Farmers

Our name came from our family- the 4Ms: Marvin, Margie, Michelle, and Mike. My grandparents, Russel & Hellen Rippelmeyer, were also an integral part of our retail sales during the 1980s. We started selling grapes from the back of a pickup truck and have grown to be the largest seller of concord grapes in Missouri. 4M Vinyard has been, and continues to be, a family owned & operated business since 1984. I am the 3rd generation to work the roadside stand, along with my partner Jody.

Your food…Our Mission

We founded Air2Ground Farms with one goal in mind: producing high-quality meat for ourselves, family, friends, and community. In the process, we are dedicated to healing our land through regenerative farming practices. This results in not only healthy soil, but healthy animals...which provides you and your family health from within.  As Bryson at Beaver Creek Feed (our local non-GMO feed mill) says, "we are what they eat!"

After 25 years in the US Air Force, we left our busy city life behind. We transitioned the dedication to mission and attention to detail learned while flying F-15Es and set out on a new mission.  Our mission is now health, from the inside out.  We humanely raise small batch, forest grazed, non-GMO pork.  Our pigs spend their life in the forest, rooting, eating nuts and acorns, and generally being pigs.  We feed our pork non-GMO feed only…no bakery scraps here!  

It's not just food, it's a mission!

Our Fresh Baked Artisan Bread is incredible!

We give special attention to the ingredients and the process to make a fabulous loaf of bread. Each loaf is handmade, with the slow fermentation process which produces a wonderful rich flavor and texture. It also becomes easier for our bodies to digest, even gluten sensitive people are often fine with our bread.

It slices easily without crumbling and also freezes well. Pop it in a warm oven to get that fresh-baked-bread-out-of-the-oven experience. This delicious bread has a nice brown crust, while keeping the inside soft and tender.

Bread has been around for centuries. No chemicals were added to the breads baked by our forefathers and none are added to our artisan bread either. Our Artisan Bread is set apart from the soft, preservative-laden commercial breads.

So, go on… Taste it! You will immediately taste the difference

Health is important to us!

Our basic dough consists of flour ~ water ~ salt ~ yeast that’s it!

In our bread you will not find any artificial ingredients, fillers, dough enhancers, artificial flavorings, preservatives or colorings.

• Unbleached, Unbromated, Stone Ground Non-GMO flour
• Himalayan Salt – Unrefined, Unprocessed “raw” salt with the full spectrum of 84 minerals and trace minerals
• Fresh, Clean, and Crisp Well Water
• Most of our artisan breads are unsweetened.

Gluten Sensitive? We have multiple customers who are gluten sensitive but are fine eating our bread, even though it contains gluten. This is ascribed to the process our dough goes through before reaching the oven.

Blossom and Birdsong is a home-grown herbal product company based outside of Mansfield, MO. Marqueta Graham is a Master Herbalist and has been making herbal products for family and friends for over twenty years. We try to source as many locally grown or wildcrafted herbs as possible, as we feel it is important  for our health.

Marqueta is available to do plant identification walks and nutritional consulting.

Breezeway Farm is made up of 40 acres of Missouri clay, 3 frog-filled ponds, many awe-inspiring oaks, a small house with a big porch, gorgeous and delicious vegetables, Buckfast bees, a Great Dane puppy, a calico cat, and two hard working farmers.‍ December 2018 was the end of our first real growing season here, and we worked on finding out what grows best in this area. So far my favorite are the heirloom beets and super-hot peppers! We are available to grow various crops on request and have a high tunnel to extend the growing season and support some of the more fragile crops. Further goals include Runner ducks, whom I expect to eat their weight in garden bugs, and a silvopasture project involving sheep, goats, and empress trees. Sharing the things I grow with other people is a great, but I grow things I do, the way I do, because I love it, because I couldn’t do without it, and because I want to leave the land in better shape than I found it.

Established in 1981, we are a locally owned and operated cattle ranch in southwest Missouri with three generations living and working together to raise our herd of Black Angus cattle. We grow all of our own hay and utilize rotational grazing to manage our pastures. We also follow beef quality assurance guidelines and select bulls with genetics to help us raise a high marbling, nutritious protein source from our ranch to your table.

We raise high quality Black Angus beef that are grass-fed and grain-finished. We offer a variety of steaks, roasts, delicious flavors of bratwursts, snack sticks, chorizo sausage, brisket, and other specialty cuts, including marrow and knuckle bones. You can purchase from us by the following:

1. Buy a half or a whole beef and have it cut to your specifications at a local processing facility.
2. Purchase retail cuts at our facility in Seymour.
3. Purchase at littlefarmstore.com and have it delivered to your door

Chef Roland Parney hand crafts authentic delicacies in the Little Farm Store Kitchen to share his love and legacy of real French pastries.

Marina and John Backes started raising Heritage Berkshire hogs in 2009 when they relocated from Branchburg, New Jersey to the lush rolling hills of the Ozark countryside.

The mild southwest Missouri weather is perfect for raising Heritage Berkshire hogs. John and Marina are passionate about the food they produce and the welfare of their animals. They firmly believe that an animal’s welfare is vital to the taste and appearance of the meat.‍Circle B Ranch provides a clean and natural environment to breed and raise Heritage Berkshire/Kurabota Hogs. They are dedicated to raising hogs using sustainable and humane methods that adhere to the Certified Humane Raised and Handled and Animal Welfare Approved standards of operation.Since the animals are free-ranged on pasture they do what hogs do best – root and graze for the majority of their food.

As a child I experienced meals full of flavor and love, and I have enjoyed getting creative in the kitchen ever since. I worked at a coffee shop for a time and started focusing more on tea, herbs and holistic wellness around 2019. I value seasonally-focused living and continual learning, so I am a Master Gardener in Greene County Missouri and a member of the Springfield Area Herb Society. 

Four Teasons was inspired by conversations around how to incorporate seasonal and super-tasty flavors into beverages made at home. Change is a beautiful constant in our lives and it is so lovely to mark the changes with flavors and aromas to match. The primary focus is on caffeine-free blends with gentle herbs and spices that can be easily enjoyed by many. I find teas to be awesome for behavioral seasons of life too, such as avoiding caffeine or alcohol, working on drinking more water, cutting down on sugar, etc. 

I value quality products (real plants!) and great taste without artificial additives. I value care in the small batch process. I love to grow herbs and flowers in my home garden, although I am not using my home harvests in these blends for you at this time. Ingredients that you will find in my teas come from suppliers who use a variety of organic, sustainable, regenerative and ethical farming processes that honor the land and the farmers. I am a Good Faith Grown producer. Each small batch is blended with love. ❤️

Sellers of amazing & delicious herbs in our world today need to add a typical disclaimer! It is recommended that you consult with a qualified healthcare practitioner when using herbal products, particularly if you have allergies, are using medication, or are pregnant, nursing, or trying to conceive.

Grison Dairy was founded in 1997 when Swiss immigrants Heinz and Vroni Buff bought an existing dairy farm in Douglas County Missouri. Named after their native Canton in Switzerland Grison.

Over the years, emphasis was placed on improving the pasture stands and increasing yields. Care was always given the the environment. The farm produces most of their own forage. The Buff family believes that the most economical and environmentally friendly way to produce milk is to allow the cows to graze on pasture.

Grison Dairy is home to both Holstein and Brown Swiss cows. Most of the herd consists of home bred cows. During the evening you can normally see the next generation grazing around the house. Emphasis is placed on breeding cows that combine milk production, milk quality, longevity, feed efficiency, with type and style. The farm is currently milk about 100 cows twice per day, and to the joy of the neighbors, the cows can be herd by the bells they wear.

Grison Dairy & Creamery's cheese maker is Adrian Buff, who grew up on the farm. After completing high school, he went back to Switzerland to complete a 3 year apprenticeship program as an European Dairy Technologist. While attending cheese making school, he also worked for Napf Chasi in central Switzerland. Napf Chasi is very well known for producing specialty products, including cheese, yogurt, butter, bottled cream and milk.

Adrian enjoyed making cheese the most, producing many different cheeses including Quark, Brie, semi-hard washed rind cheeses, Emmentaler, hard washed rind cheese, and an extra hard cheese. At the end of the apprenticeship Adrian was tested in making Brie and Emmentaler for his final exam.

Our Grass Fed and Finished beef sold by the cut is USDA inspected and vacuum seal packaged. Our herd receives No grain or other finishing concoctions, No pharmaceutical vaccines, antibiotics, steroids, growth hormones, de-wormers, etc., and our pastures receive No man made fertilizer, herbicides or pesticides. With thoughtful land and stock management there is little to no need for these things and their long-term side effects to land, animals, and consumers. 

Our small herd consists of Red Devon and South Poll cattle. Our land management focuses on promoting perennial forage diversity and soil building. Our stockman ship focuses on low stress animals which in turn makes them a joy to manage and interact with. Our primary contribution to maintaining the symbiotic balance between land and ruminant animals involves daily time for observation and frequent movement to fresh clean forage. We understand that rain, sunshine, forage, and cattle work together to build healthy soil and nutritious human sustenance the way nature intended. We just help balance the relationship and get out of the way. If we desired to become certified organic our only obstacle would be a reliable source of organic hay and higher prices to consumers. 

Out of a desire to offer quality steak and roast cuts, we pay special attention to Grass Finishing our cattle. “Grass Fed” is only good enough if you don’t mind gambling with a potentially tough and chewy eating experience. “Grass finishing” is about getting the marbling into the meat that promotes deeper flavor and tenderness. Finishing on grass requires knowledge and extra effort to do well. We also work with our butcher to make sure meat quality is worthy of steak and roast cuts before the carcass is processed. How do we do this? We ask them to remove sample steak cuts from the carcass at the end of dry curing time so we can observe marbling and cook them up for a taste test. We also value our butcher’s observations of carcass quality and cut recommendations. If we feel meat doesn’t make the cut, it gets processed into ground beef, period.

Thank you for considering us for your local, grass finished beef. Keep an eye on us for other local farm products in the future. We’ve planted a permaculture styled orchard that should be producing fruit in 2 or 3 years. If time and energy allow, we also have an eye towards producing vegetables and forest finished hogs. We’re located south of Mountain Grove, Missouri and want to serve local patrons with wholesome food choices.

Thank you kindly, 

Nate and Brittany of Happy Critters Farm & Orchard, LLC 

The Ice Cream Factory experience began in Eldon, Missouri when the husband and wife team of Shannon and Katie Imler embarked on a new and extraordinary ice cream adventure. With their son Harrison by their side, they have honed the art of making the industry’s best ice cream. The value of hard work, determination, and persistence have been instilled from an early age with Shannon and Katie each being raised on a family farm. Nowhere are those core values more visible in the motivational company culture at Ice Cream Factory.

Whether you are looking for a sweet topping for your breakfast toast or favorite ice cream, a complement for your pork chop, or a new food garnish that adds just a touch of heat, Marina has the perfect sauce to suit your taste buds and your meal.

Melancholy Melancholy Roasting, LLC is a small town roastery dedicated to roasting the best quality beans and getting those beans to customers as fresh as possible.

We Started out at the farmers market on the Ava square using a small espresso machine and some pour-over coffee brewers, we were able to start learning what it really takes to make great coffee. After a couple of months we realized how much we really love making coffee and wanted to find a way to get more involved in the process. After lots of research, we decided to move forward and purchase a roaster. 

Now, a few years later we distribute freshly roasted coffee throughout south central Missouri and are continuing to grow!

Missouri Herbs is located in the small town of Competition in the Missouri Ozarks. Missouri is abundant in healing herbs that many call weeds. I am showcasing these plants to highlight their benefits and have created a few products based on the properties of these herbs. I do not use any fillers, parabens, preservatives or even water. These medicinal herbs grow in prolific abundance on my farm where outdoor spaces are created based on natural and permaculture growing systems.

I create plant extracts, infused oils, herbal vinegars, dried teas, and spices from my organically grown herbs. With those plant extracts I make rubs/ salves, face creams and a variety of other things. I give weed walks and small tours on the farm and am available to speak at garden clubs and festivals about natural growing methods and using weeds to improve gardens and health. 

Food trends come and go. When we started, “organic” and “free range” were the buzz words. Both those labels have had their definition diluted by the USDA. “Natural”, “green”, and “local” are the latest trends. We advise the consumer to “cut to the chase” and find a grower that they know and trust. Then, don’t hesitate to ask the “hard” questions. What do you feed? How often are the birds moved? What do you do about predators? How do you kill the birds? What do you do with the guts and feathers? Why does your product cost three times the price of super market poultry?

We have made many labor saving innovations that enable us to move our poultry 1 and 2 times a day. This provides more insects for the birds to eat and a cleaner environment in which to sleep. We supliment their with a poultry ration made with non-gmo corn and non-gmo roasted soy. To that we add vitamins and minerals. Feed is ground fresh about every 5 days.

Visitors are always welcome at the farm. Instead of trusting a USDA employee to inspect your food, come out and see for yourself how your food is raised. We welcome your critique and value your kind words. It is your heartfelt thanks that buoys us after a long, hard day.

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Ron Cummings owns and operates Ron’s Microgreens. He and his wife, Sammi, have built a lovely home in Willow Springs. Carved out of the trees on a hilltop, they have a custom house with lots of light and designed by Ron himself. During the summer their gardens are thriving, and their high tunnel is full of tomatoes and tumeric and a few other species. 

In an indoor grow room, Ron harvests fresh micro greens every 7-10 days. These little plants are packed with nutrition. Microgreens, on average, have 9 times the antioxidant value of mature greens and the nutrient profiles are concentrated, providing a big dose of vitamins and phytonutrients in a small package. Ron wants to contribute to the health of the community by providing highly nutritious food that is grown in rich healthy soil. He has plans to expand his microgreens growing space so he can do just that, and of course, his sales will help support their small farm, and Sammi’s flower growing habit. She has gorgeous flower beds! 

Nathan Long is the proprietor of Southern Mushrooms in Mansfield, Missouri.  Nathan’s originally started growing mushrooms so that his cousin could have a business, then he became fascinated with the science of mushrooms. He finds feeding people foods that are good for them very gratifying.  The research on the health benefits of mushrooms is extensive.  These are superfoods that provide a source for important trace minerals like selenium and potassium.  They help with immune function, brain health, and weight loss when used to substitute for fatty meats.   Nathan currently grows five varieties: Shiitake, Blue Oyster, King Oyster, Lion’s Mane and Pioppini.

Terrell Creek Farm is a farm owned and operated by Lesley and Barry Million. Nestled in the heart of the Ozark Hills, the farm is bathed in the beauty of nature. It is our appreciation of this beauty that inspires us and guides our every decision and practice. We employ sustainable, organic methods in caring for our land, our animals, and in producing our artisan cheeses.

Our Cheese Process

Our exceptional cheeses start with pure, fresh milk from our own healthy and happy goats. We are a "farmstead" dairy, meaning we use milk only from our own animals. We are very particular in the management of our herd of Nubian dairy goats. They have unlimited access to fresh artesian spring water and year-round pasture and browse. We use a rotational grazing system to promote the health of our land as well as to offer the most nutritious forage. As a result, the milk they produce reflects the distinctiveness of the Ozark Hill region. These subtle local flavors carry over into our handcrafted cheeses.Our herd is also supplemented with local hay, organic materials and herbs, and our own custom blended organic grain mix.

We avoid the use of any and all chemicals, and employ the use of careful management practices. We use the same care in producing our cheeses. Our cheese is handcrafted in small batches and individually hand wrapped. Each stage of production is carried out with great attention to detail and quality.

Topaz Farm is owned by Joshua Deatherage in Cabool, Missouri. The Deatherage family name has a long history in Missouri. Joshua’s family has been farming in the Cabool area for generations. 

 Topaz Farms supplied many of the veggies for Little Farm Store orders in the first weeks of operation.  Johsua's says that his motivations for taking on the challenge of farm productions to supply good food for his family and community. He wants to have a strong, local agricultural system because food security is important, and our food should be good for us, not sprayed with chemicals to give it artificially increased shelf life. He also wants to continue the traditions of growing and preserving healthy foods by teaching his children.