Founders of Butterfield Farms

Bill and Abby Terhune are deeply aligned in their commitment to sustainability, land stewardship, and raising food with integrity. Their journey into farming didn’t begin as a business idea, but as a deeply personal response to health challenges and a desire to take responsibility for the food they were putting on their table.

What started as a search for healing eventually became a calling to raise food that supports both the land and the people it feeds.

Our Mission + Values

After spending over a decade following a vegan diet, Abby’s gut and metabolic health steadily declined. A shift to low-carb brought some relief, but true healing remained out of reach. Years of experimenting with keto and paleo diets followed, yet digestive issues persisted. Eventually, out of both frustration and hope, she tried the carnivore diet — and for the first time in years, real healing began.

That experience changed everything. After two years of restored health, Bill and Abby made the decision to raise their own food, starting with grass-finished, humanely raised meats they could trust completely. This commitment led them to search for livestock breeds that aligned with regenerative principles and thrived on pasture without heavy inputs.

Their journey brought them to South Poll cattle, a breed well-suited for pasture-based systems and regenerative grazing. Beginning with a small herd of purebred South Poll heifers and a single bull, they slowly and intentionally grew their herd, incorporating genetics from the heritage Piney Woods breed to enhance hardiness and resilience.

At Butterfield Farms, regeneration goes beyond the animals themselves. By rotating large and small ruminants across pasture, Bill and Abby encourage plant diversity, support soil health, and promote natural grazing behaviors. This approach improves animal well-being while restoring balance to the land — a reflection of their belief that healthy systems start from the ground up.

Their mission is simple but intentional: to steward the land well, raise animals with care, and provide food that nourishes bodies the way it was meant to.

Pasture-Raised, Grown with Time

Our beef and pork are raised on pasture, allowing animals to live as they were designed to—moving freely, grazing naturally, and growing at a healthy pace. Pasture-based systems support animal well-being while producing meat with a more balanced fat profile, including higher levels of naturally occurring omega-3s.

While our pigs are pasture-raised and encouraged to forage, they are also thoughtfully supplemented with a certified organic, soy-free feed fermented in A2/A2 milk produced on our farm. This practice supports digestion, animal health, and nutrient efficiency while fitting within a regenerative, closed-loop system.

Grass-fed and grass-finished beef simply takes more time. While conventionally raised cattle are often finished around 18 months, our cattle are grown for up to 30 months, allowing them to mature fully on grass without rushing the process. Through rotational grazing, nutrients are naturally returned to the soil, supporting pasture recovery and long-term fertility as animals contribute back to the land.

We believe quality is built over time—not forced. By prioritizing pasture, patience, and natural nutrient cycling, we produce food that reflects both the health of the animals and the land they depend on.

Why The Breed Matters

The breeds we raise aren’t accidental. Each was chosen because it fits our land, our climate, and our commitment to regenerative, pasture-based farming.

South Poll Cattle

South Poll cattle were chosen because they thrive in pasture-based systems and are exceptionally well-suited to the climate and forage conditions of North East Tennessee. Developed specifically for heat tolerance, efficient grazing, and calm temperament, South Polls perform well on grass without the need for heavy grain inputs.

Their ability to convert diverse pasture into high-quality beef makes them an ideal fit for regenerative grazing practices. Our cattle are rotated to fresh pasture every 2–10 days, depending on conditions, allowing forage time to recover while nutrients are naturally returned to the soil.

By choosing cattle that work with the land instead of against it, we’re able to improve soil health, support pasture resilience, and raise animals that stay healthy and productive in our region’s hot summers and variable seasons.

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A2A2 Jersey Cows

Our A2A2 Jersey cows were selected with families in mind. Jerseys are known for their gentle disposition, smaller size, and efficiency on pasture — all qualities that make them well-suited for small farms and family milk cows in East Tennessee.

A2A2 milk contains only the A2 beta-casein protein, which many people find easier to digest than conventional milk. While our Jersey cows are not raised for beef, they are carefully chosen for health, temperament, and milk quality, making them a thoughtful option for families looking to raise or purchase a trusted dairy cow aligned with pasture-based values.

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Idaho Pasture Pigs

Idaho Pasture Pigs were chosen for their ability to thrive outdoors on pasture, expressing natural rooting and foraging behaviors. Their hardiness, calm temperament, and efficient growth make them well-suited for humane, low-input systems that prioritize animal welfare and land health.

Our pigs are rotated through pasture on a 1–2 week schedule, have free access to fresh water for drinking and wallowing as needed, and are thoughtfully supplemented with a certified organic, soy-free feed fermented for two days in A2/A2 milk produced on our farm. This approach supports digestion, animal comfort, and natural nutrient cycling within our regenerative system.

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What You Can Expect From Us

We’re here to make the process clear, approachable, and supportive. If you have questions, need guidance, or want to better understand how things work, we’re always happy to help. Our goal is simple: honest communication and a confident, stress-free experience.

Frequently Asked Questions

How ordering works

Joining the Butterfield Farms waitlist gives you early access and clear communication as animals become available. When an animal is nearing readiness, we’ll reach out with estimated timelines, expected weights, and next steps so you can decide if the timing works for your family.

For beef and pork, customers purchase the live animal. Butterfield Farms then transports the animal to a trusted processor, where it is humanely harvested and professionally cut and wrapped. You’ll have the opportunity to make cut selections — such as how bacon and sausage are prepared — and we provide guidance throughout the process, especially for first-time buyers.

Pricing is based on hanging weight, with Butterfield Farms charging per pound and processing fees paid separately to the processor. Final costs reflect actual weights and selected processing options.

Once processing is complete, Butterfield Farms provides complimentary delivery, ensuring your order arrives safely and ready for your freezer. From start to finish, our goal is to make the process transparent, supported, and stress-free — with respect for both the animal and the families we serve.

Restocks / inventory rhythms

Butterfield Farms operates on natural, seasonal rhythms, not retail restock cycles. Because our animals are raised on pasture and allowed to grow at their own pace, availability is limited and timing can vary.

Rather than keeping constant inventory, we:

  • Raise a set number of animals each season
  • Harvest only when animals are fully ready
  • Coordinate processing around trusted facility availability

This means there may be periods when beef, pork, or family milk cows are not immediately available.

The waitlist allows us to communicate clearly as availability approaches, share estimated timelines, and offer placements in order. Our focus is quality, animal welfare, and transparency — not speed or volume.

If you’re looking for consistently stocked meat year-round, we may not be the right fit. If you value patience, planning, and knowing exactly where your food comes from, you’re in the right place.

What does “regeneratively raised” actually mean at Butterfield Farms?

Regenerative farming at Butterfield Farms means our animals are raised on pasture using rotational grazing to improve soil health, biodiversity, and animal welfare—leaving the land healthier than we found it.

How are your animals treated and cared for?

Animal welfare is central to everything we do. Our animals live outdoors on pasture, are moved regularly to fresh forage, and are raised with low-stress handling practices that prioritize their health and natural behaviors.

Do you use hormones, antibiotics, or growth promotants?

No. We never use added hormones or growth promotants.

Antibiotics are only used if an animal’s health or life depends on it. If medical treatment is ever required, Butterfield Farms provides full transparency, including clear communication about what was used, why it was necessary, and how much time passed between treatment and when meat is made available.

Our commitment is honest answers, responsible animal care, and food you can feel confident feeding your family.

Where is your meat processed?

While animals are raised on our farm, processing is completed off-farm through trusted regional partners we work closely with to ensure quality, care, and consistency.

For beef and pork, the process works like this:

Butterfield Farms transports your animal to Stone Mountain Meats, where the animal is humanely harvested. Once this step is complete, PJ’s Market picks up the carcass and transports it to their facility for professional cut and wrap services.

Both facilities offer USDA-inspected processing as an option for customers who prefer it.

Butterfield Farms coordinates transportation and communication throughout the entire process, so you’re not left managing logistics or guessing what comes next. Once cut and wrap is complete, we provide complimentary delivery, ensuring your meat arrives safely and freezer-ready.

Our goal is to pair intentional, on-farm practices with experienced processing partners — creating a process you can trust from pasture to plate.