Blog - Nature's Gourmet Farm

"Pasture Raised" Defined

The USDA has officially updated the definition of “pasture-raised” to require that animals spend the majority of their lives on rooted, vegetative pasture, distinguishing it from “free-range,” which only mandates outdoor access. This update became effective March 2025. Here at Nature’s Gourmet Farm that is how we raise our animals – whether it be cows, pigs, meat chickens, egg layers, or turkeys. Pasture raised is our management choice and reflects our stewardship ethos. Frankly, pasture raised is how God created them to be versus. in a Confined Animal Feeding Operation (CAFO). CAFOs represent man’s inhumane wisdom!!!

NGF Customer Speaks Out

NGF Customer Speaks Out - First, a little background. Stephen & his wife Mary Katherine have been customers of our farm for 5 years. They, along with their 3 boys, have visited our farm. We have shared many conversations about farming and how Mississippi is truly a "food desert" (on a grand scale when only 2% of the food grown in MS is actually raised in MS). I know their passion for eating healthy and supporting small farms. They know my passion to increase small farms that serve their communities nutritious food. One day at our Madison pickup Stephen and I were talking and he asked, "What can I do to help grow the number of small farms?"

MS Ag Commissioner Visits NGF

Commissioner Andy Gipson Visits NGF - Monday, Commissioner Gipson (Andy) visited our farm for the third time. First, was after he was appointed and Senator Hill and I were working to increase the poultry exemption for Mississippi. The second time was after we built the USDA poultry processing plant that Andy supported our LWT Grant which helped fund about 50% of the cost. This visit was to support Andy’s efforts to both support existing farmers as well as encourage more people to farm and help feed our citizens.

Amazing Recognition

Amazing Recognition 2025 #12 Best Blogger! – A site titled FeedSpot recently released what they describe as the best Regenerative Agriculture blogs from thousands of blogs on the web and ranked by relevancy, authority, social media followers & freshness. We are amazed that Nature’s Gourmet Farm blog ranked #12 out of the top 30 blogs recognized.

Farm Improvements

Farm Improvements – Fresh water is a necessity for raising healthy animals on pasture. Until recently, we used an ICB tote on a small tralier that we would refill from our well. During the summer the frequency greatly increases in order to keep the chickens hydrated. So, I called my buddy at Southern Pipe and ordered pipe, fittings, etc. and then rented a trencher for May 16th to install 2,700 feet of 1.25 inch PVC pipe. Along the line we added 15 Plasson Quick Coupler Valves that we will hook to as we move the animals through our pastures.

My Advise How To Jump Start Small Farms In Mississippi

“Who controls the food supply controls the people; who controls the energy can control whole continents; who controls money can control the world.” — Henry Kissinger The fight to change food from addictive to nutritive will most likely be harder than the fight regarding tobacco (smoking) in public places that started back in the 1980’s. Note that my comments are NOT a condemnation of anybody who may use tobacco in any way as this can be a sensitive topic. However, it is personal to me as my Dad smoked at least 45 of his 75 years and died of lung cancer.

Small Farm Republic

Pasture Talk With Our Cows– Tuesday morning I was out checking on our cows and took the opportunity to record a short 2-minute story about the time I saved the life of one of the “pet” cows Number 608. Click to watch here. Small Farm Republic- is a book written by John Klar. A former attorney who contracted Lyme disease, John now farms in Vermont. I spent much of last weekend reading his book. He is very pro-small farms and presented a lot of evidence to support his position. On page 77 he makes a comparison to the number of farms and farmers during the Great Depression versus today. During the Great Depression the American population was 100 million. According to USDA charts

What If Pigs Could Talk

Well, at Nature's Gourmet Farm our pigs may not speak English, but their body language sure says a lot. Notice our pigs! See how content they are napping - they would say how nice the morning is and glad to enjoy the shade in our natural environment. The soft dirt is so relaxing. We have heard that some pigs live in cramped and confined spaces on hard concrete. Why would any farmer treat their pigs like that?

Farm Happenings!

Celebrity Visitor – Tuesday afternoon I had the opportunity to meet one of the nicest guys here on our farm. CJ called me about ten days earlier to ask if he could come and see our farm. Seems his family owns a farm near Bassfield, MS and they were needing to make some changes. As you know, I’m eager to help anyone who would like to farm as Mississippi certainly needs more folks raising food to feed our communities – and since he was interested in Regenerative Pasture Raised animals that was even better.

Clean Sheets

Family Bible– This is about a personal story I would like to share this Easter (Jesus’ Resurrection). My dad’s oldest sister is 102 years old and not as sharp as she once was even though she has the most content personality of anyone I’ve ever known in her limited condition. Recently her middle son, my 1st cousin, asked me if I would be interested in two Simmons Family Bibles – well of course, I replied. The oldest Bible goes back four generations and includes names, dates, etc. for birthdays, marriages, deaths. And the penmanship is amazing! The second Family Bible is two generations old and belonged to my dad’s parents.

What Would You Tell Politicians About MAHA?

What would I tell politicians about MAHA– This week Joel Salatin’s lunatic farmer musing was titled Organic Dependency. The gist of the article was about all of the organic | sustainable | regenerative | ecological farming organizations screaming that Trump’s budget cuts through the USDA will hurt their business….no more free hoop houses and such. I understand the solution may not be as simple as I make it out to be, but my number ONE position is that any law, regulation, funding, education, academic studies, etc. should be equal regardless if you farm conventionally | organic | sustainable | regenerative | or, ecological.

How We Bring Nutrient Density To Our Products

PLEASE NOTE- The market situation with eggs has softened and the $4 surcharge has been cancelled. Additionally, our new pullets have just started laying so we will soon have plenty of eggs. Many thanks for your understanding and support – we have the best customers!!! How We Bring Nutrient Density To Our Beef – Harry, a relatively new customer, picked up his first order at the Hattiesburg location March 1st. He had watched the new Joel Salatin documentary published by Angel Studios and was fascinated. Frankly, I think it is the best documentary of Polyface Farm I have seen as it filled in blanks from before Joel first started farming till now and HOW regenerative farming completely changed a once very degraded farm. Learn more here. Then, Harry visited me March 28th.

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Nature's Gourmet Farm