Slow Farm

Slow Farm Slow Farm uses crops & critters to build topsoil and restore natural fertility from the microbes up!

06/01/2026

Monday motivation: protest can look like joy. Defiance is best fueled by love.

05/28/2026

We come from a long line of women who built things, held things together, and left footprints. Yet, we’re told the ultimate achievement is to look like nothing has ever happened to us.

I don’t want to look untouched. I want to look like I’ve loved, labored, laughed, and stood my ground. True beauty isn’t the absence of a history—it’s the courage to wear it openly.

05/20/2026

Grandma always said, "Pretty is as pretty does."

She was right—there’s no balm on earth that can fix an ugly personality. But we can make balms that do a whole lot of good.

Our definition of beauty? Skincare that loves the planet back. We’re talking luxurious, plant-based botanicals grown right on our regenerative farm. Always ethically sourced, 100% palm-oil free, and lovingly wrapped in plastic-free packaging.

Slowfarmnc.com

05/16/2026

Carl thought letting 32 pigs come “help” our Day Two volunteers unwrap 4,500 lbs of squash was asking for trouble. But I had faith in our crew. They have a vital job to do turning this squash into soil, and 31 of them proved me right with their absolute grace.

(We are currently accepting apologies from Sally, who could not control herself. 🐽)

Thank you to humans Jennifer, Joy, Arlene, Isaac, Patrick, and Heba for your incredible help!

05/13/2026

The Great Chayote Gauntlet: Part 2. 🚛➡️🐷

After hours spent unloading that trailer (check the previous Reel for the heavy lifting!), we are officially on Day One of Unpacking.

We’re processing 450 cases of donated squash from , and Carl and our new buddy Zachary were incredible at tackling the mountain.

As for the pigs? Chubs, Bean, Garbanzo, Scribbles, Brickle, and Hunky were happy to work first shift as as our lead nutrient cyclers—converting two tons of “unsellable” produce into the biology our soil needs to thrive.

Stay tuned: Day Two unpacking is up next, featuring a whole new crew of volunteers and a guest appearance by Icky and his team of “consultants.”

05/11/2026

Yesterday was the hard part. Up next: unwrapping and feeding these green beauties to the pigs!

We would LOVE for some volunteer help this week in the afternoon. If you live in easy driving distance to our farm and would enjoy some pleasantly mindless work in a beautiful setting, please drop me a DM! (There’s free chayote squash and pig lovin’ in it for you!)

05/11/2026

Small farms are basically just four experimental startups in a trench coat. Today’s venture: Diversified Transit Solutions.

Howdy here is giving it his all, but it’s possible his new Slow Farm Shuttle service cannot meet the needs of today’s professional commuter. The ratings aren’t great so far.

His next idea: a True Swine hogcast.

04/24/2026

If you found your way here through Icky’s story, welcome. I’m Rachel Herrick, and this is Slow Farm!

This 47 acre former to***co farm is a living project in regenerative, no-till agriculture. While I’ve been farming for thirty years, the last eleven have been dedicated right here in Cameron, North Carolina—growing a system where land conservation and animal welfare exist in harmony.

How it all connects:
• 🐷The Pigs: My beloved Kunekunes are my main soil engineers. They graze without digging up the dirt, which helps me build healthy soil naturally. The pigs get to live out their full lives here as part of a farm that puts animal welfare and land conservation on the same level.
• 🌳The Ecosystem: You won’t find tidy rows of crops here. I work with nature, not against it, focusing on xeric and native botanicals planted strategically—just as they’d be found in the wild. This keeps the inputs low and the sustainability high.
• 💚Slow Goods: This is my line of handcrafted, plant-based skincare. I make every balm and oil myself using herbs grown right here in the ecosystem the pigs and goats help tend. It’s luxury skincare that is a true celebration of the land.
• 👭The Partnerships: For anything I can’t grow in this soil, I source from highly ethical, organic, and fair-trade partners. It’s professional-grade quality with a real soul behind it.

How to shop: Slow Goods releases small, bespoke batches seasonally. They are available through my website and ship anywhere in the US. (Pro tip: sign up for the quarterly email newsletter via the link in my bio so you never miss a product drop.)

Every purchase and contribution goes directly toward restoring this land and caring for our animal teammates for their entire lives.

I’m so glad you’re here to see how a little dirt and a lot of hard work can turn into something beautiful. 🌿

04/22/2026

After 11 years on this land, I’ve learned that Nature is always trying to find its way back to balance—to homeostasis. Its biggest obstacle is usually us humans.

Most people think of farming as an act of control, but here, it is about learning to be a participant in an ecosystem that already knows what it needs to do. By choosing to step lighter, we create the space for that repair to happen.

Regenerative farming isn’t a path to riches or decadence. It’s a beautiful, quiet relationship where the lines between the farmer, the soil, and the animals start to blur.

When I look at scenes like this, the question of isolation always surprises me. How can you be lonely when you’re finally part of the whole?

Happy Earth Day from Slow Farm. 🐷🌎

earthday2026

04/13/2026

If you’ve followed Icky since his early days, you know he didn’t earn his name by being tidy. Today, he’s proving he hasn’t lost his touch—though he’s traded the medical messes of his youth for a much more celebratory Violet Beauregard-esque disaster. 🫐🐷🫐

Icky’s well-earned performance bonus was made possible by Suzanne, a long-time farm friend who gifted at the “Whole Cookie Jar” level for his birthday. To celebrate such a generous gift, Icky received the works: apples, pineapple, blueberries, yogurt, and a whipped-cream-topped cookie.

At Slow Farm, Icky and his herd-mates are our Chief Soil Engineers. They are full-time partners in this mission, using their natural instincts to restore the land and build a resilient ecosystem across our 47 acres.

I chose this life in 2015, stepping back from a high-velocity career in the arts. I wanted to trade the constant noise of the “more is more” world for a life defined by doing the right thing, even when it isn’t the most efficient. I named this place Slow Farm as a reminder to myself to stay present, to work with the land instead of against it, and to prioritize joy over output.

Why Icky’s Cookie Club Matters:
Smart farmers know better than to put all their eggs in one basket. We fund this mission through our Slow Goods, farm tours, our creative work (like t-shirts), and direct support like Icky’s Cookie Club. While our pigs have a permanent job here, the Club is a way for our community to contribute towards the pigs’ lifelong care and “staff perks” they deserve.

Suzanne, thank you for sponsoring this delicious mess. Icky (and the soil) appreciate you!

Want to fund a performance bonus for our engineering team? You can join the club at the link in my bio. 🍪

Address

Stanton Hill Rd
Cameron, NC
28326

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