Episode 23: Singing Pastures Holly Arbuckle - What Are The Benefits of Pasture Raising Livestock?

Holly Arbuckle is the CEO and Co-Founder of Singing Pastures.

Holly and her husband John own and operate Singing Pastures. John is a 9th generation farmer from the Midwest. They saw a gap in the market because there were a lot of grassfed beef sticks, but no pasture-raised pork. They started a brand in 2016 with no initial investment. Holly owns 51% of the company and is the CEO who runs the brand while her husband is the primary farmer and COO. Their current home farm is in Maine.

Singing Pastures produces high-quality pork Snack Sticks and Salami. Singing Pastures believes delicious food starts with healthy land. Pasture Raised Pork is the foundation. Their pork is raised in lush, grassy pastures on family farms with no added hormones or antibiotics. They use time honored traditional methods to craft amazingly delicious snacks.

TOPICS EXPLORED

0:00 – 1:19 – Introduction

1:19 – 2:28 – What is Singing Pastures and what types of products does it create?

2:28 – 4:17 – How did you and your husband become interested in a career in sustainable food and agriculture?

4:17 – 6:14 – How did you and your husband start Singing Pastures?

6:14 – 10:31 – What types of sustainable agriculture practices do you implement on your farm?

10:31 – 14:55 – You are working with Ag Allies to monitor bird populations on your farm. Can you tell me a little bit about that collaboration and the transformation that has taken place on your farm as you've pasture-raised your livestock?

14:55 – 18:38 – What are the diets of the animals on your farm?

18:38 – 21:41 – Can you tell me about the products you create?

21:41 – 24:44 – What makes your products unique?

24:44 – 26:37 – You are part of a team that was recently selected for a Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education grant. Can you tell me a little bit about the research that grant will fund?

26:37 – 29:09 – What are some of the ways you were able to fund the growth of your business?

29:09 – 31:35 – How did you scale up production to make your products available nation-wide?

31:35 – 34:46 – What are some of the challenges you encountered on your journey and how did you overcome them?

34:46 – 37:03 – What are some of the greatest lessons you've learned from growing your business?

37:03 – 38:34 – Things to share and wrap up

SINGING PASTURES INFORMATION

https://singingpastures.com/

RESOURCES

Stone Barns 2024 SARE Grant on Grain and Vegetable Production in a Rotationally-Grazed, Pasture-Dominant Ley System – Implications for Soil Health, Soil Microbiome, and Forage: https://projects.sare.org/sare_project/FNE24-081/

Singing Pastures 2017 SARE Grant on Nutrient Density Profiles for Conventional vs Pasture-Raised Pork: https://projects.sare.org/sare_project/fnc17-1067/

Singing Pastures 2012 SARE Grant on The Cheapest Way to Produce the Best Egg: Comparing how Different Supplemental Feeds Affect the Cost and Nutrient Density of Eggs from Heritage and Hybrid Pastured Hens: https://projects.sare.org/sare_project/fnc12-844/

FOOD FOR YOU AND THE PLANET PODCAST INFORMATION

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Podcast Instagram: @foodforyouandtheplanet

TAGS

Food

Environment

Health

Podcast

Sustainability

Agriculture

Pasture Raised