Henny Penny Farm

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Ridgefield, CT
Henny Penny Farm

Order online and pickup Monday-Friday 9:30-1. See website for details. We are a model of regenerative livestock farming here in Connecticut.
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We raise award-winning Romney sheep for breeding stock, meat and fiber. We also raise goats, chickens and more.

06/22/2024

The same paddock, almost the same week, 7 years apart. 7 years ago this was our first pass of this spot for the season and the first time these pastures had been grazed with sheep. The grass was higher than optimal for grazing and was mostly reed canary grass and bedstraw. Today, this is the second pass of this spot for the season (we are grazing 6 weeks earlier now), the pasture is an ideal height with a great mix of grass types, white and red clover, hairy vetch, bedstraw and dandelions. Farmer Frank is always thinking ahead on our grazing strategy and boy has it paid off.

06/16/2024

These three boys are future herd sires representing the culmination of our breeding to date for three different breeds with three different breeding goals. Every breed has their strengths and a purpose and we love seeing how they all progress here on our farm. Why we love these breeds (from left to right): Polled Dorset- high food to muscle conversion efficiency being 100% pasture-fed and out of season breeding; Romney- versatile wool for fiber products, frame length and no-fuss lambing/mothering; Romeldale/CVM- pasture-efficiency, out of season breeding and heritage breed. At some point we’ll get around to updating the website to reflect our breeding programs but in the meantime these three ram lambs represent years of dedication and analysis of the breeds. The Dorset is already slated to be heard site at another farm. The Romney and CVM get to enjoy a show season this summer but will find their own flocks when the time is right.

06/16/2024

It’s fun being up in the pasture seeing some mamas whose bodies are coming back from having lambed in winter and those other mamas-to-be whose ribs are spreading as they make room for fall lambs. 🥰

06/13/2024

Sorry for the late notice, but we are offering a special opportunity for non-CSA members to try one of our FRESH (not frozen) chickens tomorrow or Saturday. You must order online by midnight tonight and you can either pickup from the farm Friday afternoon from 2-6pm, or Saturday in one of these 3 Farmers markets: . While you are over on our food ordering site, we ALSO got our first honey harvest of 2024 and it is just beautiful so order your honey as well! 2023 the bees wanted most of their honey so the harvest was very small but in 2024 they are already capping a plentiful harvest that we are honored to share in! Order by midnight tonight! https://hennypennyfarm.grazecart.com/store/product/fresh-not-frozen-organic-fed-pasture-raised-chicken

06/13/2024

Sorry for the late notice, but we are offering a special opportunity for non-CSA members to try one of our FRESH (not frozen) chickens tomorrow or Saturday. You must order online by midnight tonight and you can either pickup from the farm Friday afternoon from 2-6pm, or Saturday in one of these 3 Farmers markets: . While you are over on our food ordering site, we ALSO got our first honey harvest of 2024 and it is just beautiful so order your honey as well! 2023 the bees wanted most of their honey so the harvest was very small but in 2024 they are already capping a plentiful harvest that we are honored to share in! Click the food ordering link in bio by midnight tonight!

05/29/2024

Hi there friends, if you have ever been to our farm you have seen the floral display of the entry garden that we change every year. Over half of the plants we start from seed in the greenhouse each year, including everyone’s favorite ‘Love in a Puff’ vine that surrounds the front door of the barn with its curly tendrils and delicate puffs! To celebrate the season opening of the Ridgefield Farmer’s Market we are bringing all of the extra seedlings we have to the market for you this Saturday 10-2! These are all of the rare and unusual plants that we love to grow that cannot be found in your local nurseries including many dye garden plants! We’ll have Japanese indigo, Dyers coreopsis, Prairie Sun Rudbeckia and more for dye plants. And we will even be sharing a few of our extra special Floret Original dahlias and Celosias that we can’t fit in our garden. These are spectacular cut flowers without doubt. The greenhouse is bursting and so are we with excitement for opening day. Follow the Henny Penny trailer Saturday morning to the market for these flowers along with our great variety of lamb sausages, pork, turkey and more!

05/29/2024

What a fun day teaching the students and teachers of Greens Farms Academy about the history and sustainability of natural indigo dyeing and food waste dyes. Thank you for donating the food waste from your guacamole to make this spectacular pink as well as providing some delicious chicken snacks to boot!

05/25/2024

Yesterday was moving day for the Berkshire pigs. They spent 6 weeks after weaning at the home farm, getting used to us and learning to respect the electric fencing. Yesterday we loaded them onto the Henny Penny trailer and drove them one town over to Redding where they will rotate around a hilltop field of a variety of forages through summer. They will root up undesired ground vines, graze oats that we sowed on the sacrifice area from last year and finally a patch of turnips which will feed them and aerate the soil as they are eaten.

05/18/2024

What does a spring week at Henny Penny look like? This isn’t even the half of it but we don’t stop for pictures in the middle of the big moments, probably the most interesting moments. But this week was filled with closing out spring breeding, moving sheep between towns, moving chicken tractors, weaning lambs, welcoming our 2024 high school interns from Ridgefield High school, training, packing for Farmers markets and so much more. It’s exhausting. Sometimes overwhelming. And just when I was dashing out the driveway to go wrangle sheep that had tried to stage a coup in the fields, one of our wonderful farm customers, who is part of the greater Henny Penny family, who let’s us educate her grandkids in the summer, and relishes our products as much as we do, rolled in the driveway with this exquisite bouquet of flowers she had grown and picked this morning. All because she remembered how much I love ranunculus. We’re spinning in our own endless farm bubble (some might say spring tornado) over here so this moment of beauty from the regular world, so to speak, was such a gift. A pause. Thank you.

05/17/2024

When you’re so happy with your fresh straw that you won’t go graze on the pasture.

05/14/2024

Look at this fun clay resist Indigo sample Jessica made in the dye studio today! This Sunday is a rare opportunity to spend a day at the farm and play in the dye studio. We will be diving into clay resist and more fun techniques to play with for indigo AND you will learn the steps to make a deeply colored indigo vat that lasts! Register today to secure your spot. Link in bio.

05/04/2024

We’re ready for tomorrow! Go say hi to Penny in the sheep barn and see her Romneys, Romeldales and Club Lambs and come find me, Whitney, at the end of Barn 4 by the midway. I’ve brought a selection of those handmade mittens you love, your favorite shawls and yarns, and of course our goat milk soaps. Ask me about the latest special-formula soaps: Love Ewe and ‘Ode to Aleppo’. They are particularly suited for sensitive skins.

04/25/2024

This handsome, proven 3-year-old ram is looking for a new flock. He was Champion Ram in the Natural Color Romney Show at Maryland Sheep and Wool Festival in 2022 as a yearling. Out of an Anchorage Sire and one of our Henny Penny Dams, he has great genetics on both sides. He will add length of loin and phenomenal fleece to your breeding program. And a wonderful disposition to boot! Pedigree available on request. Transportation to Maryland available (May 2).

04/25/2024

Come visit Whitney and Jessica this weekend at the CT Sheep, Wool and Fiber Festival 9am-4pm in North Haven, CT. We will have our full collection of yarns, our one-of-a-kind mittens, shawls and bags as well as a great assortment of our soaps including the long-awaiting Aleppo style soap (more on that to come!).

04/23/2024

Upcoming Lecture! Join me, Farmer Whitney, May 7 either via zoom or in-person at the Mark Twain Library in Redding for her talk: Regenerative Farming- Eat Better, Save the Planet. I will discuss environmentally focused methods to grow food and raise livestock, and how these method can be medicine for our planet and our bodies. Registration is required. Link in bio.

04/13/2024

We’re hiring for our part-time Farm Coordinator position! This role is a central role at Henny Penny Farm, that requires someone who has excellent and precise organizational skills, good planning and strategizing skills, and superb communication skills (both written and verbal).

The ideal candidate not only enjoys this kind of work, but enjoys the less-than-conventional office setting here at a working farm. Visit the website to read more about this job and to see if you or someone you know might be a good fit. Tag a friend who might be interested here too!

https://hennypennyfarmct.com/learn/

04/09/2024

Mamas and babies are returning to pasture as things green up here in New England.

04/03/2024

Our 2024 chicken CSA shares are available NOW! We have a very limited number of shares available with pickup options for On-farm, and starting May 31. When you purchase a poultry share you and Henny Penny Farm join together in a mission to sustain your family with local, nutritious, humanely-raised food. Our poultry share program is a great way to regularly enjoy our fresh, organic-fed, pasture-raised chickens. And this is the ONLY way to get our chickens FRESH, NOT FROZEN. check out the food section of our website. Link in bio.

03/10/2024

Guess what? There is going to be one last BONUS Westport Farmer’s Market this Thursday and we are thrilled to be one of the 35+ vendors that will be at this fabulous last blow-out event. The weather is supposed to be nearly 70 this Thursday so let’s see each other before the market shuts until the May re-opening. Anything you want us to bring in particular? Let us know! And guess what else? We will have a special surprise event for fiber-lovers of the market so keep watching this space!

03/09/2024

Do you wonder what makes our socks different?
It's the breed of sheep. We raise 4 different breeds of sheep, each with different characteristics we value on our farm and each with a different type of wool. And I won't geek out on sheep breeds and wool types right now but I will tell you that we only use our Romney wool for our socks. This breed of sheep produces a long, lustrous wool that is silky, not itchy, and incredibly strong.

We realize our socks are a significant investment so I feel they really need to 1. not itch and 2. be durable. And it is great to hear that these socks achieve those goals and so much more for so many of you!

Spring fiber festivals are nearly here (you'll find us at the CT Sheep and Wool festival April 27 and at the Maryland Sheep and Wool Festival May 4-5). We will have them at these events but inevitably we have sold out of them before the next batch is ready the last 3 years in a row. So now is the time to make your feet happy! 🔗 in bio, look under Wool Products in the store!

03/02/2024

I have been waiting to share this photo and story with you since August! I didn't want to tell you how great these socks are until we got the mediums and larges back in stock. So now that we have our full sock inventory back in store and online and I need to share this adventure (involving wool and the Alaskan backcountry)!

Every year we make one family vacation, usually off-grid at some point, to breathe deeper again and re-set. Last year we spent 10 days in Alaska, most of the time in a sleeping bag and 3 days in remote backcountry. The nickname of 'the last frontier' truly fits Alaska. The scale of nature's power, abundance and sheer size truly made us realize how small we really are.

We spent 3 days hiking a section of the famous Iditarod trail over Crow Pass. We picked this trail because it covers so many different ecological habitats that the diversity of flora and fauna over the 23 miles was more than we would see anywhere else in Alaska.

Anyone who has been to Alaska will know how weather conditions can change in a minute and that you need to find out trail conditions from people who have just come off of it. A few days before we set out we had heard that the big river crossing was still rather deep and the water was moving fast. This is glacial melt water and is only crossable for a short period of the year.
So, trying to be sensible as we had been warned multiple times about not underestimating the challenges of remote hiking in Alaska (not to mention the salmon were upstream so the Grizzly's were regularly by the water), we decided that we would do an out and back hike on this trail. We would hike to the river and then turn around and go back over the course of 3-4 days.

We spent the first night up at a glacial lake with a pair of mountain goats as company. It was magical up in the clouds (albeit cold and windy overnight). The next morning we set out over Crow Pass. I guess I should have realized that it is a big deal, since they made a signpost for it.

From there we descended for a few thousand feet, across areas of rockslides where the path disappears. By the time we got down to a point where we were surrounded by some green again and not just rocky mountainside it was clear that there was no way on this earth that we were going to go back up over Crow Pass.
So, we made a plan to do the river crossing no matter what.

At this point we had encountered a big hiking group of native Alaskans that marched along, singing hymns, and the girls wore skirts. Well, if they could ford a river wearing a skirt we could do this!

We got to the river crossing after hiking about 8 hours and prepared to cross. We unclipped our packs (if you slip you don't want that pack dragging you underwater), put the hiking boots in the top of the packs and switched to sport sandals. We had been hiking all through Alaska in our Henny Penny wool socks. I took off my socks so they could stay warm (I figured they would be nice to put on once we got across). So we locked arms and marched into the water. The crossing was about 75 feet wide and the water (a balmy 34 degrees) was raging. We knew from other hikers the water was high the previous week.
Ron took the upstream position being the strongest and biggest of us. I took the downstream position so that we could put Penny, the shortest and lightest of us, in the middle. Both Ron and I used walking sticks for extra stability as we knew the rocks would be slippery.

And boy it was intense.

Our legs went numb pretty quickly and then we were completely focused on our footing and stability with the raging. The water came up to mid thigh on me (I'm 5'6").
We made it across this first crossing but oh my goodness the pain from bare feet was agonizing! I put my socks on for the second and third crossing and what a difference. Yes they got wet but even on the other side my feet were warm in those wet wool socks.
We made it!
And lesson learned, cross the river wearing the wool socks. They can dry over the campfire. Your feet will thank you.

02/24/2024

This spectacular sheepskin drops online Saturday 9am. It is exceptional, both with respect to its size, its fleece texture and its color. It is an oatmeal color with grey tones both deep within and at points throughout. It is a large fleece with considerable heft and would be a luxurious centerpiece in a large master bedroom suite or along the back of a long leather couch. This pelt, from one of our retired longwool Romney sheep, shows off some crimp along its edges that the breed is so well known for.
Make sure to set your alarm for 9am tomorrow morning to visit the website for this and more online-exclusive products.

02/21/2024

The scarves we got back from the weaver honestly stopped me in my tracks.

A few weeks ago, I returned to the farm with the trailer (bringing sheep back from the field for lambing) and Jessica was photographing these new shawls outside.
They blew me away. Absolutely stunning.

And I can't wait to share all of these woolens with you this weekend via the online drop Saturday at 9am and here at the farm Trunk Show Saturday and Sunday 10am-2pm.

What is so special about these shawls?
Well, first the visual. The colors of the undyed fibers balanced against the rich, jewel-toned pallet of natural dyes really succeeded in achieving the luxurious, bold effect we were aiming for.

And why is this Wool/Mohair/Llama blend unique?
The llama fiber is what elevates this yarn to the next level and our girls are shorn just once per year. They add a depth to the lustrous fiber blend that I describe as 'softness' for lack of better word but it is so much more than that.

02/21/2024

Can we just talk about how scrumptious these mittens are for a moment? The fabric is some of our yarn dyed by Jessica here on the farm with natural dyes then woven by Katie a couple towns over. Then the multi-talented ‘Brenda the Beekeeper’ designed this pattern and sewed these mittens that sport a luxurious cuff made from one of our sheepskins. Mittens are made-to-order and available online AND at our trunk show this weekend! Online drop 9am Saturday. Trunk show is Sat/Sun 10am-2pm.

02/17/2024

Farm Store opens at 10 today! Sausage and eggs for a snowy weekend seems perfect don’t you think?

02/16/2024

Hi there, I’m Whitney. I feel it’s about time I properly introduce myself and the farm. Here’s some facts about me, some might surprise you!

-I am mother to an incredible 15-year-old, Penny, and partner to a wonderful man, Ron. We live and breathe farming and once a year we go backcountry packing as a family off-grid.
-When I was 21 I could speak and read chinese well enough to travel the public bus route in Taipei for the summer I lived there. I also spoke Spanish and Italian because I thought I could work handling 'International Relations' for a pharmaceutical company after graduating college. That job didn't exist.
- At 24 I graduated Cambridge University with a Doctorate in neuroscience. At 23 I realized I did not want to be a scientist.
- I love research. And I love working with people. I eventually found my way to agriculture in my mid-thirties and it is my purpose.
- I realize I need a hard challenge or I get bored. Farming is that. I will never perfect it because there is no perfection and it is the lifelong experiment.
- I attended Juilliard School of Music Pre-College for violin from age 11-18 and performed internationally until I was 21.
- I have several tattoos including a hummingbird hawk moth, sweet peas, a bison and my Felco pruners.
- I believe our souls are just passing through this life and some of us have crossed paths before and might do so again. I believe it helps me be a better shepherd and farmer and helps give light to the sometimes painful, and always everpresent, cycle of life and death on a livestock farm.
- This farm has grown to be so much more than I could have ever imagined.
- I never thought I would sell at Farmer's Markets and now, spending time getting to know all of our wonderful customers in each community is one of my favorite things about the farm!
- I hate cheesecake.
- In the house we have two Border Collies, one English Black Lab, 2 rabbits and 2 parakeets.
- If Growing food is meaningful work, then maybe teaching children about how we raise food (animals) responsibly, with respect and support of Mother Nature is purpose.
-I’ll be sharing more about our wonderful Henny Penny team next so watch this space!

02/13/2024

Farm is closed today due to weather BUT we will have special opening hours tomorrow for Valentines Day! Come pick up special soaps and candles for your loves and we have some beautiful cuts of lamb for that special dinner too!

02/01/2024

This is Farmer Whitney here. I just sent out our newsletter which had all of the details for registration but there is a chance it may go in your junk mail folder (until we can figure out these backend settings for email verification). Here is a copy of the details here so that you don't miss out at 6pm tonight.

"Set yourself an alarm because today at 6pm Online Enrollment for Spring Break Camp and Summer Camps will be Open for Shepherd and Supporter Members! On the website the camps can be found under EXPLORE and thenCalendar.

You must be logged in to your account in order to be able to purchase camp tickets. Your membership discounts will be automatically applied at checkout as well.

This year we (hope!) we have improved the registration process so non-members will also be able to see the remaining number of tickets once they appear online at 6pm today.

What does that mean for non-Shepherd/Supporter members?
If you are not a Shepherd/Supporter member you still will be able to keep an eye on ticket numbers to make sure you don't miss out on your desired week. And at any time if you want to register for one of these memberships with early registration access you can do so and will have immediate ability to purchase your desired camp weeks.

When will registration open for non-Shepherd/Supporter members?
February 8 at 6pm

Advice for Tonight:
Each year we have tried our best to make this as straight-forward and stress-free experience for all of our families. If this is your first year trying to register for camp, typically the 5-8 year old camps sell out quickly (like sometimes within minutes of early online registration opening). The best advice we can give is to log into your account in advance of 6pm and have your first desired camp week page loaded and then refresh it at the 6pm mark. There will not be anyone available on the farm phone at 6pm tonight but if you email the office at [email protected] we will do our best to respond as quickly as possible.

Final Thoughts from Farmer Whitney
These weeks of camp we offer each year are truly remarkable experiences for both campers and counsellors. The wonders of nature we all bear witness to, the deeply insightful questions and reflections our campers bring to the farm and the sheer joy we all share is something I wish we could bottle up and share with a broader audience over a longer period of time. But therein lies the challenge on a working farm of our scale. And maybe our scale is part of the magic that is Henny Penny. I don't really know the answer to that question but am always thinking around this challenge.
Regardless, all of us at Henny Penny look forward to sharing our bit of Connecticut farming with your children this summer.
Fondly,
Farmer Whitney"

Address

673 Ridgebury Road
Ridgefield, CT
06877

Telephone

+12036109903

Website

http://hennypennyfarmct.com/

Alerts

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Videos

Artisan soaps make a cheerful addition in winter and the goat milk and skin loving oils are kind to your hands and body in this cold, dry winter weather. Here in the soap lab we think personal care can be fun and uplifting! #valentinesgifts #artisanvalentines #ridgefieldct #newcanaanct #bethelct #reddingct #familyfarm #handmadesoap #goatmilksoap #palmfreesoap #palmfree #supportlocal #supportfarmers🙏

The stormline.

Ok, signal was terrible so I recorded it. Here is part 1.

And part 2.

Hey there, today’s deliveries went well. Some of our customers have asked about local grains, beans and milk. I looked into our supplier for farms in the Hudson Valley and we will be placing an order for milk, frozen vegetables, grains, beans and more Monday morning for Friday delivery. Sign up to our mailing list tonight as tomorrow I will send out the list of what is available and orders will be due by Sunday at midnight. Saturday March 21 we’ll go out on local deliveries. If you want to unsubscribe later no offense will be taken! We just want to be able to get us all local food, that we know how it was grown and where it was grown (we have the farm names for each product.)

And....the video of our walk to get to the tractor.

The second video.

My silent partner. If you break into our house she’ll greet you and wag her tail. Not a single bark. If I jump off the canoe into the lake she’ll jump in after me, even though she kind of hates swimming. Still not a single bark. When I turn the tractor on first thing in the morning she is so excited she might burst. This is when I get to hear her big dog bark. May we all find something to do that we love this much! (Another video to follow).

Let your kids go hog wild at Henny Penny Camp next week! Kids 8-12. A few spots are left! Sign up here: https://hennypennyfarmct.com/events-2/

This is what pasture-raised meat birds look like. We move their tractor once or twice per day and they actively forage. They look for bugs and the next render blade of grass. They have room to walk around and want to do so. They have sun baths and perch on the roost. We also give them organic grain. They are active which causes more oxygen to go to their muscles which gives the meat more flavor. We have taste memories and when you taste one of our meat birds you will remember you have had chicken like this before. A looong time ago. If you sign up for our Conscious Carnivore CSA you are guaranteed two of these limited-number birds. Sign up here https://hennypennyfarmct.com/product-category/meat/