Interview with Polyface Summer Stewards!

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May 26, 2026

We have a crew of 11 Stewards at Polyface this Summer; and two of them are here with me today on the blog to answer some questions about their first month's experience at the farm!

Our Stewardship Program is a 5-month opportunity to be an integral part of the farm: to work on the land, become a skilled farmer (in all things cattle, pigs, turkeys, chickens, rabbits, grass, hay, and more!), to learn the multifaceted Polyface techniques hands-on, and to soak up wisdom from directly from Joel and Daniel Salatin. All the while knowing that each day of work is not only an educationally abundant time--but also to have the satisfaction of being a tangible part of the real-life mission of putting clean, nutrient-dense meat on the tables of America.

The sunrises, sunsets, stunning Virginia mountains, and marvelous chef-cooked meals are icing on the cake. Very good icing too, I might add. As a Virginia transplant myself (much like many of our Stewards) I feel compelled to mention just how lovely the mountain backdrop behind the farm is. Those of you who have visited Polyface know exactly what I mean--it is a literal frame that visually "sets the stage" for the masterpiece of a regenerative farming symphony that goes on in the fields every day.

But I digress.

Our 2026 Stewards will have been here for a full month on Sunday. With the first several weeks under their belts, they are well into the program.

So, without further ado, let's hear from Ben Sheilds and Holly Mitchell!

What is your first impression?

Ben: "There is always something that needs to be done on the farm. I am consistently impressed with the intentionality of operations, and the thoughtfulness of the processes that are in place. It has been pretty awesome to experience how fast the 11 of us have been formed into a team and enfolded into operations."

What surprised you the most?

Holly: "The thing that surprised me the most starting as a steward at Polyface Farm is the amazing people that live and work here. Everyone I meet is passionate about what they do and incredibly kind in sharing it with others. Every time I meet a Polyface staff member or apprentice I leave thinking to myself "wow, there goes another incredible Polyface person."

Ben: "I think what has surprised me the most is the pace of learning here at Polyface. The exposure to the farming lifestyle and the expertise/knowledge of every member of the Polyface team really enables you to hit the ground running. The family culture and relationship-centered farming that has been developed here truly optimizes learning opportunities for us aspiring regenerative farmers."

Most enjoyed task?

Holly: "The enthusiasm they [Polyface crew] bring to every task makes chores that don't sound like they would be fun into the highlight of my day. It isn't until you set out on a day processing broiler chickens that you realize how group mentality and passion changes what could be a challenging task into a fun and valued calling"

Ben: "Personally, my most enjoyed task has probably been working with Daniel on the water systems. Coming from an engineering background I love getting hands on experience with waterlines and ponds… Although, I must admit: “working” with the chipper is also mighty enjoyable…"

You are most proud of...?

Holly: "Even after only three weeks at Polyface I can truly see how the duplication of this farm is a noble calling. To create a place where passionate, enthusiastic, and simply amazing people feel called to work and live out their dreams is quickly becoming a life goal and aspiration of mine."

Ben: "I’m most proud of my wife and family. They have been so supportive and encouraging with my time here. I absolutely adore them. We prayerfully sought out Polyface to speedily learn, and gain experience in the type of farming that resonates with us. I am extremely grateful to the Polyface family for their hospitality, kindness, patience and willingness to share their knowledge and experiences. Looking forward to being able to demonstrate and show my family some of the skills I have developed here."

Short of Turkeys and Beef

For the first time in many years, we’ll be short of turkeys for Thanksgiving. Consistent with our policy of full transparency, here is why. And we’ve been short of beef now for some time. The underlying theme of this explanation is to inform you completely about why and what we’re doing about it. Unlike many businesses, we don’t call up other outfits to supplement ours when we’re short. We figure out how to produce more and until then, simply run behind. Because of that, when we explore new markets, we can’t adjust our inventory instantaneously.We’ve had a couple of incredibly exciting market developments this year. We’ve always tried to experiment with new opportunities when markets request product. You never know which ones will be long term, short term, positive, or negative. Over the years, we’ve given away turkeys when we overproduced due to assuming a certain market opportunity would come through; that’s not financially viable. As a result, we’re pretty careful about expansion. Three years ago, a large corporation in Virginia asked us to supply turkeys and Christmas hams to their 300 employees. We had no idea they would hang with us this long, but here they are, happy and showing unbelievable loyalty. We’ve been reluctant to count on them simply because these kinds of things normally don’t last. But isn’t it exciting and even exhilarating that a big company is buying our kind of turkeys and hams for their employees? The other thing that developed—and these things develop slowly—was Azure Standard asked us to supply them with 1,000 turkeys as a trial to see if their customer base would like them. By the time that deal was formalized, we were too late to order more turkeys and did not have the full number for them, but we we did the best we could. Some of you who are Azure Standard customers will no doubt see our turkeys pop up on their sales platform. When an engine going somewhere wants to hook to us, we always try to at least collaborate in an experiment. That’s where we are; if all are happy, this could be an extremely positive strategic client for us in the future. In the same way, we’ve been contacted by a new internet marketing outfit wanting some of our beef. We’ve agreed to let them have five in 2027. We’re hoping ongoing discussions will lead them to carry our poultry and pork as well—right now they’re only beef. None of this is about building an empire. It is about collaborating with the cutting edge of authentic food and circumventing Big Food, Big Ag, and Big Pharma. Innovation comes in many ways. Polyface perhaps leads the world in the production element. But processing, marketing, and distribution are also undergoing innovation and staying relevant is a daily objective. That some of the most creative significant players in the integrity food movement are asking us to play with them is wonderful. They could just handle industrial organic meat poultry, which doesn’t see pasture and doesn’t enjoy the happiness context of Polyface livestock. But they’re talking to us, and that’s awesome. All innovation carries a ragged edge as it develops, refines, and hopefully becomes efficient over time. Thank you for indulging us the freedom to explore these new venues and to collaborate with some of the best players in the good food movement. As you can imagine, growing and experimenting create their own sore muscles. Being short is not fun for either of us, but be assured it’s not because our animals are sick or we’re getting tired of being farmers. You can laugh at that. It’s because, true to our history, we are committed to putting food worth eating on plates held by friends. We count you as friends; that’s why we’re taking you on this little explanation behind the curtain. Hang in there and thank you, thank you for your loyalty and patronage.

Interview with Polyface Summer Stewards!

What is your first impression?

What surprised you the most?

Most enjoyed task?

You are most proud of...?

More from the blog

One Year as a Polyface Apprentice

Short of Turkeys and Beef

Interview with the 2026 Stewards -- Part 3!

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Healing the land one bite at a time!