Why Buying Meat Directly From a Farmer Changes Everything

We have been farming in Delaware County, Iowa for seven years. In that time we have heard a lot of reasons why people first reach out to us - they want better quality, they are curious about how their food is raised, they want to support a local business, or they are simply tired of the same few options at the grocery store.

But the reason that keeps people coming back, the one we hear over and over again, is simpler than any of those things.

They wanted to know their farmer.

This post is about why that matters, what it actually looks like to buy pasture-raised meat directly from a farm in eastern Iowa, and why we believe it is one of the most meaningful choices a household can make about their food.

What "Knowing Your Farmer" Actually Means

It is easy for this phrase to sound like marketing. Like something printed on a label next to a stock photo of a barn.

But when we say it, we mean something specific.

When you buy from Over the Moon Farm, you are buying from Shae, who grew up on this land in Coggon, Iowa - the same land where we farm today. Shae is the one checking on the animals in the early morning, repairing equipment, making decisions about rotational grazing, and loading your delivery on Thursday. And you are buying from Anna, who handles communications, advocacy, and the business side, and who has been showing up for the policy work that independent farms need to survive - from Capitol Hill briefings on meat monopolies to farmer-led organizations working on food system reform right here in Iowa.

When you email us a question, we answer it. When something changes with your order, we tell you. When we make a decision about how our animals are raised, we share it.

That is what knowing your farmer looks like in practice.

How Our Pasture-Raised Meat Is Different

The meat at most grocery stores comes from a supply chain that most people know very little about. A handful of large corporations control the majority of beef and pork processing in the United States, which means the decisions about how animals are raised, how they are processed, and what gets labeled as "humanely raised" are made far from any individual farm.

At Over the Moon, the decisions are made by us.

Our Berkshire pork comes from heritage-breed hogs raised in low-stress environments on our farm in Coggon. No confinements. No gestation crates. Berkshire is a heritage breed known for exceptional flavor, marbling, and tenderness -- qualities that simply do not exist in commodity pork. When customers tell us our pork chops are the best they have ever had, we are not surprised. We are proud.

Our pasture-raised chicken is raised on our farm in small flocks with access to the outdoors. Pasture-raised chicken tastes the way chicken used to taste - flavorful, with a texture that holds up in any cooking method. We raise our birds seasonally while the grass is green.

Our grass-fed beef comes from Millie and Elston at Pine View Angus Beef in Stuart, Iowa, rotationally grazed on pasture. Rotational grazing means the cattle move regularly, the pasture gets to recover, the soil health improves, and the beef develops the rich, complex flavor that comes from animals living as they were meant to live.

Every one of these animals was raised by someone we know, on land we can visit, using practices we stand behind completely.

What We Mean by Humane Animal Care

We use the phrase "humanely raised in low-stress environments" deliberately. For our Berkshire pork, we do not use the term pasture-raised because our hogs are not on pasture in the same way our chickens are. What they do have is space, low-stress handling, quality feed, and daily attention from farmers who care about their wellbeing.

We believe how an animal lives shows up in the food it produces. This is not just a value we hold. It is something our customers taste.

How to Get Over the Moon Farm Meat

One of the questions we get most often from new customers is simply: how does this work? Buying directly from a farm is not something most people grew up doing, and the grocery store is a familiar habit. So here is the simple version.

Local delivery to eastern Iowa, every Thursday. If you are in our delivery area, you can order online at overthemoonmeat.com and we will deliver to your door. Order by 8pm Wednesday for Thursday delivery. Delivery is free.

Nationwide shipping, every Monday. We ship pasture-raised meat directly to your door anywhere in the country. Orders are packed frozen with insulated packaging and arrive ready for your freezer. Midwest shipping is $25 or free over $150. Nationwide shipping is $49.99 or free over $250. Order by 8pm Sunday for Monday shipping.

In person at Buffalo Ridge Orchard Farm Store in Central City, Iowa. If you are local to that area, you can find a selection of our meats on their shelves. They are open Tuesdays through Saturdays, 10am to 4pm, from May through December.

Subscriptions. Subscribe to any product in our store and set your delivery cadence -- weekly, biweekly, or monthly. Change or cancel anytime. This is the best option for households that want a consistently stocked freezer without having to think about it every week.

Bulk Options: Whole Hog, Half Hog, and Beef Shares

For customers who want to go deeper, we offer whole and half hog packages and quarter and half beef shares. These are among the most meaningful ways to buy directly from a farm.

A whole or half hog means you work with us and our butcher to specify exactly how your animal is processed - boneless or bone-in roasts, thick or thin chops, Italian sausage or plain ground pork, uncured pork belly to smoke yourself. You get every cut from one animal, all at once, along with months of incredible meals.

A beef share works similarly. You reserve a quarter or half of a grass-fed steer, pay a deposit to hold your spot, and receive your full order once the animal is processed. It is the most economical way to buy beef from us and the most direct connection to where your food comes from.

We release these packages seasonally. If you are interested, sign up for our newsletter to be notified when they become available.

Why We Farm the Way We Do

Seven years in, we still believe what we believed at the beginning. That how we raise animals matters. That how food is produced matters. That building a regional food system that values the dignity of people, land, animals, and communities is work worth doing.

We are a women-owned, LGBTQ-owned farm in Delaware County, Iowa. We are part of FACE -- Farmers for Animals, Communities, and the Environment -- and Anna has testified at congressional briefings about meat monopolies and public health. We show up for the policy conversations that most farmers never have time for, because we believe the farm gate is not the end of our responsibility.

When you buy from us, you are not just feeding your family well. You are part of something we are trying to build together.

What Our Customers Say

We could tell you all day that our meat is exceptional. We would rather let the people who eat it tell you.

"Their pork has turned our family, who rarely ate pork, into frequent pork eaters. Their humanely raised Berkshire pork is out of this world." -- Dylan B., Marion, Iowa

"The chicken tasted the way poultry used to taste -- juicy, full of flavor, and enough for several meals. This place is a real gem." -- Anne R., Cedar Rapids, Iowa

"Supporting local made easy and delicious. Purchased half a pig and filled our freezer. High quality product and fantastic service." -- Alex S., Iowa City, Iowa

"I just received a beautiful pork butt roast -- it is so nice, and the freezer packaging was excellent with very timely shipping. Over the Moon is a caring and kind company." -- Denise G.

Ready to Order?

If you are in eastern Iowa, shop online and choose local delivery. If you are anywhere else in the country, we ship to you every Monday.

Have questions about how it works? Visit our FAQ page or contact us directly. We are real people and we actually respond.

We are Over the Moon Farm. We are in Coggon, Iowa. And we would love to be your farmers.

Over the Moon Farm raises heritage-breed Berkshire pork, pasture-raised chicken, grass-fed beef, and pastured lamb in Delaware County, Iowa. We offer local home delivery across eastern Iowa every Thursday and nationwide shipping every Monday. Shop at overthemoonmeat.com.