Today we’d like to introduce you to Bernadette Girvin.
Hi Bernadette, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I didn’t grow up on a farm—I grew up dreaming about one. For 16 years I built a career in corporate financial services, but I always felt pulled toward a life with more connection, purpose, and animals. What started as a few backyard hens and garden beds quickly grew into a deeper passion for regenerative farming and wanting to raise food I could truly trust.
Eventually my husband and I took the leap and launched 4 Girvins Farm full-time. Today we raise pastured eggs, poultry, pork, produce, and flowers on a small regenerative farm in Central Florida, and we’ve grown a community around home delivery, farm events, and experiences that reconnect people to where their food comes from.
It’s been a winding path, but everything from my corporate background to my love of animals led me here. Now I get to wake up every day and build a life—and a farm—that feels aligned with who I always was at my core.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It’s not been smooth at all! LOL We’re first-generation farmers, so the learning curve has been steep from the very beginning. Just when you think things are going smoothly and animal gets sick, a hurricane kills a bunch of chickens, a fence breaks…We’re literally learning something new or fixing something every day. Because our property wasn’t originally a farm, we’ve essentially had to retro-fit our entire home and land—building every coop, shelter, paddock, and system by hand while still running the business.
On top of that, farming has its own financial rhythm, and learning the cash flow cycle was another challenge. Unlike my previous corporate career, revenue comes in waves, while expenses—feed, infrastructure, labor—are constant and often upfront. Understanding how to stabilize and forecast that has taken time, discipline, and a lot of trial and error.
It hasn’t been smooth, but each struggle has made us more resilient, more creative, and more confident in the path we’re building.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about 4 Girvins Farm?
4 Girvins Farm is a first-generation, regenerative farm in Central Florida focused on raising happy animals, growing real food, and creating experiences that reconnect people to where their food comes from. We raise pastured eggs, poultry, pork, produce, and flowers, and we deliver directly to families all over our community. Our customers know exactly who cared for their food, what the animals ate, and how they lived.
What sets us apart is our commitment to transparency and to whole-animal, nose-to-tail farming. Every animal on our farm is raised outdoors on grass, rotated frequently, and given a life that honors their natural instincts. We aren’t trying to be a typical farm—we’re trying to show what farming can look like when animal welfare and land stewardship come first.
We’re also known for the sense of community we create. Beyond food, we host Farm-to-Table Dinners, field trips, Open Farm Days, and seasonal events that invite people onto the land to experience it for themselves. Our goal isn’t just to sell a product; it’s to build relationships, inspire connection, and make farming accessible and enjoyable for families.
Brand-wise, I’m proud that everything we do feels authentic (or at least I hope it does!). Our story, our animals, our products—they all reflect what we believe: that good food comes from good farming, and that people deserve to know and trust their farmer. Whether someone buys eggs, attends a farm dinner, rents a chicken coop, or brings their kids to pet goats, I want them to walk away feeling welcomed, seen, and part of something meaningful.
If there’s one thing readers should know, it’s this: 4 Girvins Farm is built with intention. We’re not just raising food—we’re raising it with love, care, and a deep respect for the land and animals. And we’re building a farm experience that families can enjoy, learn from, and be proud to support.
What makes you happy?
Being creative and working with my hands makes me happy! Whether that’s crafting with the kids, working in the garden, working the animals, crocheting, sewing, cooking, building things for the farm…all of that truly brings me the most joy and I think that’s why this business has fulfilled me. I get to be creative every single day – even on the business’y side of things I have creative control over our newsletter, instagram posts, marketing efforts, coop designs, livestock management protocols. I just get to take all the ideas in my head and express them in some way!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.4girvinsfarm.com
- Instagram: @4_girvinsfarm
Image Credits
Lauren Potter of Doe Creative
