Our Story
Leaping Bear Farm is proud to be part of the regenerative agriculture movement helping build soil and store carbon in the ground through our farming practices. Transitioning our society’s agriculture away from the industrial model and towards a regenerative one is going to be a vital tool in the effort to combat climate change. In our case, one way we are doing this is by raising our animals on pasture and moving them daily to fresh ground. This practice keeps the soil covered at all times and makes our farm more resilient to droughts and excessive rainfall. We are also proud to have become certified organic and believe in the combined regenerative organic approach to environmental stewardship of our landscapes. With backgrounds in permaculture design and holistic management we are helping the environment become more productive ecologically.
Justin started Leaping Bear Farm in April of 2019 with a focus on pasture raised and organically fed whole chickens and eggs, which are now certified organic. He grew some veggies for market as well, and by the end of the season added microgreens as a way to grow fresh product through the winter. In June 2019 he started vending at the Putney Farmers Market and we’ve been there ever since. Justin and Vanessa met at the start of the 2021 growing season and have been working together to develop Leaping Bear Farm into a sustainable business. Vanessa’s design experience enabled us to create a custom logo, revamp our online presence and packaging and create an inviting farmers market booth. We are planning to raise 1600+ broilers and 600 layers this season. We are in three farmers markets that give us year-round market access. We wholesale to local food co-ops, local restaurants, The Putney Food Shelf, and multiple local active farm stores. In 2022 we also added home made canned chicken stock utilizing our chicken backs and necks, which has quickly become a top seller.