When Laura Jensen and her family moved from the suburbs to a small farm in Loganville, Ga., the goal was to buy some horses, raise some chickens and reconnect with her rural roots. She did not expect to help preserve an endangered breed of hogs, learn to make charcuterie, and feed the local population when the grocery stores ran out of meat in the pandemic. But change happens, and you can either run from it or embrace it. She embraced the change, and as a result, Jensen Reserve has become one of the hottest small processors in Georgia. Instead of housing horses, the barn on the property has evolved into a country store and a processing room.
“We had actually bought four horses for four people, but then we had other plans,” Jensen says. Those other plans continue to evolve as the Jensens find new opportunities. Though they are mechanics by trade and not butchers, Laura and Bill Jensen are entrepreneurs, problem-solvers, and foodies. That combination of skills helped them learn how to break down a hog carcass and develop a charcuterie program – from YouTube videos.