Justin Butts of Black Wind Farm is a chef, Navy veteran, and first-generation farmer working to reconnect people to food, land, and each other. Nestled in the rolling hills of upstate New York, Black Wind Farm is home to a small herd of Kunekune pigs, cattle, sheep, and goats. For Justin, animal welfare is paramount—from the way his livestock are raised to the reverence with which they are brought to the table. 

Justin began growing food with his grandfather as a young child in Pennsylvania, but when the family lost the farm, he had no path to land. He dreamed of becoming a chef but couldn’t afford culinary school, so he followed in his grandfather’s footsteps and joined the Navy in pursuit of new opportunities. After six years of service, an injury during his second tour led to a medical discharge. Back home, Justin returned to the kitchen, working in restaurants and eventually completing culinary school with the support of veteran’s benefits. All the while, he was raising animals on the side, laying the groundwork of what would one day become Black Wind Farm.

Following culinary school, Justin apprenticed with several farms across the Northeast, including Soul Fire Farm. He began managing livestock, renting land, and building a lard soap business. When an opportunity to purchase organic land in upstate NY arose through the Local Farms Fund, Justin stepped forward, and Iroquois Valley stepped in.

Through our Rooted in Regeneration Notes offering, Justin secured financing to purchase the land and begin establishing a permanent home for Black Wind Farm. Traditional mortgage lending wasn’t an option for him as VA loans don’t support commercial farms, and conventional banks often require down payments beyond reach for new farmers—especially those raising livestock on large acreages. With the support of our impact-driven investors, Justin was able to turn his vision into reality.

Like many beginning farmers, Justin still works off-farm jobs to make ends meet—splitting his time between the fields, work as a chef, and driving for UPS. But that hasn’t slowed him down. On top of building his grazing operation, Justin hosts on-farm hog butchery workshops for local chefs, organizes a seasonal farm-to-table dinner series, and participates in the annual Le Pie du Mont Boucherie at Comfort Farms, the nation’s first Acute Veterans Crisis Agriculture Center.

Justin stewards the land using rotational grazing and organic, regenerative practices, cultivating healthy animals, thriving pastures, and resilient ecosystems. Black Wind’s fields are rich with native forage that nourishes the animals while supporting pollinators and birds like the Eastern Phoebe, Common Yellowthroat, and Wilson’s Snipe. These interconnected efforts reflect his broader goal: to build a food system rooted in resilience, animal welfare, and a deeper connection between people and the land. Justin’s long-term vision is to farm full-time with on-site butchery and education programs that deepen the connection between food, land, and people. 

For Justin, farming is more than a livelihood—it’s a way to honor his roots, nourish his community, and remind us all that eating is an agricultural act, one that demands reverence and responsibility.