At Loving More Farmstead, we are a small family-run operation dedicated to raising high-quality organically-fed and pastured poultry for eggs and meat. In addition to our poultry, we also offer a variety of seasonal produce, including market garden veggies in the summer, and winter microgreens and herbs. Our farm also boasts a bounty of apples, asparagus, pumpkins, and berries. We take pride in growing and harvesting the freshest, most flavorful products for our local community. We utilize a biodynamic approach to engaging in restorative and regenerative practices in order to be responsible stewards to Mother Earth. *Currently, we are only offering a limited supply of eggs from our very spoiled pastured and organically-fed chickens - along with small clamshell packages of organic microgreens.* More to come soon!
With so much demand for baby chicks and hatching eggs, Loving More is now offering both, as well as started "teenage" chicks. Once you place an order, please allow 21 days for us to hatch out your babies... that's how long it takes for chicken eggs to hatch in the incubator. Rainbow mixed chicks from performing laying hens are $10 each for day-olds. If you'd like us to raise your chicks until they are feathered and do not need a brooder, these are called "started" and that takes an additional 4 weeks - and those will cost $25 each, and gender will be more easily distinguishable at this time, so you can request gender specific birds.
Organic fertilized hatching eggs are $30 per dozen.
Disclaimer 1: We do not currently offer purebred designer chickens; we raise all our chicks over winter together so that they can keep warm. Therefore, the offspring will be from a wide array of mixed heritage from the 100 hens and 15 roosters that accompany them. There is an added benefit to this method, because hybrid heritage chickens live longer and produce eggs longer because of something called "hybrid vigor." They are naturally more resistant to disease and pests as hybrids - and their egg colors will be come in a true rainbow-type mix.
IF YOU WANT PUREBRED BIRDS, we will be placing each purebred type that we raise in breeding pens in late April when it's warm enough, and then we will begin hatching their eggs by May for June delivery. We do not run a "puppy mill" style chicken hatchery, so we do things as naturally as possible for the benefit and humane treatment of all of our livestock. Therefore, the only way to contain chickens humanely and safely in breeding pens is to pasture them in breeding pens that are moved daily to ensure fresh grazing and a clean environment.
Disclaimer 2: We do not identify genders at hatch. Commercial hatcheries have professional "sexers" that identify gender at about an 80-90% accuracy rate. However, when they only sell female birds, the males are immediately euthanized or just tossed alive in the trash. We do not support this practice. However, every rooster that you end up with, either from chicks or hatching eggs, we will gladly take them back if you bring them to us. We will either incorporate them into our growing flocks, find them new homes or process them at some point and utilize them as free food for the less fortunate in our community.
Our ordering information is below and uses the same process as ordering eating eggs and microgreens, except that you'll need to give us time to either collect eggs or hatch out the babies. Please feel free to email if you have more questions and require more information.
All are welcome to come visit our farm to see our work and livestock. There will be required biosecurity measures, due to the recent Avian Flu outbreaks and other concerns, but we do want to always be transparent and open to everyone.
Loving More Farmstead is a restorative, regenerative, biodynamic beyond organic farm that specializes in eggs, poultry, rabbits and market produce seasonally. All animals are fed a 100% organic diet and have access to pasture except for during the coldest and most in climate times in our seasons here in Minnesota. Chickens are other poultry are also offered fermented organic feed daily, along with black soldier fly larvae that are either raised on property or acquired locally.
If you are not aware, black solder fly larvae are not only exceptionally more nutritious than meal worms, but they are also an important part of the restorative, regenerative and biodynamic processes. Black soldier fly larvae assist in sequestering carbon from organic waste at an efficiency level of 60-80%, accelerating the composting process by 10-15 times the speed that it would take inside a typical composting system. And the result is an endless supply of protein and calcium rich food for egg layers and meat birds alike, especially important during seasons why free range poultry do not have access to pasture bugs and other creatures that are naturally part of their omnivorous diet.
If you live near Owatonna or Waseca (our farm is located literally on the county line between Steele and Waseca Counties), then you are welcome to schedule a pickup OR we can organize home delivery periodically on a case-by-case basis. Please contact us to get on the list for this option and for more information.
Once per week - usually on Sunday afternoons, but sometimes on Friday instead - we rendezvous at the Aslan Institute in Eagan around 12 noon. Our church meets in this location and ends at 11:30 AM. Please contact us on the contact form to be put on the list for delivery to the Eagan Location.
Once per week - usually on Sunday afternoons, but sometimes on Friday instead - we rendezvous in Bloomington near the Mall of America and Ikea around 1:00 PM. (However, during the holiday season between late November and December, we usually meet an another nearby area away from shopping) . Let us know if you want to be put on the list for delivery to the Bloomington Location.
In Edina, we meet up with customers in the parking lot of the Jerry's Foods. This meetup is at approximately 1:45 PM. Jerry's is more centrally located than our previous spot. We meet in the outer part of the parking lot right across from the Wells Fargo bank. Contact us via email to be put on the waiting list for the Edina meet up.
The next stop on our weekly rounds is the Burnsville Center parking lot near the Panda Express and is typically around 2:30 PM. We do not have as many takers here, so sometimes we skip this stop if no one signs up for a given week, so please make sure to let us know in advance by emailing us by Thursday evenings.
The final stop on our weekly rounds on our way back home to Waseca is the Flying J parking lot in Northfield, right off of 35S and is typically around 3:00 PM. We have people who meet us here from the southernmost suburbs. Please email to be on the list for Northfield.
Venmo: @LovingMoreFarmstead
CashApp: @LovingMoreFarmstead
PayPal: @LovingMoreFarmstead (or click below where it says "donate now")
FOR EATING EGGS AND GREENS: Please use the button below to send us what you'd like to order by Thursday at 11:59 PM - for pickup Sunday afternoons. Friday morning, we will reconcile requests with our inventory, then email back with your updated order. We prefer Venmo payment @lovingmorefarmstead AFTER you receive the confirmation that your order can be filled.
FOR HATCHING EGGS OR CHICKS: Please submit your desired order below on any date, along with how many and when you would like them.
Your support and contributions will enable us to meet our goals and improve conditions. Your generous donation will fund our mission.
