Our animals are what makes our farm such a magical and special place. They all have unique personalities and deserve an entire post! But for now, here’s a snippet about some of our critters and what role they play.
Thunder - Our Resident Unicorn
Thunder is a retired carriage horse from NYC, Philly and DC. A dear friend of mine, Pamala brought him to us. He is a sweet, old man in his late 20’s. His eyes twinkle once his harness goes on, and he transforms into a young horse again. We use his horse power for some light pulling such as moving rocks, hay and logging. We ride Thunder bareback into the forest and down dirt roads. Having him on the farm has completely enriched our lives and brings a very special magic. When you're on the farm be sure to say hello to him! He loves hay and carrots.
Wolf - Our Official Farm Greeter
Wolf is an incredible friend and has been my side kick since 2016. She is so friendly and loves attention. Everyone falls in love with Wolf. She is such a good girl. She herds the goats and the chickens into their coop at night. When the bears come out of hibernation, you can find Wolf outside keeping them away with her bear bark. She prefers to sleep outside all summer and takes herself for walks through the forest, patrolling the farm.
Sage - Our Clever Kitty
Sage loves the outside world and hunts frequently. You can expect him to run right up to you and extend a gentle "hello". He loves to climb trees, run through the woods and more than anything good cuddles. When we first took Sage in, he had a twin brother. We raised them as twins, inseparable brothers. Sage's brother disappeared into the forest. It's a harrowing story and I'll post about it another time.
Star, Moon, and Clementine - Our Goats
Our two milking goats are Star and Moon. One of our favorite things to do on the farm is to take our herd of goats on grazing walks through the forest. Goats prefer a diet of bark, leaves and buds so the forest is a place for them to feast and play.
We also have a flock of laying hens. We love starting chicks in the spring. We raise turkeys, meat chickens, ducks and laying hens. The birds help keep our food waste down by eating lots of our food scraps and in turn giving us their eggs and meat. Fresh eggs are an important and delicious part of our daily diet.
From May to October, we raise hogs for meat. Pigs are such beautiful animals and we enjoy them so much. We source a lot of their food from a local dairy down the road. One pig fed our family for about 8 months! We are honored to raise our animals for meat in a loving way, providing high quality food for them and us!
Animals are born at the farm and sometimes return to the earth. Whether they are hunted by predators, slaughtered for meat or pass in their own time, the cycle of life continues. We are all a part of the cycle and respect it here on the farm. No matter what happens by the end of the day “its just another day on the farm”.
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