We purchased our farm in 2016. The land had sat unused for approximately 15 years, so there was a lot to do! Together, with our boys, we have reclaimed a large portion of the farm and rehabbed old buildings, barns and fences. Early on we knew we’d have cows, David’s father had always raised a few cows on the farm. So, we bought 3 Belted Galloways. I (Stacey) knew we needed goats to help clear blackberry brambles and eventually have fresh milk and cheese, so we bought 3 goats. Next came 3 chickens. Want to guess how many pigs we started with? You guessed it - 3! Donkeys? 3! The rest is a blur. We now have 6 cows, 12 Katahdin Sheep, 40+ pigs (from Kunekunes to Gloucestershire Old Spots), 12 assorted breeds of goat, 4 alpacas, 4 geese, 1 turkey, 2 donkeys, and a lot of chickens!

Okay. So WHY Red Boat Farm? Well, when we were beginning to clear years of overgrowth we discovered an old red ski boat tangled in the brambles and vines. Soon, we began to gravitate to the boat. We put a table beside it and took breaks there in the shade. The goats liked to climb on it and the guineas laid eggs inside of it. We were in the process of realizing that we needed a farm name and “Red Boat Farm” stuck. We like the Red Boat and the metaphor of keeping the past while moving toward the future. So…. here we are Red Boat Farm 5 years later!

We are working our land in tandem with our livestock. We run all of the goats into an area first. They eat the brambles of blackberries, wild rose and privet overgrowth. Next, we move the cows in. The sheer size and weight of the cows helps to clear a little more of the overgrowth. Depending on the grass in the area, we may move the sheep in with the cows or just behind the cows. The pigs move in lastly, they till the soil and prep it for seeding. There are several flocks of chickens that run with the cows and pigs. The chickens scatter the manure and help to fertilize the soil prior to seeding. This type of practice is following a model for regenerative agriculture.

WE love the farm life! We are growing our herds and plan to bring grass-fed meat to consumers in the very near future. This year, we have been able to process several pigs and lambs for our family. We are happy with the quality of our meats and will proceed with our plan to bring it to you! We desire to be able to provide our neighbors and friends the same quality of meat, eggs, honey and vegetables we would feed our boys.