory, or an anonymous distribution center. It begins in the fields of southern Vermont, where the weather, the soil, the timing of the harvest, and the decisions of the farmer all shape the hay that eventually reaches your pet.

Behind that work is VitaHay farmer and co-founder Bryan Krastins.

Bryan is directly involved in growing, harvesting, baling, storing, and selecting the hay offered by VitaHay. He knows the fields it came from, the conditions under which it was harvested, and the care that went into producing it.

That direct connection is at the heart of what VitaHay stands for:

Know Your Hay. Know Your Farmer.

Hay Begins With the Farmer

Most pet owners see hay only after it has been cut, packaged, and placed on a store shelf.

But producing good hay begins months before the package is opened.

The farmer must evaluate the field, watch the growth of the grasses, monitor weather conditions, maintain the equipment, and decide when the crop is ready to be harvested.

Cut too early and the plants may not have reached the desired maturity.

Wait too long and the hay may become overly coarse or lose some of the qualities small pets find appealing.

Once the hay is cut, the work is far from finished. It must dry properly before it can be baled and stored. That requires favorable weather, patience, and careful judgment.

For Bryan, every stage matters.

Farming According to the Weather

Hay farming does not follow a perfectly predictable calendar.

A field may be ready, but the weather may not cooperate.

Rain can delay mowing, interrupt drying, or damage a crop that has already been cut. Humidity, nighttime moisture, cloud cover, and temperature all influence how quickly hay cures in the field.

That means Bryan must constantly balance the condition of the grass against the forecast.

Sometimes the right decision is to begin harvesting.

Sometimes the right decision is to wait.

The goal is not simply to produce as much hay as possible. The goal is to harvest hay under conditions that help preserve its natural aroma, color, texture, and cleanliness.

Every Field Has Its Own Character

Hay is a natural agricultural product, not a manufactured material.

Every field is different.

The grasses and plants growing in one meadow may not be identical to those in another. Soil conditions, moisture, sunlight, weather, and harvest timing can all affect the finished hay.

Even two cuttings from the same field can have different characteristics.

One harvest may be softer and leafier. Another may contain longer stems or a slightly different natural blend of grasses.

Bryan understands those differences because he sees the hay throughout the entire process—from the living field to the finished bale.

That knowledge helps VitaHay select hay according to its appearance, aroma, texture, and overall suitability for small animals.

Real Hay Has Natural Variation

Large pet-product companies often aim to make every package look exactly the same.

Real farm-grown hay does not always work that way.

Color may range from bright green to olive green. Stem thickness and leaf content can vary. One harvest may have a slightly sweeter aroma, while another may feel softer or more structured.

These differences do not automatically mean one harvest is good and another is bad. They reflect the natural character of the crop and the conditions in which it grew.

Bryan does not expect nature to produce identical results every time.

Instead, he looks at the full picture:

Is the hay clean?
Does it have a fresh, natural aroma?
Was it dried and stored properly?
Does it contain desirable stems and leafy material?
Is it suitable for rabbits, guinea pigs, chinchillas, and other small herbivores?

Knowing the farmer means knowing that a real person is making those evaluations.

From the Field to the Bale

Harvest day is a carefully coordinated process.

First, the hay is mowed and laid across the field. It must then dry evenly, often with additional passes to turn or arrange it so that sunlight and air can reach the crop.

Once the moisture level is right, the hay is gathered and baled.

Baling too soon can trap excess moisture. Waiting too long can make the crop overly dry, brittle, or vulnerable to changing weather.

There is no button that automatically determines the perfect moment.

It takes observation, experience, and judgment.

Bryan remains involved throughout this process because the quality of the final product depends on the decisions made at every step.

Proper Storage Protects the Harvest

Producing quality hay does not end when the bale leaves the field.

Hay must also be stored carefully.

It needs protection from rain and excess moisture, but it also benefits from appropriate ventilation. Poor storage can damage even a well-grown crop.

Bryan keeps the harvest protected so it can retain the qualities VitaHay customers look for:

A clean, grassy aroma
Natural green and olive tones
Long stems
Leafy material
Minimal unnecessary dust
An appealing texture for small pets

The goal is to preserve the quality created in the field until the hay reaches your home.

Why Knowing Your Farmer Matters

When you know your farmer, you know there is accountability behind the product.

You know who grew it.

You know where it came from.

You know that someone personally watched the field, operated the equipment, evaluated the weather, stored the bales, and selected the hay.

That connection is increasingly rare in the pet-supply industry.

Many bags of hay offer little information about where the crop was grown, when it was harvested, or who produced it. The customer sees a brand name, but the farmer remains invisible.

VitaHay was created to offer something different.

We want customers to see the real fields, the real equipment, the real harvest, and the real people responsible for the product.

Nothing staged.

Nothing invented.

Just real hay from a real Vermont farm.

Hay Grown for Small Pets

Hay is commonly grown for many different purposes, but VitaHay carefully selects hay for rabbits, guinea pigs, chinchillas, and other small animals.

These pets do more than simply consume hay.

They explore it, smell it, sort through it, chew the stems, search for their favorite leaves, and return to it throughout the day.

That means appearance, aroma, texture, and cleanliness all affect the feeding experience.

Bryan’s role is not only to grow and harvest the crop. It is also to help VitaHay identify the hay that best represents the quality we want to provide to pet owners.

A Partnership Built Around Quality

VitaHay brings together farming and customer experience.

Bryan manages the work in the field, while the VitaHay team handles selection, packaging, education, customer service, and delivery.

That partnership allows us to follow the hay through its entire journey:

Growing in the Vermont field
Harvesting under suitable conditions
Drying and baling
Storing the crop responsibly
Selecting hay for quality
Packaging it for pet owners
Delivering it directly to customers

We believe customers deserve to understand that journey.

More Than a Name on the Package

“Know Your Farmer” is not simply a slogan.

It is an invitation.

We invite our customers to see where VitaHay comes from, follow the harvest, learn how hay quality is evaluated, and meet the people doing the work.

As VitaHay grows, we will continue sharing photographs, videos, harvest updates, educational articles, and behind-the-scenes moments from the farm.

You will see the fields before they are mowed.

You will see the equipment at work.

You will see the crop being baled.

And you will see Bryan—the farmer responsible for helping turn a Vermont meadow into hay your pets can enjoy.

The VitaHay Promise

We cannot control every part of nature.

We cannot make every field, growing season, or cutting identical.

What we can do is remain involved, pay attention, handle the crop carefully, and be honest about where our hay comes from.

That is Bryan’s commitment in the field.

It is VitaHay’s commitment to every customer.

Your pet depends on you to choose its food.

You should not have to choose blindly.

Know Your Hay. Know Your Farmer.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where is VitaHay grown?

VitaHay is grown and harvested on a farm in southern Vermont.

Who grows VitaHay?

VitaHay hay is grown and harvested by farmer and co-founder Bryan Krastins.

Is every VitaHay harvest identical?

No. Hay is a natural agricultural product, so color, texture, leaf content, and stem structure may vary between fields, cuttings, and growing seasons.

Why does harvest timing matter?

Harvest timing affects the maturity, texture, aroma, and overall character of the hay. Farmers must also consider weather and field conditions before mowing and baling.