The Holly’s began their a new business in 2020 when they started selling home raised chickens directly to friends.
“We value knowing where the meat we are eating comes from and how the animals have been taken care of from birth to finishing stages,” Katie said. “It is rewarding to us to feed our friends and family with meat that has been directly raised on our farm.”
“In the past two years we have grown more in the beef and pork side of selling farm raised meats,” Katie said. “Poultry processing fees continued to increase and we were looking to stay more local with our processing. We have processed chickens on our farm the past couple of years for customers, but offer a very limited supply, once a year, of chicken.”
In late 2020, the Holly’s started selling whole and half beef shares to some friends in the area.
In the Spring of 2021 they started offering individual beef cuts at The Fort Scott Farmer’s Market on Saturdays.
“It was a goal for 2022 to open a space where customers could shop our meats year round, not just during the Farmers Market Season,” she said. “We are grateful for all the help of family, friends, and our loyal customers who have supported our small farm business to help make this possible for us.”
“This past year we have raised pigs and offered a limited supply of pork weekly at the farmers market to customers in our mobile meat trailer,” she said. “Having the mobile meat trailer at the farmers market helped us keep the meats frozen and offered a space for customers to shop from the cuts of meat we offer.”
This month, the Holly’s added a farm store on their property to sell their beef and pork products.
“This October we started renovating a small farm shed into a store front to sell our beef and pork from… a small building located right on our family farm just west of Fort Scott at 2014 Locust Rd.,” she said. “Currently parking is limited at the farm store as we finish up a few ongoing projects on the farm.”
The building is a way to retain customers through the winter months and offer space for customers to shop their meats year round.
“Another service we offer is porch delivery weekly to the Fort Scott area, which is simple and hassle free,” she said. “Our order form link is listed on our Facebook page and orders can be placed online, invoices are sent to customers, reminder texts are sent for customers to simply leave a cooler by their door, then orders are delivered directly to customers. The porch delivery service has been a favorite by many of our customers. We plan to continue this service throughout the year.”
The Farm Store will be open on Saturday mornings 9 a.m. to noon.
If there are questions about the business, contact via email [email protected] or find Still Waters Farm on Facebook for more information.
“We are humbled by the support we have had from this community and excited for the plans we have for 2023,” she said.
The Family’s Background
The young couple grew up in agriculture and have a passion for helping the next generation understand where their food comes from and the hard work that goes into farming, according to Katie.
Ethan has a Bachelors Degree in Ag Business and works as a Fort Scott bank loan officer, and Katie has a Bachelors in Elementary Education, and cares for their children while managing the daily farm chores.
Their two young children help with the farm chores of feeding and caring for the animals they raise.
The family is involved in the local 4-H program, their local church, and a few other committees within the community.
I have bought beef (1/4 and 1/8 cow) from them on a couple occasions. They produce an excellent product and their customer service is top notch. If you haven’t already, I whole-heartedly recommend.