Mississippi’s Home Place Pastures Sells Fresh Meat Direct to Consumers

In partnership with: Mississippi Department of Agriculture and Commerce

Despite growing up on the family row crop farm in Como, Mississippi, Marshall Bartlett’s journey back to agriculture wasn’t a traditional one. 

The Meat of the Matter

“We had a common commodity agriculture operation. My dad grew row crops, had a cow-calf operation, and still runs the cotton gin in town,” Bartlett says. “And he actually pushed my siblings and I away from agriculture simply because even though our farm was large, it wasn’t big enough to make row cropping work in the future.” 

Bartlett says he knew he didn’t want to farm row crops, so he left the farm to go to Dartmouth College, then completed an AmeriCorps service term in New Orleans. Eventually, he ended up working for a local meat company that sold directly to restaurants – an experience that would help lead him back home. 

“It was eye opening because I started to understand the potential of selling to restaurants and the demand for humanely raised meats,” Bartlett says. 

Home Place Pastures

In 2014, Bartlett decided to return home with a new business model for his family’s land – humanely raising hogs and cows. Rather than send animals away for finishing and processing, Bartlett felt it was key to become fully vertically integrated. So, he built an on-farm, USDA-inspected slaughterhouse and processing facility. 

“It was a long journey to get that facility built. We didn’t have it for the first couple years and had to partner with a slaughterhouse and Memphis butcher shop,” Bartlett says. “But now, we’re fully operational for beef and pork. We harvest about 40 hogs and eight cattle per week, and we have 18 full-time employees. As well as an on-farm butcher shop and restaurant.” 

Initially, Bartlett says Home Place Pastures focused on wholesale and selling direct to restaurants. Now, most wholesale sales are done through food service distributors and, thanks in part to the COVID-19 pandemic, Home Place Pastures has significantly increased their direct-to-consumer sales. 

See more: 6 Sustainable Meat Delivery Companies That Support Small Farms

Meat Every Month

In 2019, the farm began its monthly meat box subscription program to appeal more directly to consumers. When the pandemic hit in 2020, Bartlett says the program increased from 40 subscribers to around 400. 

“It’s now settled to about 350 monthly subscribers,” he says. “But that went from being a side thing to being a major pillar of our business.” 

Consumers who subscribe to the meat box receive fresh, seasonal cuts of meat including beef, pork and lamb as well as an original recipe written from one of the farms’ partner chefs. 

“It’s a lot of fun for families who want to support local agriculture but also for the ‘foodie’ customers who love to cook and explore in the kitchen with unique cuts of meat,” Bartlett says. 

See more: How to Choose the Best Beef and Pork Cuts of Meat

Pandemic Pivot

Bartlett says he’s extremely proud that business actually grew by 15% during the pandemic, but that doesn’t mean it was easy.

“Every day when we came to work, we felt like we were fighting for survival,” he says. “It was challenging and liberating at the same time. It made us examine every move, and if it wasn’t working, we threw it out the window. I also have an amazing staff who shares in the farm’s vision, and the pandemic allowed us to problem-solve and focus on what works best for our business. We now realize that direct-to-consumer sales are our most viable market, and this is where we’ll focus efforts moving forward.” 

Bartlett adds that as a young business owner, going through a pandemic was probably one of the best and hardest ways to grow.

Plan Your Visit

Along with their fresh meats, Home Place Pastures sells local Mississippi products in its on-farm store. The farm also holds events and tours for consumers to learn more about agriculture. They even offer on-farm camping. Learn more at homeplacepastures.com.