Michelle McKenzie and Nat Ratchen manage Bellair Farm with the help of the incredible Bellair Crew. Nat manages production: animals, irrigation, tractor work, and Michelle handles the business side: administration, media, crew leadership.

Michelle grew up in the Shenandoah Valley and got a job on the farm crew in 2011, the founding year of the farm. She didn’t know it then, but it was the start of her career as a farmer, and she’s been living on, working with, and loving the land at Bellair ever since. She’s also an avid birder, can cook for a crowd, and is a dirty-dish tornado in the kitchen. You can credit her with most of the recipes that are shared on the blog and newsletter.

Nat grew up in Portland, Oregon and worked on farms of all scales in Florida, California, and beyond before starting a job with the Bellair crew in 2015. That was the beginning of his working relationship & friendship with Michelle, and since then, they’ve become a powerhouse management team. Off the farm, Nat loves whitewater canoeing and makes homemade cider, mead, and beer. He is also a great cook. Between the two of them, they keep their friends and families well fed!

In late 2019, Michelle and Nat took over management of the farm from their mentor Jamie Barrett. Of course, they had no idea a global pandemic would take hold and persist through the next few years. Reflecting on these first few years of managing the farm, Michelle says, “What we have learned in this time is that our role in our community is more important than ever. We farm because we love it. We farm because we want to feed our community and heal the land, and we want to keep doing it for a long time.”

Thank you to our members and customers whose support allows us to do the job we love to do. We will keep farming for you, friends!

We absolutely could not do this alone! The Bellair Crew is a mix of part-time and full-time staff who do a wide range of tasks: field work, greenhouse chores, market staffing, and so much more. On a working farm like this, everyone’s work is essential. We’re so grateful to work alongside such an incredible team.

These are just a few of our current staff, but we value each and every member of our crew! Many valuable crew members are not pictured, but shout out to Tracy, Donna, Eric, Lucy, Dale, Tony and many many crew members past and present who are part of Bellair!