Our Homestead Farm
A Focus on Self-Sufficiency
Call it stubbornness, or call it strong will. We like to do things ourselves.
After an awakening to the industrial commercial food system, we vowed to take matters into our own hands in order to prioritize a small food chain—including elevating animal welfare, a low carbon footprint, and our own know-how. Since 2014, we have raised the majority of our own meat and dairy products and have sourced vegetables and other dietary supplements from local, organic growers. Currently we are growing on 13 acres in Barre Massachusetts, near the Quabbin reservoir.
We feed our animals an organic, soy-free diet and support organic, earth-friendly growing methods.
The Animals
Goats
We raise registered Mini Saanen dairy goats.
Mini Saanens are a cross-breed between the standard size Saanen and the mini size Nigerian Dwarf. The resulting cross is a hardy mid-sized goat with high milk production and a friendly, calm demeanor.
Kalina shows our goats in local 4-H fairs and is excited to represent mini dairy goats as interest and awareness grows in them.
Pigs
Occasionally we raise mixed breed heritage pigs on recently cleared woodlots. They help us to recover overgrown areas on our property by overturning the ground and rooting up established plants that we want cleared.
We process our pigs onsite ourselves and use the meat for our family’s personal food supply. Excess fatback is processed and used in our handmade soap.
Cows
Shine is our family milk cow. She is a Jersey/Milking Shorthorn cross. Most years she raises a beef cross calf as well as supplies our family with fresh raw milk every day.
Chickens
We enjoy raising dual purpose chickens in our backyard flock. We keep them primarily for egg production, but also value the cockerels and retired hens for meat.
Turkeys
We breed and raise heritage turkeys. Currently our breeding stock is a cross between Narragansett and Standard Bronze turkeys.
They provide meat and seasonal eggs for our family.