Fossil Rock Farm

  • Home
  • Fossil Rock Farm

Fossil Rock Farm Established in 2008. Featuring Barnevelder Chickens, Hardneck Garlic, & Honey
Woodstock, CT 06281 Any pet my parents would allow me to have, I had.

Our Story

FOSSIL ROCK FARM·THURSDAY, APRIL 30, 2020·

I think I was born to be a farmer. As a child growing up in suburbia, my favorite thing to do was be with animals. That, however, was only dogs, gerbils and fish. When I finally got to college, I was so excited to be able to study animals and the environment and leave English and Math behind. But, I would have to wait until I was 50 to have my

first farm. In 2008, we purchased a 200 year old farmhouse with a 25 acre pasture in New Woodstock, NY. We named our farm Fossil Rock Farm because of the fossils found on the rocks which were part of a coral reef 400 million years ago! And in 2009, with an empty nest of our own, we purchased or first chickens. Except for what I had read in books, I didn’t know anything about chickens. I saw a striking picture of a flock of Barnevelders in a book that described them as friendly cuddly dark brown egg layers and decided that was the breed for me. Unfortunately, the book was published in the UK and Barnevelders would be hard to find in the USA. I finally found Farmer Johan van Achterberg, a Dutchman living in Easton, CT. He had brought his flock over direct from the Netherlands and kindly sold me some chicks. The Barnevelders did not disappoint and after a while I met others looking for Barnevelders and became a breeder myself. I continue to try to improve my Barnevelders, their good looks, personalities, and their egg quality. After raising Gold Double Laced Black Barnevelders for a couple of years, I saw a picture of some Silver Double Laced Black Barnevelders. I was intrigued but soon found out they were not available in the USA. The only way I could have them would be to make my own. I consulted with a Dutch chicken geneticist who instructed me to introduce a Silver Penciled Rock rooster and the project began. The Silver project is still an ongoing project. Some come out nearly perfect looking while others still have faults. In 2017 we moved our farm to Woodstock, CT. Friends looked after our chickens during the move and after a brief interruption, we were back in business by 2019. Raising Barnevelders is a labor of love for me. They are the most popular breed in the Netherlands, but are rare in the USA. They deserve more popularity as they are a great all around chicken for anyone. Thank-you for you interest in Fossil Rock Farm. For additional information, please contact us at:

[email protected]

Address


Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Fossil Rock Farm posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Shortcuts

  • Address
  • Alerts
  • Contact The Business
  • Claim ownership or report listing

  • Want your business to be the top-listed Pet Store/pet Service?

Share

Our Story

Featuring Barnevelder Chickens, Hardneck Garlic, & Honey Woodstock, CT

I think I was born to be a farmer.

As a child growing up in suburbia, my favorite thing to do was be with animals. Any pet my parents would allow me to have, I had. That, however, was only dogs, gerbils and fish. When I finally got to college, I was so excited to be able to study animals and the environment and leave English and Math behind. But, I would have to wait until I was 50 to have my first farm.

In 2008, we purchased a 200 year old farmhouse with a 25 acre pasture in New Woodstock, NY. We named our farm Fossil Rock Farm because of the fossils found on the rocks which were part of a coral reef 400 million years ago! And in 2009, with an empty nest of our own, we purchased or first chickens. Except for what I had read in books, I didn’t know anything about chickens. I saw a striking picture of a flock of Barnevelders in a book that described them as friendly cuddly dark brown egg layers and decided that was the breed for me. Unfortunately, the book was published in the UK and Barnevelders would be hard to find in the USA. I finally found Farmer Johan van Achterberg, a Dutchman living in Easton, CT. He had brought his flock over direct from the Netherlands and kindly sold me some chicks.