Our Animals

While our primary focus is on Nursery Stock and growing produce, we do keep a number of animals for a variety of purposes. 

From a horticulture perspective we keep the rabbits, chickens, and goats because of the high quality of their manure. Each animals manure is added to our compost, which super charges the compost with additional nutrients. 

Here's Our Current Roster of Animals

Dogs

Ms. Bey 

Ms. Bey wants you to know she isn't a farm dog, she is a Kristen dog. (Except for when she goes next door to visit her friends.) Ms. Bey is a rescue who came to us while Beyonce was performing at the Super Bowl, that's how she got her name: Ms. Bey

Murray

Murray is another rescue. He has given up city life in San Diego and has adapted well to life as a general farm dog. He loves to wander our property in a constant search for gophers. He loves all of our other animals and has to check on them regularly. He especially loves the chickens. 

June

June is our livestock guardian dog. She spends 24/7/365 with our goats, protecting them from the abundant wildlife here in the forest. Her goats are her life! If you come to our property please make sure you're with one of us before approaching her, she is very strong and fierce... but a total sweetheart to family. 

Cats

Tempo & Biscuit

Tempo (black) and Biscuit (orange) are our two barn cats. Well, over the winter they became laundry room cats! When not spooning on the dryer you'll find Tempo and Biscuit keeping control of our rodent and gopher population. These stone-cold killers have rid our property of ground squirrels, moles, and keep the garden area gopher-free. 

Unlike many outdoor cats, these two are very friendly to humans. Sit down anywhere and soon you'll have one or both in your lap. 

Chickens

We have a flock of 25 Dominique chickens. Their breed is one of the oldest in the United States with documented flocks dating to the revolution. They are an excellent, hearty breed, good for both egg production (our primary use) and meat. (our secondary use) 

Rabbits

Meat rabbits are our son's 4-H project and we're happy to support him in that. We currently have 2 breeding does (females), a breeding buck (male), and a retired buck. 

Goats

Adam's dream has been to have goats and we're excited to have them on our property. We currently have a small herd of 5 goats.

Besides keeping us entertained, the goats serve a number of purposes on the property. 

  • Their poop is amazing for the compost!
  • All of the goats work together to help us keep brush under control on our property and our neighbors property. This is all part of our over all fire prevention strategy. (In the mountains, fire is a constant threat and worry.) 
  • The 4 Boer goats will be our moms. Starting in 2024 or 2025 they'll be bred. We will keep some to add to our herd, sell some to other farms, and raise some to be processed and sold directly to people looking for goat meat.