Small Business Spotlight: FreshORR Family Farms

It isn’t often you meet someone whose head and heart are completely aligned with what they do for a living but that’s clearly the case for Gina Orr, owner of FreshORR Family Farms. They sell locally pasture-raised, nutrient dense meat but there’s much more to their story than that.

It begins with Gina who grew up in a military family that moved a lot. By the time she graduated college and started a career, she longed to lay down some roots of her own. That’s how she came to buy a farm on US RT. 22 near Rushville in Fairfield County.

“I just wanted a place where I could do as I pleased, where I could maybe raise a garden and have something that’s just mine. I wanted something to call my own,” she said.

Gina had a career and the farm when she married husband Richard and the pair began growing their family. Today, they have three school-aged children and have transformed the land into something for more than just her -  it nourishes the community too. “We were leasing land to someone else and were seeing a lot of erosion issues. My husband was researching erosion and I was researching food and illnesses and we started talking about how all these things affect us and what we wanted in life.”

Over time, their values and farming practices have become so intertwined it’s impossible to talk about just the products without mentioning how their views on the land and animals make their meat and egg products a superior choice.

They raise chickens, cattle, pigs, lambs and turkey and every one of those animals is given an environment to grow in that is natural and good for them. Pigs have forest to root and roam freely and the poultry is moved to fresh grass daily. The beef and lamb are never fed grains and no animal is given anything unnatural for the sake of fattening them up. Instead, any supplemental feed comes from a local farm where pride is taken in how their product is made. She says happy, healthy animals produce more nutrient dense meat.

“Our animals have a good life. They have a wonderful life with just one bad day. They get the sunshine and breeze. They live their lives outside, where they belong and doing what they want to do. It’s never easy when an animal leaves. I pray over them before they leave and I’m grateful to them because they will nourish many families.”

The Orrs believe in letting nature lead the way and they believe it important to be good stewards for something bigger than themselves. In fact, it sounds more like a calling than a job when Gina talks about watching the soil improve, about gratitude to the animals, and about how people benefit when they have access to better food.

“It’s amazing watching the soil heal itself when you give it a chance. To see something grow that you did not plant feels like such a gift. If you just leave it alone, nature will heal itself. We want to be good stewards of the land we are given. Imagine if everyone did what they can with what they have, how much better our world might be. We take only what we need and give back more than we take.”

The farm is a family affair but it is Gina’s full-time job. In 2022, she left her job in the Engineering Department at Ohio University- Lancaster so she could elevate FreshORR to a full-time operation. Richard still works off-farm and the kids, of course, have school but everyone pitches in with their responsibilities.

Of course, the result of their hard work is having nutrient dense and chemical free meat that is healthful for humans. Helping people give their families delicious meals that are good for them is one of the things Gina enjoys best about her work. “There’s a lot of mom guilt around food and we want to ease some of that. We want moms and everyone else to know they can come here and buy products that are safe and good so they don’t have to worry about what they’re feeding their family.”

Customers can buy individual cuts of meat, in bulk share, or in custom subscription boxes. Items are available online for shipment, at the farm, or at retail locations in Lancaster and Canal Winchester. Buy their Month of Meat subscription and receive free home delivery of exclusive members-only selections, and private access to Gina’s recipe books and meal planner.

In addition, they sell local items like sourdough bread, honey, pure maple syrup, Ohio made cheeses and more.  They recently partnered with a local commercial kitchen to produce seasonal freezer ready meals and soups as well as precooked seasoned diced chicken for convenience. “The chicken is popular because it’s great for everything. Throw it in a soup or salad, chicken salad, there are all kinds of uses. It’s nice to grab in a hurry.”

Customers also have access to Gina’s knowledge. She’s glad to talk to them about their needs and even offer tips and tricks. “I’ve seen someone who was scared to even cook a chicken on her own prepare a Thanksgiving turkey. Now she’s a pro. I’ve seen health restored to people simply through better nutrition through my meat. I’ve supported people through prayer, advice and connecting them with someone I think they need to know. It’s humbling to be in the right place to help people that way.”

Ready to buy? Click here for more information on their products as well as their address, hours, and to shop online.