Meet your Farmer: Auntie Annie's Fields
Elizabeth O’Sullivan and Ian Rhodes started Auntie Annie’s Fields 5 years ago. Before running their own place, Ian worked on vegetable farms and Elizabeth worked at a dairy farm. Now they run Auntie Annie’s Fields, a 20 acre farm near Dundas, MN, producing chickens, eggs and other animals.
They raise their animals differently than most farmers, even the small, local producers. Their chickens run around outside living “chickenly” lives, munching on clover and feed that was never sprayed with chemicals. It’s tricky to have a flock of any size and keep them supplied with greens because the chickens eat greens down very quickly. Elizabeth and Ian solve the problem by sprouting grains on the ground for their meat birds then rotating the birds back and forth between pastures so the pastures can be reseeded and re-grown. This gives their hens unlimited space to forage and makes a big difference in the quality and taste of the meats and eggs.
Elizabeth and Ian also dedicate part of their land to be used by the Mainstreet Project, which is making land and infrastructure available to aspiring Latino chicken farmers. “We are so grateful that we can pursue our farming goals, and we want others to have the same opportunity.”
Fun facts:
Where did the name “Auntie Annie’s” come from? We named the place after my great-aunt Anne, who farmed the old home place in northwestern Minnesota. Auntie Anne was so full of life she just twinkled, and it seemed that she could accomplish just about anything.
Favorite vegetable? We love lettuce!
Best advice they’ve gotten about farming? Animal “husbandry” is called animal “husbandry” for a reason. You have to care about your animals and enjoy spending time with them, just like you might enjoy spending time with your spouse. Your animals deserve that kind of respect.
What do you do when you’re not doing work for your farm? Ian teaches 6th grade English at Highland Park Middle School in St Paul. Elizabeth teaches fitness classes at the Northfield senior center, cares for the couple’s 3 kids age 2-13, and writes essays when she can.
Farming Philosophy: “We believe that people’s health is connected to the health of the soil, plants and animals that feed them, so we use natural, chemical-free methods, and our animals know fresh air and sunshine.”
Find Auntie Annie’s Fields every Saturday at the Fulton Farmers Market.