The old farmhouse was crumbling when we first arrived, but it had strong bones. It had been used as a cow shelter most recently. The siding was missing. Mice, cats, and other guests inhabited the house. Still, the field stone foundation and hand-hewn timbers were built to endure for centuries.

This land is one of the earliest settled spots in this West Virginia holler. Mountain lore tells stories of the first settlers: a Native American raid, a son killed, a daughter captured and taken into the tribe, the original log cabin burned to the ground, with only the hand-hewn stone chimney remaining. The Civil War–era significance of this land is astounding. Jesse Scouts passed through this area on spy missions between the New River Basin and Lewisburg. The Battle of Droop Mountain was fought nearby, and General Robert E. Lee purchased his famous war horse, Traveler, at a farm not far from here.

We were hoping to escape the smog and glyphosate-laden soy and corn fields of southern New Jersey and find a more pristine environment. This farm, with its pastures, creeks, and woodland, felt like the right place to begin our dreams of regenerative farming.

Following the methods of Joel Salatin, our farm slowly grew to include grass-fed cattle, heritage pasture pigs, free-range chickens, goats, horses, bees, and a mix of cats, livestock guardian dogs, and ducks. Each animal, by its own design and nature, brings value to the cycles of regeneration on the farm.

Our goal, through hard work, has been to honor the Creator by caring for the land and animals in a way that provides nourishing food for our family and community, while rebuilding the life in the soil. The chickens run, scratch, and peck. The pigs root and enjoy a mud wallow. The goats spread fertilizer as they control brush and weeds. The cows lazily chew their cud in the sun, all while contributing to the ecosystem of the farm and building a wealth measured in earthworms, golden egg yolks, and soil microbes.

Welcome to Happy Pastures.