Cody Miller at H&W Pastures Reflects on Build-Up Berkeley One Year Later

The deadline to enroll in the 2026 Build-Up Berkeley is fast approaching, but there’s still time to submit your application and elevator pitch to this free program. Over eight weeks, participants learn from educators, mentors, and peers as they grow their businesses and develop new skills.

Cody Miller, founder of H&W Pastures, was the Grand Prize winner of the Build-Up Berkeley Business Pitch competition in 2025. He recently reflected on his experience and how it has helped him over the past year.

“I encourage any local business, start-up business, or person with an idea to sign up for Build-Up Berkeley,” he says. “Even if you don’t win, the entire process is incredibly valuable. The education and networking are worth more than the $10,000 grand prize.”

If you’re on the fence about applying, this is your sign to enroll. Keep reading to learn how Miller and H&W Pastures have both grown because of this program. 

H&W Pastures Sells Clean Food to Local Markets 

Cody and his wife, Kaycee, can be found in farmers' markets around Berkeley County. They have a Mobile Farm Market that sells clean protein, including beef, pork, lamb, chicken, eggs, and even dog treats.

“Everyone has a hairdresser, a doctor, a mechanic, and other dedicated experts in their field, but they don’t have a farmer,” he says. “They don’t have a specific person who ensures the food they choose to eat every day is safe, high-quality, and nutritious.”

The products sold by H&W are raised without antibiotics, growth hormones, or vaccines, on pastures free of synthetic fertilizers, herbicides, insecticides, pesticides, and fungicides, as well as any other modern chemicals. The beef, lamb, and goats are grass-finished/grain-free, the pigs are pasture-raised on GMO-free feed, and the chickens are pasture-raised on a custom feed mix that is GMO-free, soy-free, and corn-free. The Millers run their business with the goal of raising animals as they lived before human cultivation, as God intended, says Cody. 

The Millers Were Inspired By Their Children

Cody and Kaycee started their agricultural business because they wanted to provide their kids with clean, unadulterated food options. The Millers continued to scale until they began feeding their community and eventually launched H&W Pastures.

“We have a lot of repeat customers,” says Cody. “Once people try our meats and eggs, they tend to come back because the quality difference is undeniable.”

Cody adds that he welcomes competition and wants more farmers in the community to embrace these methods. If he runs out of eggs or beef to sell, he sends them to similar farms in the area. He says he wants everyone to eat quality, nutrient-dense food that tastes good.

Cody also partners with other farms in the area to bring their products to new customers. He helps sell cheese and yogurt from a nearby goat farm, honey from a local apiary, and freeze-dried seasonings from a local producer. 

The Benefits of Build-Up Berkeley Last Long After It Ends

Build-Up Berkeley played an instrumental role in helping Cody build his network and business acumen.

“Even the application taught me a lot,” he says. “I’d never given an elevator pitch before and developed one as part of the enrollment process.”

Cody adds that Build-Up Berkeley never felt like a competition. It felt like businesses working together to grow and network. The experience was collaborative, and Cody is still friends with the other participants.

“We talk to each other every week,” he says. “We cheer each other on, offer advice, and share resources. We’re all facing similar hurdles and can help each other overcome them. The networking that came out of this program has been phenomenal.” 

Build-Up Berkeley Elevated H&W Pastures 

The Millers used the $10,000 Grand Prize money to launch their new Mobile Farm Market, which is equipped with 16 linear feet of merchandising freezer space for their meats and a tandem-door cooler for eggs and dairy products. Their innovative design has taken their farm market beyond basic camp coolers, offering customers a new yet familiar shopping experience. It elevates food safety with controlled temperatures while broadening the product diversity.

H&W Pastures also has canopy and display areas for selling shelf-stable products on shelves in front of the mobile market, such as dog treats, honey, and seasonings, which pair perfectly with their meats.

The upgrades make the business more attractive to farmers' market customers, driving interest and purchases. Additionally, H&W Pastures has grown further thanks to Build-Up Berkeley. Customers who seek out Cody and his business because they saw him at the pitch competition or in the YouTube videos that have been shared since.

“We’ve even had numerous people visit us from out of state who wanted to try our products,” he says.

Cody is returning to Build-Up Berkeley in 2026 as a judge to continue supporting local Berkeley County businesses. 

Enroll in Build-Up Berkeley Today

The deadline to enroll in Build-Up Berkeley is Friday, August 7, at 5:00 PM. It is open to existing business owners looking to expand or pivot within their current markets, as well as to entrepreneurs preparing to launch their companies. Participants can enroll online.

Along with invaluable networking, mentoring, and education, all participants receive educational credits from Blue Ridge Community and Technical College and professionally edited headshots from Thad Reid.

If you have any questions about Build-Up Berkeley, don’t hesitate to contact the Berkeley County Development Authority (BCDA). We’re happy to discuss the program and whether it’s a good fit for your needs. Reach out today.