RunningBugFarm

All of this began with a desire to eat real, wholesome, organic, non GMO foods. The more I shopped around and the more I learned about our food system the more alarmed I became. Like most folks the first step (aside from growing my own) was getting chickens.

From there things sort of took off. I always wanted my own land. My husband and I spent six years traveling around trying to find something we could both afford and use. Most properties either had houses that were crumbling or lovely homes with useless land up the side of a cliff. Eventually we found our home in West Virginia. This is our first home and it is a dream come true!

For the six years we spent searching for this place I continued naturally growing my own food without the use of chemicals (my birds are my bug control and to an extent my weed control as well) or fertilizers (other than the lovely poop from my own organically raised critters) and sourcing only certified organic seeds. I also learned about culturing my own foods. At first it was a struggle to find organic livestock feeds. With hours spent searching online, I eventually found an certified organic supplier in Virginia (resources).

I never use chemicals. My Eco farm is earth friendly, Eco friendly, and animal friendly.

Many of my amazing animals are selected according to their status on the Livestock Conservancy list (resources). I often choose endangered breeds and raise them. When you support my farm, you are directly helping me keep these amazing domestic livestock animals from becoming extinct.

My products exceed the weak USDA Organic standards. Did you know that something can have the organic seal yet contain chemicals? Giant companies are always pushing for weaker organic standards. The USDA allows hundreds of non-organic additives in certified organic foods!

FYI, organic is Non GMO. GMO's are not allowed in certified organic. This is one of many reasons why I buy organic - even with it's imperfections, it's still better than conventional. Organic also insures I am not consuming crops grown with sewage sludge, irradiation, fracking waste water, genetic modification, gene editing, synthetic chemicals, synthetic fertilizers, growth hormones, and more.

Unfortunately when you buy a product who's only claim is that it is Non GMO, it can still contain glyphosate and the above mentioned chemicals. Glyphosate also known as Round Up Ready is used in Non GMO crops as a desiccant to help dry out crops such as wheat and other grains. Monsanto (now owned by Bayer) encourages it's use. When used as a desiccant, glyphosate is not washed off.

If you want to avoid a toxic life, go organic. Not only is it better for your family and pets, it is also better for the environment and the workers. Nothing speaks louder to a business than how you chose to spend your money.

If you buy it, you support it.

I currently offer humane feathers, heirloom non GMO cotton and seeds (I am proud to be the first business in WV to sign the Safe Seed Pledge), natural herbs, seeds & plants, Eco friendly personal care (such as milk soaps and lotions), decor, and fresh chemical free produce & eggs (local pickup).

All of my birds feathers are from humanely raised birds who live outside 365 days a year free ranging on pond and pasture the way Mother Nature intended; able to engage in natural behaviors. My birds are raised holistically and humanely for their entire lives. When they are not eating bugs, grass and other tidbits they find while foraging they enjoy certified organic feed that I special order. None of my birds feathers are plucked from live birds. My birds feathers are cruelty free, naturally molted, etc. They never live in cages, have their beaks clipped or any other barbaric conventional treatments. I've been raising a wide variety of birds for nearly 20 years and have acquired a lot of feathers as a result.

I am fortunate to have a lovable infertile Jersey heifer aka cow named Star. Star was bottle raised by my husband and I using her mothers milk. She has never been given grain or toxic chemicals. She's my giant pasture mower. Or more often called my big puppy dog or my Star Baby. At one time I had more Jersey cattle. Now it's just Star. At some point, I plan to get her another friend. Star is 100% pasture raised on my own chemical free pastures. She lives as natural of a bovine life as possible.

I grow a variety of chemical free apple trees and peach trees. Berries such as blueberry, blackberry, raspberry, and elderberry. Heirloom vegetables, flowers, herbs, dye plants, and heirloom cotton - white and naturally colored.

My seeds are from plants I started from certified organic non GMO seed. I do not resell seeds, you get seed that I save from my own plants. I am proud to be the first business (in 2012) in West Virginia to sign the original Safe Seed Pledge. I never use chemicals of any kind, not even the organic approved types. I believe in working with Mother Nature not against her.

Please support your local Eco-farmers. Without our farms, we are nothing!

I thank you so much for stopping by my etsy shop and for supporting my Eco-Farm, I couldn't do what I do without you!