Partners of Birdland Pastures
Our Story
As both life and business partners, Iain and Kaetlyn founded Birdland Pastures in April 2022. With a mission to become the industry standard for owning and operating a pasture-raised poultry farm, Birdland Pastures continues to nourish Marylanders with farm fresh eggs. Our goal is to raise happy, healthy, and wholesome animals that promote sustainability, locally.
In his youth, Iain raised a flock of fifty hens in his family’s former dairy barn (where Birdland Pastures now operates!) before leaving for college; later becoming a teacher in Baltimore City Public Schools and ultimately finding a passion for entrepreneurship–which runs in the family.
Kaetlyn is the daughter of Colombian immigrants whose family owned farmland before moving to the United States. As a proud descendent of the ancient Muisca tribe in Bogotá, she has a natural inclination for agriculture and respecting the land with which we are privileged to interact. Working as a business advocate and mentor through a local nonprofit, it was inevitable that she would be bitten by the entrepreneurial bug as well.
Driven by environmental justice and sustainability in agriculture, Iain and Kaetlyn began researching poultry husbandry using their combined education from Johns Hopkins University, University of Maryland, and University of Baltimore. Their farm draws inspiration from Joel Salatin and Nichki Carangelo, along with the contemporary research literature on regenerative farming.
After five years of living in Baltimore City, the couple decided to move back to their family farm to start their business by repurposing the old dairy barn, once used as a candle manufacturing headquarters for Milk Reclamation Barn, along with 2.5 acres of green pasture to house their flocks.
In late 2022-2023, Birdland Pastures entered three farmers markets in Kent Island, Olney, and Baltimore City. The farm has a loyal following of farm fresh egg lovers who care about animal wellbeing and fresh ingredients. Birdland Pastures is becoming the fastest growing small livestock farm in Maryland. The couple continues to grow the farm every day, raising quail, turkeys, ducks, and even rabbits too.
Core Values
Animal Ethics
Our livestock are members of our family and our first priority. Many chickens in America live in confinement, with little room to roam to naturally forage for food. Our chickens and turkeys are truly free-range and pasture-raised, receiving a diverse diet of produce, forage, and grains, all while living a fulfilling life outside. Our quail live in secure houses on the pasture with plenty of room to socialize and enjoy the pasture too. The result is happy birds and wholesome eggs. See our farm anytime on our livestream.
Quality Control
We aim to surpass Maryland Department of Agriculture and USDA standards for egg production and sanitation. Read the MDA egg producer/packer standards here. Every egg is thoroughly washed and checked for imperfections before being placed into a carton. Our hens are heritage breeds certified for excellent egg production, quality, and taste.
Sustainability
From our packaging to our feed, we choose the most sustainable option, always. Our cartons are 100% recyclable. We believe in regenerative farming and caring for the land. Organic fruit and vegetable scraps are fed to the chickens. We also offer loose eggs to reduce our waste impact with on-farm pickup available.
Diversity
We believe diversity is a strength. We are proudly minority-owned. Each member of our team carries divergent and convergent worldviews. We accept all, welcome all, and listen to all–regardless of religion, gender, skin color, creed, or sexual orientation–with or without tail feathers.
Education
There is always more to learn. We visit local farms and take notes from the professionals who have generations of farm knowledge. We are constantly reading the established and cutting edge literature–from the past and the present–to give our livestock the best life possible. Birdland Pastures also loves to teach! Let us know if you are interested in scheduling a field trip or visit.
Community
We live by the motto: “Whoever compels you to go one mile, go with them two.” We aim to nourish our communities with healthy, locally-raised food. We are committed to the communities of Phoenix, Baltimore, Kent Island, and Olney. We meet residents face-to-face to offer friendly and family-oriented customer service.
Integrity
As author C.S. Lewis famously stated: “Integrity is doing the right thing when no one is looking.” We always tell the truth to our customers and each other. We are honest in all of our business relationships and dealings, both inside and outside of the farm. We aim for transparency, giving all who ask the information they need to trust our farm and maintain our integrity. See our FAQs