Opening photo by Raksasok Heng on Pexels
“It started a decade ago, searching for answers so that I could heal myself,” says Jenny Hendricks. With the doctors unable to find answers, and size 00 clothing hanging off her body, Hendricks had no choice but to become an expert on food and farming practices. She was slowly withering away and had tried cutting out meat by eating a strict vegan diet for 10 years, but her anemia worsened despite eating healthier.
Knowing she needed to start eating meat again, she turned her research to the cattle food industry. “[For] most everything in the grocery store, almost all animals eat GMO (genetically modified) corn and GMO soy. So, what the animal eats is still [transferred to] the meat and the eggs.”
Realizing that soy was a part of her issues, Hendricks had already eliminated soy from her diet. She was forced to find another source of meat. So, she thought, “Why not raise it herself?” Raising her own food would ensure exactly what was in the food she ate.
She started raising chickens and posting about her journey. As she regained her health, people started noticing. It wasn’t long before she had order requests and so she established Hendricks Farm and Hatchery LLC in 2022.
Courtesy of Jenny Hendricks
Hendricks’ background in business worked in her favor. “There’s a disconnect where the two sides can’t connect very well,” she says. “That’s the need I’m fulfilling.” She understands what the customer needs and how to get it into their hands. “People need to have somebody they can trust. I try to do daily emails and videos about what is going on at the farm, or what is going on in the food world. I think people are lacking that educational piece.” Hendricks provides videos on YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, and bite-sized daily emails, and she also communicates directly with her customers.
“The people who become part of our farm family – they’re in 100%. They become friends. They become family. I feel like they have blessed me more than I have them. This journey has been the most amazing thing.”
That family is growing. Knowing that she wanted to be able to provide a wider selection to her customers and friends and knowing that she couldn’t do it all by herself, Hendricks teamed up with other local farms to provide more grass-fed beef, pork and lamb. In 2024, she partnered with a fulfillment center that has cold storage, opening up the door to ship to all 50 states.
Jenny Hendricks has not allowed anything to slow her down. Nor has she allowed anything to compromise her standard for pasture-raised meat. She has won the Best of Georgia award as voted by the readers of the Georgia Business Journal. Hendricks Farms and Hatchery continues to grow, serving both the Savannah River Region and the nation.
To purchase Hendricks Farm meats, sign up for the newsletter or learn more, check out www.hendricksfarmhatchery.com.
Appears in the June/July 2025 issue of Augusta magazine.
The post Growing In Favor appeared first on Augusta Magazine.
