Hey there! Welcome to our farm.
We are a diversified, regenerative agricultural family farm in northeast Ohio. With 47 acres, an 1883 barn, a 1908 fixer-upper farmhouse, and 5 little-farmers-in-the-making, we’re always fixing something and always learning some new skill.
I’m Raelene and here at Belvedere Farms, I have two main priorities:
- to raise nutrient-dense, delicious food using sustainable, loving, and environmentally-sound practices and management
- to raise my children to be hard-working, compassionate humans who understand, appreciate, are in awe of, and thoughtfully contribute to and care for the natural world around them.
People often ask what we raise on our farm, and though I know they’re really asking about the animals and produce, my first answer is always: kids! I have five kids, all of whom contribute in meaningful ways to the daily operation of the farm – from the pre-teen to the toddler: we all live here, we all eat here, we all work here.
We moved to the farm in 2015. It had been leased and farmed in conventional row crops for more than 30 years with little to no inputs. The land was depleted and the declining yields year after year reflected that neglect. Little by little as time, money, and energy permits, we’re rebuilding and regenerating the biodiversity of the soil, water systems, and forage of our 47 acres.
We came to farming in search of flavor, looking for nutrient-dense foods bursting with natural goodness that can only come from sun-on-grass and free-ranging, happy animals (and plants!) living their best lives. We believe in good food – in sourcing the best whole ingredients from responsible local growers, and learning the basic old-fashioned skills necessary to create simple, wholesome, nutrient-dense, from-scratch meals with those ingredients.
About Us
I’m Raelene! I grew up on a cattle ranch in northern British Columbia, Canada where I rode horses, chased cows, checked fence, and loved being outside. I loved growing up the way I did and always hoped to have a few acres so my kids could have a similar experience. I have Bachelor’s degrees in Political Science and French and a Master’s degree in English Literature. I love to read and am always trying to find a way to sneak in a few minutes of reading every day. I milk the cows, teach the classes, make the garden plans, can and preserve all the things, give the baths, and make the meals. Peas and tomatoes are my favorite things to grow and trust me, the best way to eat them is straight out of the garden, sun on my shoulders, dirt on my hands. I’m a single mom and could always use a nap.
I am honored to be your farmer.
We raise beef, pork, chicken, eggs, raw milk and fresh vegetables. Most everything we eat is grown right here – farm to fork. I’m passionate about sharing our story, our knowledge, and our hard-earned old-fashioned skills in the hope of inspiring you to make the most of the best you’ve got – whether that means growing your own food in your backyard and making more meals from scratch, or sourcing the best ingredients you can find from your own local farmers.
If you’ve got questions, I’d love to hear ’em. Drop me a line right here: