Heart Bar Farm, LLC

Hello! We are Eric and Jennifer Anderson, the farmers of Heart Bar Farm, LLC. Our farm dream became reality during the Summer of 2022 and started with 15 head of beef cattle. Eric grew up working cows with a real cowboy, his late grandfather, who worked cows before there were roads and fences in SW Florida.That's also where the farm name originates: "Heart Bar" was the cattle brand used by Eric's grandfather to identify him as the cattle owner. We do not brand any of our cattle today but desired to pay tribute to the legacy that started this farming journey as Heart Bar Farm. It was always part of the long-term plan to have cows but that original idea did not look like the working farm that now exists. After extensive research into the best farming practices, we realized that having animal diversity was vital to raising healthy animals and keeping the soil healthy. This was much more important since we were also looking to raise nutritious food while protecting the land. We want to avoid the environmental downfalls that exist within conventional practices such as factory farming and feedlots. We knew this farm would need to look different than how we found the majority of our food was being grown. This meant that egg-laying chickens and broiler meat chickens would play a very important role in our farming practices, which we knew early on wouldnot include pesticides, herbicides, or synthetic fertilizers. The meat and egg-laying chickens are a vital part of our farming team. They help manage the insect population and eat many of the forages often considered weeds. Also, they help the land further by leaving behind some natural fertility in the form of manure. It did not take long for the chickens to take over the place...according to the cows anyway. You might have noticed a trend among new farmers. They did not inherit a family farm or land. Our lives are often transformed by a massive overhaul where we leave behind a more convenient urban lifestyle that once included more processed foods, frequent eating out, and conventionally grown meats and vegetables. It is indicated on many farm websites that their journey began due to health issues or concerns about their children's health. This pushed them to grow their own food and then it progressed into food production for others. It may seem cliche but make no mistake about it. Changing what you eat can indeed change your life and overall heath. It is a very purposeful choice when you are faced with health concerns that lead back to the food you have been consuming. It may happen to some people immediately and for others it could be a long game where you develop symptoms overtime making it seem difficult to pinpoint the causal relationship with your food. We are certainly not doctors and are not diagnosing anything that might ail you. It is our goal that you do your own research. Determine how herbicides, pesticides, and chemicals may impact your food and health. It is not about the individual small amounts listed as safe for consumption. Sure, a little of this or little of that probably is safe. It is about the abundance adding up across all the products you purchase and consume. It would amazing for more people to feel so led by this information that small farms pop up everywhere! It could significantly drive down the cost of pasture-raised meats and make true organic feeds for livestock less cost prohibitive. If you do pass on being a farmer, that makes perfect sense as it is not for everyone. However, locally grown food should be for everyone. Can you imaging if every household found a farmer and chose to support them in some small way. Finding and buying more foods that are grown close to where you live can be a small but extremely impactful step. Slowly substituting big box store purchases overtime can and will make a difference. We have been doing it that way too. Please consider supporting some small farm that resonates with your own persona