Meet our Family!
We are the Garner’s, Adam and Kate. We purchased the family farm in 2017, becoming the fifth generation to own the property. Our sons, Logan and Zach, play vital roles in our farming operations. Logan, age 10, is our primary pig feeder and assists with chicken processing. Zach, age 9, is currently focused on sports, but he also manages the chicken coop, collecting eggs and overseeing their feeding. Both boys are incredibly active and significantly contribute to the farm's success.
While the farm demands considerable attention, akin to a full-time job, we maintain careers outside of it. Adam works as a generator technician, and Kate is employed in the education sector.
Chickens as a beginning…
Since acquiring the farm in 2017, our desire to raise chickens was clear. We began modestly with 21 hens and a rooster. Since then, our flock has grown significantly, and we currently estimate having between 75 to 80 chickens. Our passion for fresh eggs and cultivating our own food inspired us to buy our initial broiler chicks. We've expanded our broiler flock and now self-process all of our broiler chickens, as well as our Thanksgiving turkeys.
Bring on the Pigs…
In 2018, we introduced our first batch of feeder pigs onto the property, and what an adventure it was. Our initial stock consisted of Kune-Kune mixes. Since then, we've transitioned to a leaner Heritage Mix (Large Black, Duroc, Old Spot) and welcomed a boar named Mac and a sow named Anna. These pigs are quite pampered and adore their belly rubs. Mac, nearly seven feet long and weighing 750lbs, still enjoys a good belly scratch.
Ensuring our pigs are raised in the most natural setting possible is paramount to us. We refrain from docking piglets' tails or clipping their teeth, as we've never encountered a situation necessitating such actions on our farm. Moreover, we permit Anna to wean her offspring naturally, allowing them to acquire her antibodies for the healthiest start in life. Consequently, we avoid the extensive interventions, such as preventative antibiotics, required by large-scale pig farms. The sole preventative measures we take are castrating the males and administering iron shots at birth, due to our soil's insufficient iron content, which is essential for the piglets' growth and nutrient absorption from their feed. Iron is not transmitted from the mother to her young. The result? Healthy, happy pigs!
The rest of the zoo has arrived!
While we specialize in pork and poultry products, our farm is also home to a variety of other animals. We have started to adopt special needs and older farm animals from Lollipop Farms in Rochester, including goats, potbellied pigs, alpacas, and a particularly noisy flock of geese.
We initially brought in a few Nigerian Dwarf goats, and this has grown into a full herd of Nigerian Dwarf and Mini LaMancha goats. We utilize their milk to create our new line of goat milk and lard soaps and lotions.
We are excited to provide our community with high-quality pork and poultry products.
