Support Your Local Farmer – Fresh Pasture Farms

You have likely heard the phrase or seen the signs or graphics shared on Facebook, emails, and newsletters, “Support Your Local Farmer”. Before we opened FPF over five years ago, we did a search of the St. Louis area and could find no one raising chickens, turkeys or hogs like we set out to do. We had recently been to a tour of Polyface led by Joel Salatin and looked to incorporate much of what he was doing in the Shenandoah Valley here in the Midwest. The local movement has caught on more in recent years and we have watched many small farms pop up around the area.

Local can mean locally owned and operated by family farmers, some for generations. Their farming practices may not always fall in line with what we value here at FPF. Nonetheless, many of them are supporting their families and living a passion to provide quality food to the St. Louis community. In that respect we are the same.

What else do we have in common with these farmers? We need your support! As the summer season approaches and lives get busy with graduations, parties, picnics, backyard BBQs, beach vacations, ball games, college prep time, and more, please know that your local farmer sacrifices many of these activities to care for their livestock and land each and every day. It’s a choice we, and they, have all made. We do so, willingly, and love the special moments as farmers we get to experience: glorious sunrises, heavy dew sparkling on grass and fence lines, roosters crowing before dawn, hens cackling as they announce to the world they’ve laid their eggs, tiny yellow chicks scampering about the brooder seeking their first drink of water and nibble of food, as well as dust-laden sunsets that cover our fields with warm sunlight leading into cool darkness as the farm quiets and goes to sleep.

The hours are long and the work is hard. Our muscles get sore and bodies tired. Yet, we wouldn’t trade it for anything in the world. However, to sustain this and keep it all going each and every year, we all need your regular support. Product raised and grown needs families willing to take a trip to a market or farm to make the purchases. We understand everyone is busy and we do not take your support for granted. We know each of you has a choice as to whether to come to FPF, another local farmer, or the local grocery store. Lives are busy, choices are made, and each day someone is affected by them.

As a nutrition coach, I learned that the choices we make each day affect us physically, spiritually and emotionally. A holistic lifestyle filled with nutrient dense foods take commitment – from the consumer and from the farmer. We recently had a couple drive 3 hours from Piggott, Arkansas to purchase 15 chickens from us! They had searched and could not find anyone who raised chickens like we do, so they pre-ordered and drove here. “Just a hop, skip, and a jump”, they said! Now THAT’S committment!! We are committed to growing and providing you with the best chemical-free produce, eggs, poultry and pork we possibly can. And we count on you to support us so we might continue doing so. It takes a partnership and we deeply value yours!

Thank you for being here for us and for recommending us to your family and friends.