For Black Dog Farm in Livingston, Montana, the early COVID lockdowns were a boon for business.
“It’s undeniable that the pandemic had a huge positive effect on our business,” said co-owner Kira Jarosz. “We’re out of chicken every week.”
Over the last three years, Jarosz and her husband Tim Anthony have seen a massive uptick in demand for their locally raised chicken and pork. Last year, they ran out of retail chicken by December and had a gap of six months before their first slaughter date in June.
“I think the increased interest had already started, but the pandemic put fuel on the fire,” said Matt Skoglund, owner of North Bridger Bison in Wilsall, Montana. Skoglund harvested nearly a bison a week out in his pastures last year to meet consumer demand. (Photo credit: Anthony Pavkovich)
Despite the state’s $4 billion-plus agricultural economy, only 3 percent of the food…
Read the full article originally published at civileats.com.