EATME.txt

In the world of software, a README.txt file outlines what a project does, why it was created, and what’s needed to make it run successfully. At Molly’s, we’re taking that same approach, but for farming. Welcome to EATME.txt—a playful nod to our founder Cody Menefee’s tech background, where we break down what Molly’s is, why we’re doing it, and what we need to get started.

Introduction:

Since COVID, Cody Menefee, founder of Molly’s, has focused on software development, working his way from front-end developer to Product Architect and Manager of large-scale projects. While deeply committed to his career in tech, Cody was drawn to a new challenge—farming chickens.

Molly’s is his poultry venture. It’s more than just a farm; it’s a way to apply systems thinking to agriculture, while keeping an eye on productivity, profitability, and sustainability. This document outlines what Molly’s is all about, why we’re pursuing it, and what we need to get started.

Requirements for Scaling Molly’s:

To scale Molly’s and grow this system, we need support. Here’s what’s required:

• Customer Base:
  We aim to secure 25-30 households committed to regular deliveries, allowing us to sell over 500 chickens and 100 turkeys next year.

• Infrastructure Investment:
  We’ll need to invest in key infrastructure to support rotational grazing, including:

  • Fencing and portable shelters.

  • Partnerships with local processors to handle growing demand.

With these pieces in place, Molly’s can grow into a sustainable, productive farm that serves both the land and the community.

Why: The Need for a Better Approach to Farming

Why Improvement is Needed
Agriculture is essential, and industrial farming was designed for short-term efficiency, to feed a rapidly growing population. However, this efficiency often comes at the cost of the animals’ well-being and long-term sustainability.

In conventional poultry farming, animals are often confined in high-density, indoor environments, also known as confinement systems. To increase efficiency and reduce costs, animals are restricted from moving too much. This is done to limit their caloric burn, which allows them to gain weight quickly on less feed. As a result:

• Birds live in overcrowded conditions, often with limited space to move.

• Stress levels are high, and animals become prone to disease due to their environment.

• This leads to a heavy reliance on antibiotics and medications to prevent and treat illnesses.

While these methods can increase short-term productivity, the long-term consequences include degraded soil, unhealthy animals, and products of lower nutritional quality.

The Efficiency of Nature
Nature is inherently efficient. Consider the following:

• Global Net Primary Production (NPP): Nature fixes roughly 110 gigatons of carbon (GtC) per year through photosynthesis.

• Human Appropriation: Humans appropriate about 13-16 GtC for activities like food production and urbanization.

• Nature’s Share: The remaining 94-97 GtC is produced by natural ecosystems—forests, grasslands, oceans—without human intervention.

This shows that nature is already a highly efficient farmer. Left alone, it produces far more biomass than we do with all our technology and systems.

The Problem with the Current Approach
Industrial agriculture focuses on short-term gains. While this approach can produce quick yields, it sacrifices long-term soil health, animal welfare, and the regenerative potential of ecosystems. The result is often degraded land, reduced productivity, and increased reliance on synthetic inputs like fertilizers and medications to maintain yields.

What: Molly’s Approach to Poultry Farming

Molly’s Mission
Molly’s is a poultry farm dedicated to raising pastured chickens and turkeys, built on regenerative agriculture principles. This isn’t just about ethics—it’s about measurable results: healthier land, healthier animals, and superior poultry.

What We Do Differently
At Molly’s, we take a different approach. Our chickens and turkeys are raised on pasture, where they have space to roam and express their natural behaviors. Unlike traditional confinement farming, where movement is restricted to limit caloric burn, our animals:

• Have room to move freely, which reduces stress.

• Are not confined indoors; they are rotated across pastures to ensure fresh forage.

• Experience lower disease rates, which reduces the need for excessive antibiotics.

This approach results in healthier animals with better immune systems and overall well-being. The rotational grazing method also ensures the land is regenerated, leading to higher-quality meat and a sustainable farming model.

How: Working with Nature’s Cycles to Optimize Farming

Working with Nature Instead of Against It
By working with nature—instead of controlling it—we can leverage the natural efficiencies already present in ecosystems. This is the foundation of Molly’s approach:

• Regenerative Practices: Techniques like rotational grazing mimic nature’s cycles. As animals move across the land, they:

  • Fertilize the soil.

  • Stimulate plant growth.

  • Promote a balanced, self-sustaining ecosystem.

In confinement farming systems, animals are often over-medicated due to their cramped living conditions and lack of mobility. At Molly’s, we allow the animals to roam freely and forage naturally, which reduces stress and the need for medications. The focus is on building a system that allows both the land and animals to thrive, creating healthier outcomes.

The Case for a Refined Approach:

We don’t need to reject modern agriculture. Instead, we can refine it by embracing nature’s efficiency and complexity. Molly’s takes the following approach:

• Increased Productivity: Intensive land management, paired with mimicking natural cycles, can result in more productive farms. Nature produces biomass efficiently, and by following its lead, we can enhance farm output.

• Enhanced Land Efficiency: Rotational grazing and pastured poultry methods maximize land usage. Efficient rotation allows sections of pasture to regenerate while others are grazed, optimizing output per acre—even on smaller farms. By regenerating the land, we increase its capacity to support livestock over time.

• Healthier Animals and Superior Product: Birds raised on pasture, foraging for grasses and insects, are healthier and less reliant on antibiotics. This leads to a higher-quality product—with better taste and nutritional content—compared to birds raised in confined environments. Healthier animals also translate to fewer medical interventions and improved profitability.

• Sustainability: By regenerating the land, we ensure long-term productivity without depleting resources. The farm becomes a self-sustaining ecosystem, relying less on external inputs like synthetic fertilizers and medications.

The Goal: Building a Profitable, Sustainable Farm

The ultimate goal is to create a farm that serves the land, the animals, and the people. Through careful land management, we’re not only making farming more efficient but also profitable and sustainable—showing that farming in harmony with nature benefits everyone involved.