I remember sitting in the passenger seat of Jacqueline’s truck as it wound and dived its way through twisted Pennsylvania back roads. Early morning sunlight cascaded over stretching crop fields and simple family farmhouses, and the sweet smell of summer flew around the truck’s cabin through the open windows. Beside me, Jacqueline flung her arm ahead of her, gesturing to a small herd of cows grazing slowly and then to a sign propped up on a chair by the side of the road - Raw Milk, Raw Cheese, Fresh Veggies. “See!” she said, “This is what I’m talking about!”

Every few minutes, another similar scene. Little herd, little farm, little store. Eggs, meat, milk, vegetables. What we were seeing was nothing new - these types of small herds and family sized dairies are common in rural Pennsylvania and the one we had just passed was nothing particularly special - but to Jacqueline, it was. “Well, what’s special about it is that you can feed your family from the farm and it’s not much harder than going to Weis!” She exclaimed. She went on to talk for most of the rest of the drive about areas of the world called ‘Blue Zones’, places where people have longer average lifespans and lower rates of disease. Studying these places, she said, creating verifiable scientific literature about them, would help anchor small family farms as a necessary feature of a community.

For Jacqueline, it was always about the farms and the farmers who cultivated them. From this passion, guided by it, inspired by it, came an entire community of people as varied as people can be, from all over the country, dedicated to the growth and protection of real, simple, nourishing places.

Jacqueline’s Animal Farm Research & Education Foundation was established to further the research, education, and consumer reach of clean, sustainable, non GMO, nutrient dense foods provided by small family farming communities and to show their positive impact on the health, well-being, and longevity of their surrounding populations and ecosystems. Through collaboration with counselors, businesses, community organizations, and other non-profit organizations, we will provide controlled research trials with sound data that can be statistically evaluated through health surveys, food laboratory analysis results, and veterinary exam reports.

I leaned my head against the door of the truck, listening as she described the incredible work laid out ahead of us - the sun was now fully risen and the tires crunched gravel as we pulled into our first stop of the day - a farm with colorful, far stretching pastures for its goats, cows, and chickens. A dog came running up the long drive to greet us and Jacqueline said, almost to herself, “I love this place.” before swinging her boots out of the door and trudging up the lane to speak with the farmer, who waved to us from doorway of his milk house.