“We are all trying to live a little more like Jamie”

In honor of our great friend Jamie Labat, we started a special project that is near and dear to our hearts.

Jamie’s Helping Hands.

We are seeking families and people that are in need, to receive a gift in the amount of $500 to be used as an in-store credit to our Heartland Heritage Farms Online Store. 

We lost Jamie in June of 2021 to suicide. Jamie was and will forever be known as one of the most genuine, giving people we knew. He gave to many, and selflessly never expected anything in return. Jamie was a giver, whose life impacted so many. He also had a passion for regenerative agriculture and was always educating himself on ways to better our operations, which made him an outstanding partner. His beliefs coincided with ours on our farm very well and it was always a great pleasure to learn and grow with him. He was always eager to be a part of something bigger. His care-free spirit and infectious personality made road tripping to events something to look forward to. Jamie was a care-taker and showed this in his farming operation time and time again. He helped raise and supply our customers with farm fresh, pastured eggs. Since his passing, Jamie’s family and friends have graciously picked up where he left off and have taken over his operation. Jamie’s chickens still supply us with the highest quality farm fresh, pastured eggs. 

A true attribute to Jamie’s character, speaks from one of the last things he did before leaving us. Jamie gave to someone. The day after he passed away, we received a letter with a check in the mail from Jamie with guidance to start a credited account with our farm’s website. He gave that money specifically for someone as a credit so that they could get whatever meat they needed when they needed it in order to provide for their family. 

In honor of Jamie we want to continue what he started. We want to keep not only the tradition of giving alive but we also want to continue to make this world a better place, just like Jamie. We are looking for people to reach out to us via email. With a person or family in mind that is going through a difficult time and could use some help. We recognize that in life we all go through struggles. Although we don’t always seek help, it doesn’t hurt to have a little something there to help us get through the difficult times. 

We understand the importance of confidentiality and we are going to keep nominations and people anonymous. We are looking for families in need that could use a helping hand. We will reach out and gift them with $500/family of in-store credit to our online meat store. This money will be there for them to use whenever they choose on whatever products they want to feed their families. Our HHF team alongside Jamie’s family will go through the nominations and distribute the funds accordingly. 

We want to impact and help as many people as we can. In time, our ultimate goal is to help impact the lives of hundreds of people. 

With your help, we ask that you please spread this message to others and share this story.

Know of someone who would be a good candidate? Please send your nominations to (JamiesHH@heartlandheritagefarms.com) In your nominations, please include a brief background on the people and their story on why you are nominating them. Also, please include their contact information as well so that we can contact and notify them of their gift. Again, we would just like to remind everyone that we will keep the whole process anonymous; we are just simply giving because we feel it is the right thing to do. 

It is genuinely our goal to help shed some light into someone’s life who may be in a time of uncertainty or struggle. Our greatest accomplishment of all of this is to simply live a little more like Jamie; by giving to others and making a small positive impact in someone else’s life. We know that everyone walks a different path, and there will be no judgment passed on the private situations that are shared with us. 

In light of Jamie, we also want to recognize the struggle that many others in the farming and ranching occupation face. Agriculture in general is the 4th highest occupation that experiences suicide. This rate is nearly 5 times higher than that of the general population. (Lutjelusche, 2022)  If you or anyone you know is struggling mentally or wrestling with thoughts of suicide please go to www.SuicidePreventionLifeline.org or call 1-800-273-TALK for more information or assistance. 

Interested in helping our cause? Please reach out to us, we would love to hear from you. Want to give, but you don’t know where to start? ** IF YOU ARE NOT A FAMILY WHO FEELS THEY ARE IN NEED, BUT YOU STILL WANT TO HELP SUPPORT OUR CAUSE. YOU CAN DONATE DIRECT FUNDS BY CLICKING ON ANY OF THE BUTTONS ON THIS PAGE.** 

Contact Information:

Project Coordinator:

• Jordan Schmidt (507) 828-9586

Email:

• JamiesHH@heartlandheritagefarms.com

Lutjelusche, A. (2022, January 19). 4 things you probably didn't know about agriculture.

American Farm Bureau Federation - The Voice of Agriculture. Retrieved May 24, 2022,

from https://www.fb.org/viewpoints/4-things-you-probably-didnt-know-about-agriculture