Rising Phoenix Farm

About Rising Phoenix Farm

Mary and Dave Remley raise AWA beef cattle, laying hens, and sheep on 90 acres of beautiful Kentucky pasture. The farm, which is located just outside of Piner, was previously owned by a woman who had raised cattle since 1949. The rolling hills, ponds, streams, and creeks are ideal for a pasture-based livestock operation. Dave spent his early childhood on a farm with horses, cattle, and poultry. Mary was raised in the city, but her mother was raised on a farm and dairy in Illinois where Mary's grandparents lived. The couple began farming as an extension of Mary’s interest in keeping horses: “We started with horses, then got poultry, and it just increased from there,” explains Mary. Today, the Remleys are dedicated to raising traditional breeds that are rare and endangered out on pasture. “We are striving for all of our animals to be traditional breeds that thrive on pasture based systems,” Mary explains. “All of our breeds have good disease resistance, easy birthing, and are very low-maintenance.” Their cattle are Randall Cattle, of which they have two bulls, one bull calf, three heifer calves, and eight breeding age heifers or cows. The Remleys also raise Hog Island Sheep, of which they have three rams and six ewes. The laying hens are currently a mixed-breed flock, but the couple is working towards having primarily French Marans. Mary sees multiple benefits of pasture-based management: “Animals in this type of management don't cost as much to feed, and are healthier and happier. There is variety to their diets, rather than eating the same thing every day.” The Remleys chose certification with AWA as an effective way to communicate their husbandry practices to their customers. “Because many people are not able to visit a farm in person, having AWA certification shows people that we do raise the animals the way that we say we do,” Mary explains. “It's not about a price increase for products, but peace of mind to the end consumer.” The couple’s long-term goal is to continue to grow and have more products for customers and to be able to provide breeding age animals for other farms, as well as offering farm tours focused on traditional breeds and pasture-based management. AWA beef, eggs, and lamb from Rising Phoenix Farm is available directly from the farm. For more information, visit http://www.risingphoenixheritagefarm.com/.