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Animals
Berkshire Pigs
For live pig sales, please contact us at:
carterhallfarm@gmail.com
Berkshire pork, prized for juiciness, flavor, and tenderness, is pink-hued and heavily marbled. Its high fat content makes it suitable for long cooking and high temperature cooking. The meat also has a slightly higher pH, which makes the meat darker, firmer, and more flavorful; high pH is a greater determinant in the meat & overall flavor characteristics, than fat content.
The Berkshire is of medium size: adult boars weigh about 600 lbs and sows about 500 pounds. It is black with six white markings: four white socks, a white splash on the snout, and a white tip to the tail.
As members of the American Berkshire Association (ABA), all Berkshire pigs at Carter Hall Farm are registered through the ABA.
There are currently six breeding sows and one boar (Boris) at Carter Hall Farm. We are still ramping up our Berkshire pig operation and hope to put 50 to 120 piglets on the ground in 2024 to meet increasing demands for piglet and pork sales.
As legend has it, the Berkshire pig was discovered in England over three hundred years ago by Oliver Cromwell’s army at Reading, the county seat of the shire of Berkshire, England. After the “Wars of the Three Kingdoms”, the soldiers spread the tale of these distinct “hogs of Berk” that were larger than any seen before, and produced hams and bacon of higher quality and flavor. News of this superior pork quickly spread throughout Europe; many years later, the first Berkshire pig was imported to the US in 1823. It was the first breed to record pedigrees in herd books.
The American Berkshire Association, established in 1875, was the first Swine Registry to be established. The first hog recorded was "Ace of Spades", a boar bred by Queen Victoria. The Berkshire breed in Europe and North America was listed as vulnerable in 2008 with fewer than 300 breeding sows were known to exist at that time. However, with the revived popularity of the breed through its connection to the Japanese marketing of the "wagyu of pork", their numbers have steadily increased.
Why we chose Berkshire Pigs:
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Historic breed on a historic farm,
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Assisting with the recovery of an endangered breed,
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Strict breeding standards of the American Berkshire Association,
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Overall hardiness, intelligence strong maternal instinct,
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Tender & mild flavor, and
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Overall consistency of high quality pork.
Berkshire Pigs
Hog Island Sheep
For live sheep sales, please contact us at:
carterhallfarm@gmail.com
Wool from this breed is of medium weight with fleece yields ranging from two to eight pounds. Staple length varies widely but displays a nice crimp due to its merino heritage while being a short, dense lock that reflects its down breed heritage. The average staple length is 2 to 2.5 inches with a micron count between 20-30 microns. The wool can be next to skin soft, but may be a bit rough for some. Hog Island fleece does have above average amounts of lanolin, which protects the fleece from the harsh elements and makes it fantastic for rugged outerwear.
The meat has a much cleaner taste than traditional lamb and mutton, and is sweet with an herbal finish. It is tasty well into older age, fending off the strong “muttony” flavor of older sheep. Its meat is also well suited for stews and slow cooking.
There are currently eleven Hog Island sheep at Carter Hall Farm. In fact, the Spring of 2023 was the first lambing at the farm in nearly 175 years (reportedly William Carter had sheep on the farm in the early 1800s).
Hog Island sheep, an American Heritage Breed, are a breed of sheep descended from animals first brought to Virginia's Hog Island in the 1700s. From the beginning of the American Colonial period up to the mid-twentieth century the sheep, along with their shepherds, lived exclusively on the barrier islands off the American mid-Atlantic seaboard. During the 1930s and 1940s, storm conditions forced the island's residents to evacuate, leaving some sheep behind. These sheep adapted to the environment free of human intervention and became very hardy and self- sustaining.
The sheep are a small and hardy breed that has remained virtually unchanged since the 1600s. It is believed that the breed was descended from the Merino breed, among others, possibly the Improved Leicester or other English breeds. The Hog Island sheep is not commonly used in modern agriculture, largely because of its endangered status (fewer than 200 animals in 2021) and because more modern breeds have been bred for other characteristics, including maximum size and fleece yield. It is nevertheless considered important to preserve this breed because of its relevance to American history and the traits it has that modern sheep lack such as its toughness, foraging skill, efficient use of food, and easy lambing.
Why we chose Hog Island Sheep:
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Historic American breed on a historic Virginia farm,
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Assisting with the recovery of an endangered breed,
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Overall hardiness, easy lambing, strong maternal instinct,
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Small size (easier to handle),
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Strength & quality of wool, and
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Tender & mild flavor.
Hog Island Sheep
Devon Cattle
American Milking Devon Cattle
For live cattle sales, please contact us at:
carterhallfarm@gmail.com
Grass-finished cattle on pasture have proven nutritional advantages. It's healthier than grain fed beef and contains higher amounts of desirable fatty acids and antioxidants than traditional feed lot finished beef (standard beef available to consumers). But the most important thing is what our AMD beef does not contain – we do not use hormones or GMOs of any kind – we do not use any chemicals on our farm (no herbicides or pesticides) and we limit the use of antibiotics to only that needed to ease the pain of an animal (which is almost never!). Analysis has shown that beef cattle naturally produce a powerful antioxidant called conjugated linoleic acid (or CLA). Devon cattle grown on quality pasture forage contain about twice the amount of CLA than beef produced on typical grain based diet. Devon beef also has more vitamin-E, more Beta-Carotene, and more Omega3 fatty acids than industrial raised beef. AMDs are also known for their gourmet-quality, highly-marbled beef. One reason for all these benefits is the superior genetics of Devon cattle; another is how they are raised – on pasture eating high quality grasses and legumes as nature intended.
There are currently six AMDs at Carter Hall Farm; with three additional heifers arriving Summer 2023. We are not sure that our final ‘breeding herd’ of AMDs will strive to increase the national population of these endangered, heritage breed cattle. AMDs are celebrated for their rich milk and delicious grass fed/grass finished, healthier cuts of beef. Devon cattle originated in Devonshire in the southwestern peninsula of England, where the breed was developed over several centuries. Devons were valued for the production of both high- quality beef and the rich milk used in Devonshire cream. They were also regarded as the
quickest and most active oxen in the British Isles, reputed to trot at six miles per hour while pulling unladen wagons. The breed had the reputation as an easy keeper and able to thrive on rough forage.
The American Pilgrims brought Devon cattle with them to New England beginning in 1623. The breed became well established in New England during the 1600s and spread down the coast as far as Florida through the 1800s. When it came to selecting beef, oxen and dairy cows, George Washington preferred representatives of the Devon breed, which he commonly referred to as “Ruby Reds”. Washington preferred the Ruby Reds because they are a tri-purpose cow providing beef, milk and labor as oxen. Devons are said to have been the ‘bulldozers’ of early America as they aided in clearing land, transporting building materials and plowing fields. Devons also went west, as Devon oxen were among the draft animals of choice on the Oregon Trail.
During the mid-20th century the Devon breed faced pressure to specialize as a beef animal; this ‘beef’ breed is now called the Devon, Beef Devon, or Red Devon. A small group of New England breeders disagreed with this trend and founded an organization to preserve dairy and draft traits in their cattle and in 1978, the American Milking Devon Association was formed to track and conserve the original, colonial-type cattle. The persistence of these New England dairy farmers and teamsters protected the breed which was on the brink of extinction. American Milking Devon cattle are dark red with black-tipped white horns. Cattle are medium in size, with cows averaging 1,100 pounds and bulls 1,600 pounds. The appearance is compact yet fine, with a straight topline, square set legs, and well-formed udders. They are well adapted to low-input management schemes and harsh environments.
Why we chose the American Milking Devon:
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Historic breed on a historic farm,
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Assisting with the recovery of an endangered breed,
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Strict breeding standards of the American Milking Devon Association,
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Overall hardiness, strong maternal instinct, and ability to grow & finish on pasture,
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High nutritional value of the beef, and
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Overall consistency of prime, gourmet quality beef.
Black Angus
For live angus sales, please contact us at:
carterhallfarm@gmail.com
There are currently five Angus cattle at Carter Hall Farm; with more to come soon! Angus beef develops with better marbling (the amount of intramuscular fat) than many cattle breeds which yield a juicy, tender cut of meat. Angus is the most popular beef cattle in North America.
Angus is a Scottish breed beef cattle. Aberdeen Angus cattle have been recorded in north- eastern Scotland since at least the sixteenth century. For some time before the 1800s, the hornless cattle in Aberdeenshire and Angus were called Angus doddies.
In 1824, William McCombie of Tillyfour, later the Member of Parliament for West Aberdeenshire, began to improve the stock and is regarded today as the father of the Aberdeen Angus. Many local names emerged, including doddies or hummlies. The breed was officially recognized in 1835 and was initially registered together with the Galloway in the Polled Herd Book. Angus cattle became commonplace throughout the British Isles in the middle of the twentieth century.
On 17 May 1873, George Grant brought four Angus bulls, without any cows, to Victoria, Kansas. These were seen as unusual as the normal American cattle consisted of Shorthorns and Longhorns, and the bulls were used only in crossbreeding. However, local farmers noticed the good qualities of these Angus bulls and many more Angus cattle of both sexes were imported to the states.
On 21 November 1883, the American Angus Association was founded in Chicago, Illinois. The first herd book was published in March 1885. At this time both red and black Angus were registered without distinction. However, in 1917 the Association barred the registering of red and other colored animals to promote a solid black breed.
Why we chose Angus cattle:
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Historic breed on a historic farm,
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Rapid growth to support Farm-To-Table sales, and
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Consistent high-quality beef.
Black Angus
Nigerian Dwarf Goats
For live goat sales, please contact us at:
carterhallfarm@gmail.com
The Nigerian Dwarf was originally bred for show and as a companion animal. It was later also bred for dairy use. The breed was officially recognized by the American Dairy Goat Association in 2005. Average milk yield of dairy stock is 750 lbs (340 kg) per year. Lactation usually lasts for about ten months. The milk is high in butterfat and protein, averaging 6.5% and 3.9% respectively, and is well suited for making cheese and butter.
There are currently four Nigerian Dwarf goats at Carter Hall Farm. We are still ramping up our dairy goat operation and hope to purchase additional goats in the coming years.
Nigerian dwarf goats are raised primarily for milk, but also as pets. They have the highest level of butterfat content of all the other milking goat breeds. The high butterfat lends to it's rich creamy and sweet taste that is just delicious! Their gentle, calm and playful nature makes them good companion pets for children and disabled and elderly people. They are gregarious, friendly, and hardy animals and can thrive in almost any environment.
Between about 1930 and 1960 a variety of small goats of the West African Dwarf group of breeds were imported from Africa to the United States to be exhibited in zoos. The Nigerian Dwarf, like the American Pygmy Goat, derives from these imported breeds, but does not resemble the stocky West African Dwarf in conformation – it was intentionally bred to have the appearance of a miniature dairy goat.
The Nigerian Dwarf was formerly listed on the heritage breeds watchlist of the Livestock Conservancy as 'recovering' thankfully they were removed from the watchlist in 2013 as their numbers had increased significantly. Their umbers grew rapidly and by 2002 there were almost 7000 head registered in the US.
Why we chose Nigerian Dwarf Goats:
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American heritage breed on a historic Virginia farm,
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Overall hardiness, good mothers with strong maternal instinct,
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Small size (easier to handle),
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High volume milk production, and
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High quality, nutritious milk.
Dwarf Goats
Chickens
We have several breeds of chickens that produce a variety of different egg
colors and sizes. Our chickens are completely free to forage throughout our
pasture and wooded areas. They play a big part in the health of our farm by
providing natural pest control. There are two mobile chicken coops in our
field that we move in rotation with our livestock to help keep down the
pests. We also have a stationary chicken coop next to our garden, where
the chickens can forage for bugs that could potentially do harm to our
plants.
Chickens
Bees
Bees
The honeybees we have on the farm are located in three hives that we
placed in our garden. The bees help our garden thrive by cross-pollinating
our flowers and crops. They get all the nutrients they need while ensuring a
plentiful bounty in our garden. Any additional needs our bees might have
are filled by the hundreds of apple trees in nearby orchards. This variety of
pollen results in floral, fruity and some woody notes in our honey.
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