Building a family farm from scratch!

What began in 2017 as a project to clear 73 acres of neglected, overgrown land near Carthage has evolved to be Stormy Farms, a place where chickens, pigs, and cows graze freely on pasture, and an organic, pesticide-free garden produces healthy, tasty fruits and vegetables.

We are Sam and Joanie Cooper, and we are constantly learning more and more about how to nurture plants and animals without pesticides, antibiotics or hormones. This begins with respect for the soil.

Essentially, all life depends upon the soil... There can be no life without soil and no soil without life; they have evolved together.” - Dr. Charles E Kellogg, Soil Scientist

There are more microbes in the ground than there are stars in the sky, and they feed the soil, so we do as little tilling as possible at Stormy Farms. The icing on the cake for our soil is compost and animal waste that makes the soil vibrant and alive, instead of chemical fertilizer that depletes and destroys it.

Our animals rotate from pasture to pasture, giving their gifts of life to the soil, and the soil in turn feeds the animals with the rich nutrients that make our families healthy.

As we watch the land and animals flourish, and get to know our animals by moving them frequently and hand-feeding them with protein-loaded treats, we get to appreciate the importance of farming this way. The big word for this kind of farming is “regenerative.” We like to call it “respectful farming.”

And the animals respond to this care. Broiler hens are fat and feathered; their laying cousins are sleek and sparkly and lay big eggs with beautiful bright yellow yolks. The cows have thick and shiny coats, and the pigs have strong muscles and full bellies.

The lives of every living being depend on what they eat and how they are treated, so farming demands taking care of soil and animals so that they produce food that takes care of people.

Humankind has not woven the web of life. We are but one thread within it. Whatever we do to the web, we do to

ourselves. All things are bound together. All things connect. Chief Seattle, 1854.

You can find out more about Stormy Farms and our way of doing things by checking out the links on this website that offer you videos about the ups and downs and adventures of day-to-day life on the farm, articles about regenerative farming, and healthy recipes.

You can see our products at the Webb City Farmers Market,  or come to the farm for a visit. We would love to have you!