Blogger Spotlight: M and A Farm

Today's blog is brought to you by guest blogger Ruth Anne McManus.

My brother Autumn and his partner Michelle Todd own M and A Farm. I have tasted their delicious chicken, bacon and eggs. They are two of the hardest working people I know. Both Autumn and Michelle have their roots in social justice and sustainability. They did farm internships to learn about farming and continued their education on their own. They recently created their website. They are a small-scale, diversified farm, and produce an array of products including fruits, vegetables, soap, eggs, pork, chicken, and flowers. They will soon be opening for the season at The Berry Patch Store located in Stephentown New York.

All produce grown by M and A is certified naturally grown. They recognize the importance of tending to their surrounding ecosystems as a whole - using only natural inputs, and rebuilding soil with compost and organic matter. Anything less is unsustainable.



Last Christmas, Michele and Autumn sent me a gift bag that included their homemade goat soap.


Do you have dry skin and who doesn't from all of our hand washing these days. Try a bar of their small batch goats' milk soap made with milk from their very own goats!

Michelle and Autumn boast that they have the happiest hens on earth. The chickens don't practice social distancing but they roam freely on the farm.



They are making farm fresh food available during this time of crisis. For the duration of the COVID-19 crisis, M and A Farm will be offering delivery services to the Troy and Albany areas! Products include pasture-raised meat, greens, and eggs!

When it is finally safe for Farmers Markets to reopen be sure to consider supporting your local farmers. Many take SNAP benefits and participate in a program where people receive money back on their benefits when they shop at Farmers Markets.

When I first wrote this blog, it was for a call to action to support our farmers as part of the Stimulus Relief Package. I am happy to report this from the Farmers Market Coalition website:

Washington, D.C., March 25, 2020 – After an all-night negotiation, the Senate today passed a two trillion-dollar stimulus package; the third COVID-19 stimulus package to date. The bill includes $9.5 billion to support “agricultural producers impacted by coronavirus, including producers of specialty crops, producers that supply local food systems, including farmers markets, restaurants, and schools, and livestock producers, including dairy producers.” In response to the Senate’s publication of their third stimulus bill, the Farmers Market Coalition (FMC) issued the following statement:

“We are grateful that the Senate put in the overtime work to get this bill out the door,” said FMC Executive Director Ben Feldman. “Farmers markets and direct market farmers and ranchers across the country have been in a state of limbo for weeks now this package gives them a path forward. While there is more yet to do, we want to thank in particular Senate Agriculture Committee Ranking Member Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) and Senate Appropriations Committee Ranking Member Patrick Leahy (D-VT) for their tireless advocacy and support of the local/regional food economy.

We urge the House to take the Senate’s lead and move swiftly to pass this next stimulus package. We also urge both chambers to direct the CDC to clarify that farmers markets are essential services, and to direct the USDA to provide flexibility on deadlines and matching requirements for current grant opportunities. At this time, Congress should be doing everything they can to make sure these essential food and farm businesses can stay in operation throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.”

FMC will continue to work with our market members and our champions in Congress to ensure that farmers markets and direct market farmers receive the support they need to stay in business and keep feeding their communities. We will be following this legislation closely as it moves through Congress and monitoring the implementation of any funds issued to ensure they support the local markets and family farm businesses that need them most.

For more information about Farmers Markets visit the Farmers Market Coalition website.

Be safe!
Be well!

From my heart to yours
Ruth Anne

Be sure to visit my website at www.marymcmanus.com

My books are available on Amazon