Our Story
UPDATE: For 2021 we will have whole chicken available for purchase in June and October for $2.90/pound. Contact us for specific dates or check out our Facebook page. We are also taking orders for started pepper and tomato plants for $2.50/3-inch pot. Limited varieties and quantities available. Fresh produce will also be available as the season permits.
Eggs are available from March – October for $3/dozen. Unwashed and half dozen eggs available upon request.
Please check us out on our Facebook page at: https://www.facebook.com/dorschhomesteadacres/. You can also contact us via email (dorschhomesteadacres@gmail.com) or phone/text.
NEW BEGINNINGS
With the purchase of 21 acres in 2017 we began our dream of starting a farmette. In February 2018 our new home was completed and we officially moved onto our property with our black lab, Bear and cat Smokey. A month later we purchased our first farm stock consisting of 4 laying hens, sadly we lost one to unknown circumstances a few months later.
The summer of 2018 was a busy one for us and the farm. In July 2018 we purchased an additional 14 chickens (one of which unexpectedly turned out to be a rooster). So our total flock increased to 17 birds. We wanted to have a variety of colored eggs to sell so we chose Black Ameraucana, Buff Orpington, Black Laced Silver Wynadotte, French Black Copper Maran, Welsummer and Olive Egger as our primary breed choices. All of our chickens are cage free and allowed to roam in a very large enclosure (larger than seen in the photographs). We do not feed our hens feed with antibiotics nor is it organic. Just a good high quality feed. They get spoiled with lots of treats! Some of their favorites are tomatoes, strawberries, fresh pumpkin, fresh grass and of course bugs. As the 14 new chicks were growing, we needed to build a new coop to house all the birds, so construction began in August and finished in September, just in time for the pullets to be moved outside on a permanent basis. Then in November we welcomed a new rescue cat whom we named Marshmallow and in early December we had to say goodbye to our beloved Bear after 11 years. Shortly before Christmas we welcomed yet another new member to our family, a black lab puppy we named Gunnar.
In 2019, we’ve purchased and planted a variety of apple, cherry, peach, pear and plum trees. In addition we started our garden. For our vegetables, we don’t spray unless it becomes absolutely necessary but we do provide our plants with the appropriate plant food as directed. As for the fruit trees, I’m sure we will have to spray them for pests when they start to produce, otherwise we will not have much of a fruit crop I fear.
2020 was a rough year from everyone. Our garden didn’t pan out as planned and due to the pandemic and quarantine restrictions, egg sales came to a screeching halt. We did however process our first batch of broiler chickens. It was a learning process and are looking forward to better success with future batches.
In 2021, we are starting an apiary and hope to be able to sell honey in 2022 if all goes well. Raising additional broiler chickens and eventually turkeys are also on the agenda.
As you can see, we have BIG plans and are excited to get started and make our dreams become reality!