2024 EKPA Board of Directors

President - Carol DeYoung, C & J Farm
Vice President - Michelle Miller, Millcrest Farm
Secretary - Amanda Hand, MKONO Farm
Treasurer - Kathy Brennan, Highland Farm
At-Large - Ethel Baker, Irish Mudd LLC
At-Large - Filipa Rodrigues, Saudade Farms
At-Large - Tera Chanasyk, Triple EH Farm

Carol DeYoung comes to EKPA with a strong background in raising pigs. She grew up on a hog farm in Iowa, worked in hog confinements throughout college, and rode with a veterinarian for her internship. She has a BA degree in Agriculture/Animal Science. 

Carol is passionate about the Preservation of the Kunekune breed and has worked toward improving their place as a pasture raised specialty meat. Striving for better growth rates and increased feed conversion has driven her to make pasture improvements and management changes to reach these goals.

She is proud to be a part of an organization which promotes and preserves the Kunekune’s place in the pork industry. Carol is dedicated to education and mentoring. Sharing our knowledge and learning from others is the gateway to helping us all reach our goals.

Michelle joins the EKPA BOD with a commitment to preserve and promote Kunekune pigs. She is a nurse by trade and teaches nursing in the University setting, as well as continues to work bedside at the local hospital.

Since getting her first Kunekunes in 2019 she has developed a passion for these animals, and is dedicating her efforts to preserving the breed through education and outreach. She strives to breed high quality animals that thrive on pasture, and have consistency of growth and conformation.

She is proud to be serving an organization that focuses on support, education and mentorship of its members. She believes strongly in the Kunekune breed as a niche pasture raised pork, and hopes to share her knowledge as well as learn alongside others with similar goals.

Amanda T. Hand is a native of Greenwood, Indiana and has been connected to agriculture since childhood through her family's cattle and horse operations. Currently, she is the owner and operator of MKONO FARM which recently relocated from Southern Maryland to Bloomington, Indiana.

She has successfully brought her love for animals and extraordinary food together by creating a market for small pasture raised pigs as she also strives to preserve the breed. She is passionate about pork production and mentoring others who are pursing pork production with the kunekune pig.

She has served on the board of the Empire Kunekune Pig Association and Kunekune Pork Producers Association assisting in education, data tracking, and creating cooperatives for Kunekune pork producers since Fall of 2019.

Kathy joined the EKPA BOD in the fall of 2018 as her family was transitioning from Hereford x Yorkshire pastured pigs to the wonderful Kunekune pig. Kathy brings a career in banking and office management, a love for agriculture, and a deep desire to preserve the Kunekune breed to her board position.

In her spare time Kathy is a 4H leader, a homeschool mom, paper crafter and card maker, livestock manager, and chief cook and bottle washer on her family’s small farm.

Kathy is passionate about educating and mentoring others on the remarkable benefits of raising Kunekune pigs for meat. She firmly believes that the breed is best utilized for pastured pork and pork production is vital for the preservation of this amazing pig. She is honored to be a part of an organization that educates and supports fellow breeders.

Ethel was born and raised in northeastern Indiana and have lived here my whole life. She the second oldest of 7 adopted kids. Her parents were foster parents for 25 years and her mom was the one who exposed her to many types of livestock as she grew up on a dairy farm. She learned all the responsibilities and hard work that goes into being a good steward of what the Lord had blessed them with.

She has worked in the medical field in some capacity for 16 years as well as getting an (RN) nursing degree. She wanted a change from the long hours and decided to take a position that was new to a local organic eggcompany. She was in the Quality Department and the job was certification compliance for the USDA, FDA, Humane Certifiers, and FDA in the barns as well as at the processing plant. She also participated in several field studies with the University of Kentucky while there. She learned a lot while working there and has implemented some of the things in her own farm practices.

In 2018, Ethel and her husband Steve, purchased their first registered KuneKunes after being disappointed with getting a couple of cross sows. She had already established IrishMudd LLC as a business entity for a different idea but thought since they raise otherlivestock it made since to use it as their farm business.

With the help of her husband and boys, they have built the farm that she currently runs today. Ethel loves this breed and the way that it seamlessly fits into the landscape of their farm.

Ethel is really excited about the future of this breed and the things that the EKPA is doing to ensure that this breed will be well taken care of into the future.