In this episode of the Grazing Grass Podcast, we're joined by Jeff Siewicki of Vital Mission Farm in South Carolina. Jeff shares his journey from raising 25 chickens for personal use to building a thriving regenerative poultry business focused on pasture-raised ducks and turkeys. With a background in science and no prior farming experience, Jeff candidly discusses how he learned everything from scratch—facing the steep learning curves of pasture poultry, selling wholesale to top chefs, and ultimately pivoting to a hyperlocal subscription-based model for direct-to-consumer sales.
Topics Covered:
- Starting with chickens, transitioning to ducks and turkeys
- Challenges and benefits of pasture-raised poultry
- Lessons from selling wholesale to restaurants pre-COVID
- Pivoting during the pandemic to direct-to-consumer sales
- Creating value-added products like duck prosciutto and pet treats
- Launching and refining a customized local subscription box
- Online marketing and building an effective digital storefront
- Advice for farmers on capturing leads and converting sales
Why You Should Listen:
If you're a grass-based producer exploring poultry, value-added products, or direct-to-consumer models, this episode is packed with practical advice and real-world experience. Jeff doesn’t sugarcoat the hard lessons learned, but he also shares the wins—from building customer relationships at farmers markets to crafting a high-margin subscription service. Whether you’re looking to improve your margins, expand product offerings, or shift from wholesale to DTC, Jeff’s story is full of inspiration and actionable insights.
Resources Mentioned:
- Vital Mission Farm
- Regenerative Success
- Premier1 Supplies (chick-safe netting)
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