Heritage Breed chickens fit our farm model.  Hardy with the ability to reproduce.   Over the past 5 years, we have kept Wyandottes, Barred Rocks, Plymouth Rocks, Dominiques, and Americaunas.  Each of them worthy of keeping.   However, we decided to become the steward of a more threatened foundational type breed and so we  narrowed […]

The Jacob Sheep of Hedgerow Farm are raised on pasture with no grain feeding.  The lambs remain with their mothers until 4 months of age.   We name our sheep, knowing them as individual creatures who belong to the farm community of sheep, cows, horse, chickens, and livestock guardian dog.  We shear them once a year, […]

Turkeys and chickens foraging across the lawn, pastures, under trees and shrubs.  free range.  We know what it looks like when we see it.  The USDA’s definition of free range:  “Producers must demonstrate to the Agency that the poultry has been allowed access to the outside”.  Hmmm.  We read the definition again and become suspicious […]

Three turkey poults and one chick.  The poults are Narrangansetts, a cousin to our Eastern Wild Turkey.  A heritage breed that is hardy, intelligent, and very social here on the farm.  The delicate days of turkey life are the first week or so but that is true of all poultry.  They need to be warm, […]

We raise Jacob Sheep on Hedgerow Farm,  providing meat and wool from this work.  Also sheepskins that can become rugs,  art (by draping it over the back of one of our favorite windsor chairs),  stroller blankets, cushions for seats in cars, wheelchairs.   After receiving the hides back from the processor, we salt them with […]

One of our favorite chicken breeds is the Black Wyandotte.   Wyandottes entered the Standard of Perfection in 1883.   An early  American breed along with Plymouth Rocks and Dominiques.  They are a hardy bird with calm disposition.  A meat and egg layer breed.  Good at foraging for food and also adaptable for confinement.  We have a […]

Monday on the farm.  Cold, windy, and we have a dental appointment scheduled at the pole barn.  Dr. Diane Febles of Georgia Equine Dentistry sees our Tennessee Walker, Buck, once every 8 months.  Today she is floating or filing his teeth. Why would a horse need a dentist?  oh, so many reasons. A horse is […]

Clyde napping in the kitchen.  Our bottle fed lamb.  The decision to take a lamb from his mother must not be entered into lightly.  Like marriage, it is a commitment beyond the “fun and exciting stage”.  The first 3 bottles are fun.  But there are at least 120 bottles in this commitment.  4 per day […]

A domesticated Narrangansett turkey hen nesting in the irises, daffodils, and vinca along our driveway.  Spring is the season for both wild and farm turkeys to nest.  Newly hatched turkeys known as poults.  In  Georgia, spring also means turkey hunting season:  March 24 through May 15th with a limit of three gobblers. The restoration of […]

Jefferson showed up on the farm one spring day and applied for position of farm cat.  We were not taking applications.  He stayed anyway and made himself useful as a mouser and friend to our aging labrador.  “He looks great reclining on the porch furniture” observed our artist friend C.   He is sweet and […]