The McEllroy Family

Today I’d like to introduce you to the McEllroy family who loves spending family time together by hiking, camping, cooking, playing games, traveling (and taking educational field trips!) :) 

Karis McEllroy kindly took time to share about her family and the priority she and her husband place on helping their kids grow “the way God intended.”

Tell us about you and your lovely family.

We are a family of 7 that loves Jesus, good food, and camping. We moved to the Beavercreek area three years ago to be nearer to family and have fallen in love with our neighborhood and church. Although we have homeschooled off and on for the past 7 years, this year's pandemic gave us the opportunity to homeschool all four school-aged children again and experience some amazing adventures in the process. One of our favorites was a trip out west to see Glacier National Park, Yellowstone National Park, and the Badlands in our little fiberglass camper that we have named Amelia. 



What is your motivation in ordering from a locally-owned Regenerative Farm?

Because we believe so much in the importance of supporting small businesses, we try to buy locally as much as we can. But even more importantly, research has shown how unhealthy unconventionally raised meat actually is, let alone the ethics of raising animals in such horrible conditions. We want to put good food into our growing kids' bodies (and ours) to help them grow the way God intended!

You're really good at making multiple meals from a single meat source. Can you share how you do that?  

This I learned from my mother! We didn't have a lot of money growing up, so meat had to be stretched. We rarely have big chunks of meat for meals such as steaks or chicken breasts. Instead we'll cut up a few steaks for fajitas. Or we'll roast a chicken, shred up the meat, and use it for multiple meals such as chicken quesadillas, chicken and noodle soup, or salad toppings. If you think of meat as a garnish more than a main entree, it's surprising how long you can make a little bit last!

What are your favorite items you like to order from The Maker’s Meadow? 

Oh that's a hard one! I always get ground beef and whole chickens, because both are so easy to use in recipes. We absolutely LOVE their turkeys for Thanksgiving, and my lamb-loving husband can't get enough of their various lamb products.

Tell us about your experience of visiting The Maker's Meadow farm.

It was definitely our favorite field trip yet! John was so kind to give us a very thorough tour of the farm, both on foot so the kids could pet the various animals, and also via hayride. Personally the hayride was my favorite, as I learned so much about how plants grow and then how that affects the animals eating it. My mom happened to come along and actually spent a few hours with Mrs. Filbrun in the kitchen, learning some of her cooking techniques. 

Anything else that you haven't mentioned above that you would like to share?

Maker's Meadow's customer service is unlike any other! We have been so impressed with their quick response to emails and phone calls, as well as their attention to detail. Their meat is so delicious, and you can tell they have put so much thought and effort into their farm practices. It truly is inspiring!

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Thank you so much Karis for your kind words - especially about our customer service. 

I want to make sure we deliver big on taking care of all of our customers’ orders. In fact, never hesitate to call or email if you have any questions regarding a current or future order. My team and I always strive to make things right!