T. Moise Farms, Applying Clean Farming Practices to Cajun Cuisine

Her youthful eyes used to peer at the customer-centered work her father accomplished at his shop growing up. The path her father paved for himself after he and his family moved to the United States from Peru has since stuck with her in a substantial way. Now, Monica Hernandez can look back on dozens of years working like him in the retail industry, including her newest venture into agriculture.

Although her career has fluctuated throughout the years, it was a mix of her diverse background and her husband Tim’s agricultural past that kindled their interest in starting a business together. Like Monica, Tim had a plan to follow in his father’s footsteps as a member of the fourth generation of his farming family. However, because of an issue with his harvest in his late teen years, he put that plan on hold. It was not until he met Monica that he was able to consider the idea once again.

Monica may not have had a farming background, but she had a unique grasp on what flavors extend outside of the country’s bounds. She explained, “I did notice that when I moved here from my country, the food tasted different.”

Being located in the coastal region of Louisiana, a place Monica referred to as “Cajun country,” taste is of utmost importance for locals and tourists alike. When paired with nutrition, these qualities are crucial factors for those in the area when they choose their food options and sources. After developing their plan to begin pig farming around 2017, these two determinants became Tim and Monica’s priority as well.

Everything from being a chemical-free farming operation to raising the animals on rotational grazing practices has been ways in which the two have followed this aim. They value the animal in its entirety during its time in the fields and beyond. Even at the point of creating their products, they remain mindful of what is available to them and create products that ensure no part of the animal is going to waste.

“We use the fat. We use the bones to make broth,” Monica explained. “We utilize pretty much everything.”

This farm value extends into their development as well. Monica mentioned it provides them with a wide variety of options for how they can expand their value-added product line. Since they began T. Moise Farms, they have branched out from pork into the production of other animal products, including lamb, chicken, beef, and eggs. All of these products provide them with endless opportunities to try a new product type.

One offering they were eager to bring to those in their area was boudin, a Louisianan delicacy. This sausage product is highly sought after with many locals having a rich heritage eating it with their

families. Even though the region has no shortage of this product being sold, Tim and Monica noticed early on there was something missing on the market. The type of regenerative farming practices they prioritized were not being represented by any boudin producers, which gave them the idea to create their own.

Since the addition of this product, they have heard high praise from members of their community about the authenticity of their boudin’s taste. Throughout the years, this positive sentiment has echoed for their other products as well, leading to the attention of a television show production team. T. Moise Farms was featured on World of Flavor with Big Moe Cason to highlight its cultural influence on southern cuisine.

As a small farm with less than ten staff members, this visibility was huge to add to their already established sales outlets: an on-site shop and local farmers markets. Before this episode was released, however, Monica stumbled upon another opportunity for promotions that was too promising to ignore.

The 2020 Value-Added Producer Grant (VAPG) was one of the few grants Monica looked into that gave her a real sense of enthusiasm for what it could do to elevate their boudin sales. To get to the point of receiving the grant, however, she did not accomplish it alone. She was fortunate to have the help of a professional to draft the grant proposal. Although there was no way to know the outcome of the grant after submission, there was one aspect of the experience she continues to feel certain about.

“It’s all in the grant writer,” Monica shared when speaking on the success of her application.

Because of the contracted expertise they received in the application stage, T. Moise Farms was able to invest in expansion-focused activities. Outside of the on-farm funding to allow staff members to work more frequently, the primary use of the VAPG award was visual marketing changes of various sizes. From adjustments as small as a logo redesign to changes as large as the production of a new farmers market tent, there was plenty of movement in exciting directions.

Through the implementation of these grant-funded updates, customers were able to gain a fresh understanding of all that goes into Tim and Monica’s operation. Their new farmers market tent, for example, is not just a place to cover themselves from the sun on hot days like before. With the updated visuals of everyday life on the farm displayed on the tent, it has now transformed into a promotional tool, bridging the gap between the farm and its end consumer.

Another portion of the grant funding was utilized for their digitally-focused promotional and sales objectives. The VAPG made it possible for T. Moise Farms to begin targeting customers through email with the help of a contracted consultant. Furthermore, their website received the improvements it needed to match the other professional updates made with the grant.

For Monica, there is a sense of pride she feels when looking back at the farm’s VAPG experience. The state of Louisiana is known for crawfish producers, which has been reflected in the numerous crawfish farmers in the state who have received the VAPG. T. Moise Farms was the first recipient from the state that was not in that product category, making their business a one-of-a-kind recipient. Tim and Monica may have inherited their passions for retail and farming from those before them, but through their VAPG experience, they have shown there is always something new on the horizon for future applicants.