Every day at At Mary’s Land Farm, we’re on a mission to educate about and raise healthy animals, fruits, and vegetables in a regenerative ecosystem while maintaining the highest ethical standards for our products and their caregivers, so that our family and yours can eat nourishing food raised responsibly.
But, you may be wondering why we do what we do. This short letter from the owner, Tom Cunningham, sheds light on this concept:
Dear Mary’s Land Customers,
I was in the agricultural industry with my dad in the 1970s, but was away from farming until 2007 when I started raising layer chickens with my son as his first real job.
I became more and more aware and then more and more concerned about the impact of the environment on my children. This culminated with the birth and death of our seventh child who had Trisomy 18.
His hospice nurse made a very casual and life-changing comment. She said that, in thirty years as a hospice nurse, she never used to see a Trisomy 18 child. Today, even though many of these Trisomy 18 children are aborted, her practice has many children with this disease. She concluded that it must be something in the environment.
John Paul, our seventh child, was a gift.
After his death, I began to pay more attention to the environment, but I didn’t really know where to start.
The next year, my eldest son Luis and I started the egg business at our new house in Florida. Some of our health-conscious customers would ask, “Are the eggs soy free? Are they organic?” These questions started waking me up to a larger gamut of health issues.
One bible verse hung with me and started to prick my conscience. Matthew 7:9 “Or what man is there among you who, when his son asks for a loaf, will give him a stone?” Was I feeding my children stones?
The truth is that I’d never put my children in an unsafe car or a house with mold or leaking roof. However, when I’d go to the supermarket, I’d find the cheapest chicken. From reading Omnivore’s Dilemma and other books, I knew how bad that chicken could be, but I choose to ignore it. I wouldn’t buy $10 organic chicken breast if I could find them for $1.50. This was wrong. I was handing my children what was worse than a stone when they asked for a loaf of bread.
Additionally, some of our children were running into minor health issues. We found many problems were fixable with diet and food. (It’s worth noting, however, product labeling can be downright dishonest).
There was only one way to guarantee good food for my family: we had to buy a farm! I read over 100 books and made 100 mistakes. I am sure I’ll make many more. Yet, every day we figure out a little bit more.
We are proud to share what we have built with you!
Sincerely,
Thomas Cunningham
Video: Introduction to Mary’s Land Farm Food Production
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