Inspired by the agriculture heritage of this land, both pre-historic and recent, we aim to create a more nurturing and ecological farm to feed our neighbors and CSA community. We apply holistic farming practices that are firmly rooted in biological systems – working in harmony with the natural world of plants, animals, insects, soils, and humans.

Join us to continue this work together.

Lazy Eight Stock Farm is a 420 acre Certified Organic farm located on the banks of the Paint Lick Creek in Madison and Garrard counties. The farm family consists of Carla and Lothar Baumann and their son, Bryce, his wife Anna, and their children, Jack and Molly. Carla’s great-uncles started farming the land in 1947. In 1979 Lothar, a high school teacher and woodworker, and Carla, a public health nurse, raised their first crop of sweet corn to sell at the Berea Farmers Market. Bryce — today the first full-time farmer in the family in four generations —  raised his first crops of sweet corn, tomatoes and strawberries as a middle schooler. The farm continued to operate traditionally for many years with cattle and tobacco, even as Bryce was learning how to raise produce, livestock and eggs without synthetic inputs. The last crop of tobacco was raised in 1997 and in 2011, we sold our last group of conventional feeder calves. In 2012, we joined the USDA Certified Organic Program.

Our love of the land and the work, and our desire to farm in a way that is aligned with our values, led us to Community Supported Agriculture. We began our CSA in 2012, and it has become the lifeblood of the farm.

OUR COMMITMENT TO THE EARTH

The People

It takes a village to keep the farm running! Our team is built around a core of full-time year-round farmers (Bryce, Lothar, Carla, Susan Schmied), and a team of seasonal farmers make it possible to do the heavy lifting of gardening during the summer months.

 

We feel very fortunate to be able to participate in the H2A Guest Worker program. Farming is unique, in that the work load increases dramatically during the growing season, and this program allows people to travel safely to and from their home country each year to fill these seasonal positions. We are so grateful for the contributions of Joel, Adilene, Claribel, Jaime, and Sergio and the sacrifices they have made to be away from their families while working on the farm! 

Lothar is the farm encyclopedia when it comes to heirloom vegetables, woodworking, farm habitat, and most any kind of history. A natural storyteller, he has an amazing memory for details, particularly of his Virginia childhood. Bryce grew up hearing his dad’s old farmer stories – stories of working on the farm of a Mennonite family in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia. As a teen, he worked in the orchard there, scrambled around the ridges of the Blue Ridge Mountains picking blueberries, and got into the usual amount of mischief that comes from being the oldest of three brothers. Lothar (a self-professed Luddite) is in his element when he’s lost in the tomato vines or strawberry patch on the farm, or hunting for arrowheads with Jack and Molly.

Carla’s daydreams oftentimes get her into a pickle when she bites off more than she can chew. Always a list-maker, she takes much pleasure in marking things off the list! The list for 2021 is much like the 2020 list and  includes reading with her book club, planting lots of flowers, cooking (always), playing with Jack and Molly, walking on the farm, and being on the board of Berea Home Village.  Oh, yes, and for the past 46 years, making sure Lothar has a list, too

Our Partners

Farming is hard and these community partners are essential to the continued viability of our farm, and so many others in Kentucky! Please consider supporting these organizations that work tirelessly to support so many farmers in our community.

Community Farm Alliance has been there for farms through the dairy crisis, the end of the tobacco program, and the transition to a new Kentucky farm economy.

The Organic Association of Kentucky offers a state-wide network of sustainably-minded farmers technical assistance and resources while supporting peer-to-peer learning, organic research and growing market opportunities for Kentucky farmers.

Kentucky Farm Share Coalition helps farmers connect with individuals through unique workplace wellness programs. Everyone benefits from this creative program that is proven to reduce healthcare cost while stabilizing small farm revenue.