My name is Matt Barnhard. I live in Northeast Missouri with my wife and 4 children on our farm. We raise beef cattle by means of managed intensive grazing, we raise Large black hogs that we market direct to consumer, and we raise pasture broilers which are also marketed direct to consumer. We are passionate about raising top quality food for our family and our customers. Our 3 oldest children show our large black pigs in 4H. I have a Bachelor degree from Northwest Missouri State in Animal Science which includes extensive work with commercial swine production. To include breeding, genetics, and nutrition. I have many years experience with raising pure bread animals in the beef industry. One idea I have for the LBHA is a meat marketing program. Something similar to a certified angus beef program on a smaller scale. Something as producers we can educate our customers and market our products and create more demand for our breed. We would serve as husband and wife pair
Natasha Paris is a pasture-based farmer and high school agriculture teacher in Green Lake, WI. She is from Eastern Wisconsin originally, holds a BA from Knox College in Education and Modern Languages, and has taught preschool, adult English learners, Spanish, German, Science, and Agriculture. She has also lived in Madison, Western Illinois, and Norway. She and her husband own ParKelm Farm where they raise grassfed Classic Hereford Cattle, grassfed Icelandic Sheep, and pastured Large Black Hogs. They direct market all of their meat through their website and at a farmers market in Madison. They started farming in 2012 and bought hogs in 2017 after the loss of their son put them on a new path in life. Natasha is passionate about advocating for pasture-based agriculture and serves on two SARE advisory committees, is on the Grassworks Conference planning committee, and is the Vice President of the Green Lake County Farm Bureau. She has spoken at events on her farm and at conferences on the topics of soil health, pasture-based meat quality, pasture-based hog rations, multi-species grazing, and diversity and inclusion in agriculture. She recently won the WI Farm Bureau Young Agriculturist Excellence in Agriculture Award and placed in the Top 10 in the American Farm Bureau Excellence in Agriculture contest. With regards to Large Black Hogs, she is interested in breeding pigs with good conformation and efficiency for meat/litter production on pasture.
Alison and her husband Tony, own Madrone Coast Farm in Northern California, a 97 acre Certified Organic farm, which sells breeding stock, and grows vegetables, fruit, laying eggs, meat and milk for their local community. They have been raising Large Black hogs for the past 2 years and they sell their pork at local farmer’s markets and through direct customer purchase. They are Animal Welfare Approved and a Certified Wildlife Friendly farm, as well as a member of The Livestock Conservancy. They also raise other heritage breeds of livestock for meat, milk, eggs and fiber from their Oberhasli Dairy goats, Babydoll Southdown sheep, Welsh Harelquin ducks and Delaware chickens.
David and Mert Burgett and youngest daughter Grayce, own and operate Burgett Farms near Sumner, Illinois. Their 47 acre farm is primarily devoted to their goal of becoming as self-sufficient as possible by producing their own food, and making the excess available to customers through farmer’s markets and direct farm sales.
Since 1995, the Burgetts have raised their own beef, poultry, eggs, and produce, and have been raising Large Black Hogs since 2016. In 2017, Mert began working with a family milk cow, to produce their own milk, butter, and cheese.
Growing and preserving as much as possible, they can control the quality of their food by utilizing natural methods of pest control and eliminating the need for commercial pesticides. They strive to revive some of the ways of the past, like fermenting sauerkraut, baking everything from scratch, and smoking meats. Their ultimate goal is to one day be able to make the majority of their meals solely from ingredients produced on the farm.
Hunting and fishing on their farm helps to put food on the table, as does recognizing and taking advantage of the gifts of nature. Gathering from the wild is an essential part of making ends meet. Wild blackberries and raspberries, walnuts and hickory nuts, sassafras, morels; all are nature’s bounty that can be used or sold as needed.
Outside the farm, David works for Jones Lang LaSalle, a real estate services management company, as a Facility Manager for 17 UnitedHealth Group locations in Illinois, Kentucky, Arkansas and Oklahoma. He is also a Lawrence County Board Member, and on the Board of Directors of the Lawrence County, IL, Historical Society and the Lawrenceville Downtown Revitalization Committee. In addition to her duties of managing the farm, Mert works as a full time EMT, and is a volunteer Firefighter with the Christy Fire Protection District in their hometown of Sumner. Grayce attends Red Hill High School, and is active in FFA, 4-H, and on the farm.
David and Mert have five children and seven grandchildren, and strive to pass on their way of life to them and anyone else interested in a sustainable lifestyle. They are always looking to learn new things, and share the knowledge they have acquired. Not a day goes by without an opportunity to learn something new.
Alan and Amy McKamey along with their son Morgan own and operate Heritage Meadows Farm in Clayton Indiana. Heritage Meadows Farm LLC is one of the few farms in Indiana that is dedicated to the conservation of true purebred heritage livestock and non-hybrid heirloom seed production. Amy was a registered Veterinary Technician by trade and spent many years practicing emergency medicine which is often helpful at the farm. She now has committed her full time efforts to the farm. Alan works full time as an EMT/Fireman all while also taking care of his farm duties. Morgan is a very active 4-H, Jr. Leader, and FFA member showing both hogs and poultry.
For the McKameys its all about the Legacy as farming dates back to 1340 in their family tree. They are a mating to market farm that maintains all of the parent stock of both livestock and seed necessary for the preservation of true heritage and heirloom varieties. They are dedicated to raising “The Real Slow Food” from our past to make sure we all have a future. Farming is truly in their blood! So when they talk about Heritage Meadows Farm. They are talking about family heritage, heritage breeds of livestock, and Heirloom produce. It truly is all about the Legacy. The roots run really deep here.
They feel honored to serve on the board and to do their part in helping to preserve the wonderful large black hog. They look forward to the future of the breed and the Association.
