All livestock and poultry at Once Upon a Meadow is pasture-raised with access to forage, water, wind, and sunshine. We do not treat our animals with hormones, and we never use any medicine not necessary to protect or maintain their health and quality of life. We vaccinate against reasonable threats of disease including tetanus and enterotoxemia vaccines for goats and a Mareck's vaccines for the hens.
Heritage turkeys are able to live the life of a turkey. Unlike their enormously heavy white commercial counterparts that have trouble walking when grown, heritage breeds fly, mate, and run after bugs whenever they please. The large white commercial birds are not only famous for their stupidity, but are also unable to support their weight on their under-developed legs if allowed to live their full lifespan of 1 1/2 years. They are too heavy to mate on their own and must be inseminated by humans to continue as a breed. After that time they soon die of organ failure. In contrast, we raise only naturally-mating birds (with the use of no artificial insemination) that can live 10 years or more with their strong legs and healthy organs. We produce our own stock each year from breeding toms and hens that have usually lived on our farm since their birth. We raise rare breeds as listed on the American Livestock Breeds Conservancy watch list, and hope to help these breeds gain a foothold back into the American home as the great Thanksgiving tradition they once were.
Both brown and white eggs from the meadow have dark thick yolks brimming
with beta carotene from all of the wonderful pasture and sunshine our birds
enjoy. Chickens range in our pastures during the day and return to their roosts
in their movable house at night. Our chickens are not shut in their houses, but
come and go as they please, rising as early and returning as late as they like
with the changing length of day. We offer eggs by the traditional dozen and a
bucket of a "layer's dozen".
Meadow Goat Kids
Our goats are a motley lot of flapping air-plain ears and spots. We have been mixing and selecting our goats for many generations. Our lines include Nubian, Saannen, Alpine, and Spanish, with a tiny smattering of Boer for increased milk solids and mellow flavor. We purchased Spanish stock from the Research Farm at NC A&T University to cross into our milking lines for increased parasite resistance and general hardiness. The result, after several back crosses, is a well-rounded herd that produces high milk solids for increased cheese production per pound of milk. They dress well as cabrito, they milk well, and they add more to our lives than anyone could imagine. Most bucklings are offered for sale for $35. Select bucklings will be offered for $50. Most doelings that are not retained are available for $50 as bottle babies and somewhat more after weening. Occasionally we have herd matrons available who are going to be replaced by their daughters but still have many years of good milking left in their futures. These will be priced as appropriate. When available, all livestock offerings will be posted on their own sales tab above.