The Unique Story Behind MKONO, a Regenerative Farm in Southern Indiana

Just south of Bloomington, MKONO Farms is bringing high-quality cuts of pork and lamb to market through regenerative practices and a devotion to every step of the process. In addition to the year-round task of stewarding the lands and pastures, owner Amanda Hand works closely with their salumerias to guarantee excellence in the fermentation and curing of their salami and charcuterie selections.

“Regenerative farming is very important to us. The land, the animals, and the people all have to work together. And so the grass and the legumes that are growing are just as important as the animals that we’re growing and the people that are buying our product,” said Hand

Story behind MKONO Amanda and Jason Hand lived many lives before they arrived to their plot of land in Southern Indiana. Jason is a retired US Navy Chief, and his civil affairs squadron took him to Kenya from 2008-2010. It was there, stationed at a remote camp as part of a civil affairs squadron, that he came across the future name of his farm.

“A lot of times when the military goes into these remote locations, especially in these small teams, they hire out their boat driving and transport because obviously the locals are going to know the waters and the mangroves a lot better than our military would.” said Amanda, “So he had this boat driver, his name was Jafar. And every time that Jafar would land them in a remote inlet or a little island or in a mangrove, he would say, ‘mkono wa bwana,’ which means ‘go with the hand of God.’”

The phrase became part of the household language for the Hands, and when it came time to choose a name for their farm, the word mkono, hand, seemed to fit well into the ethos of their business, calling to protection, the physical work of doing things with your own two hands, and the higher power behind it.

MKONO began on the east coast, in Maryland and just southwest of Washington D.C. before moving back to the Hands’ home state of Indiana. Their plot of land just outside of Bloomington allowed them to stretch out, connect with family, and continue their production of small batch farm goods.

Although the farm produces cuts of pasture-raised pork and lamb, their salamis are the shining star of their farm stop and market offerings. Amanda draws inspiration from the six years when they lived in Europe, first in Naples, Italy, then on the southern coast of Spain. Their salami selection draws from the flavors and methods of the Mediterranean, but every step of that curing process happens with MKONO, from the raising of the livestock, through the close management of the seasoning, processing, and package branding. Hand even collects pairing options on her blog.

“A tip for creating a charcuterie board is to pair cheeses with salamis that are in the same region. So for instance, our lamb zaatar salami has thyme and sumac in it. I pair it with a Middle Eastern style sheep cheese.”

MKONO raises two particular breeds of livestock that they chose to suit the regenerative farm and final cut of meat. Hand raises Kunekune pigs, a one-time critical breed of livestock from the conservation list. They’re a type of grazing pig with short snouts that don’t tear up pasture grass. Kunekune pork is a deep red, marbled cut that can be processed into bacon, sausage, ham, larger cuts, or cured into their charcuterie. MKONO also stewards Navajo Churro Sheep, a heritage breed of livestock currently on the livestock conservancy critical list. Hand chose them for their rarity in the Northeastern United States, the flavor of the meat, and the symbiotic eating habits with their grazing pigs– whatever the Kunekune don’t eat, the sheep will.

“They’re known for having very sweet, mild, and tender meat. So people that are looking for a milder lamb love our churro meat,” said Hand. “They’re a heritage breed, so we grow them out for a year. They are grass-fed only, so in the fall, we start giving them alfalfa and clover hay.”

Still, Amanda is close with each of the animals she raises. Each month, when they take the livestock to be processed, or “harvested” in Amanda’s words, she becomes quiet and meditative for the day. 

“We actually harvest this Thursday and nobody bothers me on Thursday, because I’ve grown these animals out for a year. I know each of them. And so it’s a day where I kind of mourn a little bit the loss of animals that I’ve raised. And it’s a day of thanks-giving for me, but it’s hard,” said Amanda.

“I’ve always told people the day that I stop caring on harvest day is the day I need to give up farming. Because I think it’s very important to respect the process and the animal at the end of the day and what they provide for us.”

MKONO directly serves their neighboring community through the Bethel Lane Bloomington Farm Stop, Broad Ripple Farmer’s Market, and Bloomington Farmer’s Market, but they also offer two day delivery throughout the state. For 2025, customers can order until November 24 for Thanksgiving, and holiday orders close Monday December 22nd. Explore more of their offerings online at mkonofarm.com

MKONO Farms 

Broad Ripple Farmer’s Market
Saturday mornings
Year round

Bloomington Farmers Market
 Saturday mornings
April through November

Bethel Lane Farm Bloomington Farm Stop
Open every day
March 15 through December 15