Our Journey
It all started with chickens . . . it always begins with chickens! A decade later, from that initial handful of laying hens, has blossomed a hobby farm that brings me so much joy.
Our farm has changed over the years as I tried my hand at new endeavors. I joke that I am a “Jill of all trades, master of none,” but self-deprecation aside, I am proud of the self-taught skills I have obtained over the years.
I have learned to produce delicious, wholesome food and indulge my lifelong love for animal husbandry. We have raised coturnix quail, broiler chickens, heritage breed turkeys, and feeder pigs for meat. Our pedigreed American Chinchilla rabbit project was successful both on the show table and the dinner plate.
I learned the art of beekeeping and did a deep dive into the fascinating dynamics of a beehive. Extracting honey was sticky business, but the ends justified the means. Local bees make local honey, meaning the pollen they collect and bring back to the hive is sourced from local plants. Many seasonal allergies are caused by these same plants, so just imagine the allergy-busting benefits when the honey you consume contains the very same pollen of these plants! I highly recommend the fascinating reads The Lives of Bees and Honeybee Democracy by Thomas D. Seeley to laypersons and bee experts alike.
We have raised geese, ducks, and many, many breeds of chickens. We bred beautiful kunekune pigs utilizing our gorgeous boar from Alabama that we picked up in Virginia (now THAT’S a story!) The COVID-19 pandemic exposed vulnerabilities in global supply chains and kinks in the U.S. food system, highlighting the importance of community and self-sufficiency. For a summer I canned like a mad woman, and realized that I am not too keen on canning!
It’s said that “new farmers do too much, too fast,” and for me, this statement rings true. My husband Josh and I each work professional full-time jobs (farming ain’t cheap!) and wrangle our three energetic sons (who may turn my hair prematurely gray, but ensure that there’s never a dull moment!). The mantra that often plays in repeat in my head is “you can have it all, but you can’t have it all at once.” I have (temporarily) paused some pursuits to focus on the projects that bring me the most happiness and fulfillment at this stage of my life.
The backbone of our farm is our herd of registered dairy goats. I picked up our first three Nigerian Dwarf does when I was eight months pregnant with our third child (as good a time as any to try something new), and this passion project has really taken off. Our goats provide our family with fabulous, rich, and creamy milk. We are a performance herd and participate in milk test, linear appraisal, and ADGA sanctioned shows. We started with Nigerian Dwarf goats and branched out into Oberhasli. We have brought in some wonderful genetics, focusing on the very dairy phenotype that brings me joy.
We are also a small, state licensed, in-home cattery raising CFA registered Maine Coons, most of whom we have imported from Russia. I have always been an equal opportunity lover of cats, but there is truly something unique and special about these gentle giants that set them apart and make them the perfect feline companions (no, no . . . I’m not biased at all!)
Last but not least, our sons participate in 4-H “Rabbiteers” and show their gorgeous mini rex.
It’s oftentimes controlled chaos around this joint, but we are so incredibly thankful for this full, abundant life. This 2.4 acre slice of heaven is what gets me up in the morning (both emotionally, and, literally . . . we have an enthusiastic rooster!)
