Fyler Farms has been in the family for 6 generations. Originally settled by Jeremy’s grandmother’s grandpa, a German immigrant in 1902 who utilized the Homestead Act in Kansas. The farm has its roots in wheat and livestock farming and continues today as Jeremy operates his own extension with his partner John.  

Jeremy and John took the leap into their own farm in 2020, after just a year of dating! Jeremy says it was a huge decision, but “you’re never really ready, you just have to dive in”. Each decision they’ve made has been with sustainability at the core. Each upgrade, change, and routine decision is based on what is within their limits and what will best serve their community. Their farm is 20 acres, with 11 head of cattle, 2 goats, 2 sheep, chickens, and a ¼ acre garden. They operate a “micro-mill” (think micro-brewery) and commercial kitchen out of their basement, which they converted to be a fully functioning site for cleaning, milling, sifting, and packaging their raw flours and baking mixes. Their farm works in a circular way- they get the grains from neighboring organic farms and Jeremy’s own father’s farm, they process onsite, and the 20% waste goes to feed their livestock (along with grass and hay). The manure from the livestock is then processed to be fertilizer in their garden, and everything is chemical free, healthy, and working together.  

Jeremy and John have been together for 5 years now, and their farm is an essential part of their relationship. They are united in their passion to create a space that not only creates a healthy product, but in itself creates a healthy community by providing other grain farmers with an option to not rely on fluctuating market price for otherwise commodity grain. They love the act of paying the farmer what they need to get for the grain, so that the farm can also grow their operations and in turn, create a more thriving community. It is not Jeremy’s goal to become the largest mill operation in KC metro, but rather to have 100 micro-mill operations serving regional family farms.  

Starting a homestead is no simple task, and Jeremy and John find ways to get joy out of menial tasks like downing trees, installing fences, and putting in electrical to their basement. It’s amazing to be with the person you share a vision with, and then do the actual work on it together. Even when tasks are hard, they often find themselves celebrating with a bonfire and having some friends over to recap the day. At the end of it all, they always remind themselves of the goal, and it’s an extra perk to see their cows happy in their newly established pasture.  

Jeremy and John operate Fyler Farms with unity, strength, and an ideal vision of a healthy community. Thank you to Jeremy for sharing their story with me. This story deserves more than a simple write-up, so support their business on Market Wagon Kansas City today!