Knowing that the Church is Christ's body, all human beings are created in the image of God and all creation bears the distinct traces of the Creator. Consequently, a holistic attitude of love, peace, and justice permeates our whole environment and ecology as a community and as individuals. 

Exercising the gospel freedom of communal obedience to the Francsican and monastic tradition affords in selecting an apostolate, the brothers and sisters always choose those works that the signs of the times indicate are most in need of our witness in a given region. Our chicken farm is a way to realize our vision of something in harmony both with overall natural farming and the farms of the region in which we live.

We are in our sixth year of our dedication to raising the highest quality, all natural pasture raised chicken in Berryville, Arkansas. Our USDA label has quickly earned us a reputation for producing the finest birds which are fed only natural non-GMO whole grains which we grind and mix ourselves, no steroids, no animal by-products, antibiotics while being treated humanely and grown with love.

In the spring, summer and fall, the chickens are raised in pasture pens in the field which are moved daily by hand onto fresh grass. They are pastured in small natural groups of about 75. This arrangement allows the birds to interact with one another, chase bugs, sunbathe and take dust-baths. The pasture pens are moved daily, allowing our chickens access to fresh grass. Their feed is a special mix ground here at Little Portion Hermitage. Such a healthy lifestyle results in a superior bird. The meat has a better taste, is firmer in texture and has a lower cooking weight loss than conventionally raised chickens. Our freerange chickens have 21% less total fat, 30% less saturated fat and 28% fewer calories than their factory-farmed counterparts.

When you choose these birds over confinement birds by large growers, you are choosing to enhance your health. You also contribute to encouraging biodiversity, improving soil fertility and eliminating waste-management problems associated with confinement-feeding operations. Our poultry on grass reduces greenhouse gases in the air due to a process called sequestration, wherein the grasses and legumes found in well-managed pastures are able to draw excess carbon dioxide from the air and return it to the soil as carbon. All in all, you are making a very positive impact on your body and your environment.