From Chef to Regenerative Farmer: How a CIA-Trained Chef Built Provenance Farm’s Regenerative Legacy

If you’ve ever wondered what makes Provenance Farm’s grass-fed beef so flavorful, so nutrient-dense, and so consistently high quality, the answer starts long before the cattle reach the pasture. It begins with Martha Kimmerly, a Culinary Institute of America–trained chef who traded a 25-year culinary career for a regenerative farming mission that’s now redefining beef in New Jersey and beyond.

A Chef’s Background: Why It Matters for Grass-Fed Beef

Before founding Provenance Farm, Martha spent decades mastering flavor, technique, and the importance of high-quality ingredients. As an executive chef, she learned a principle that guides her farming today:

You can’t fake good ingredients. Healthy soil and ethically raised animals are the foundation of exceptional beef.

This chef’s mindset is why Provenance Farm produces some of the most tender, richly flavored grass-finished beef in New Jersey.

The Journey Back to the Land

Born in Michigan and raised close to the land, Martha carried her agricultural roots with her throughout her culinary career. Eventually, the pull back to farming became undeniable. In 2016, she and her family began restoring 168 acres of New Jersey farmland—some of which was compacted from years of tillage, and some of which was once the bed of a lake 10,000 years ago.

Today the farm is a thriving regenerative ecosystem raising:

-Grass-fed & grass-finished beef

-Pastured lamb

-Pastured poultry including chickens, turkeys, and ducks

All managed with regenerative, humane, soil-first practices.

Why Regenerative Farming Produces Better Beef

Customers often ask why Provenance Farm beef tastes so different from typical “grass-fed beef.” The answer lies in Martha’s approach:

1. Multi-Species, Adaptive Rotational Grazing

Cattle, sheep and poultry, move frequently, mimicking natural herd behavior and building soil structure.

2. Over 40+ Forage Varieties

Cows eat diverse grasses and legumes that enhance marbling, tenderness, and nutrition.

 

3. Low-Stress Handling ❤️

Quiet movement, calm environments, and respect at every stage.

🌎 4. No Grain. No Feedlots. No Shortcuts.

This is authentic, truly grass-finished beef—raised outdoors on regenerative pasture.

This commitment shows up in both flavor and nutrition, making Provenance Farm a top choice for customers seeking clean, ethical, nutrient-rich beef.

 

A Life Filled With Meaningful Moments

Ask Martha why she farms, and she'll tell you about the moments that matter:

“Just the other morning I watched a young calf sneak out and greet every cow in the herd one by one. Those small, honest moments remind me why we do this.”

These stories reflect the heart of the farm—and the respect behind every product you take home.

Changing the Future of Food, One Cow at a Time

Every Provenance Farm purchase supports:

-Regenerative agriculture

-Local New Jersey farming

-Ethical animal husbandry 

-Soil restoration: A family-run farm with deep culinary roots

Every cow raised regeneratively is one less CAFO cow.
Every family we feed supports healthier soil and healthier food.

This is the Provenance Farm difference.