History of our Farm
2001 |
In 2001 we started raising livestock on our farm that is located about 6 miles northwest of Dwight. At that time we bred our own Duroc sows. And because we still had teens involved in FFA in High School and in 4-H, we had steers and heifers that they showed at various fairs.
We both have farm life backgrounds. Jackie grew up on the farm that we now own. Trent spent summers on a cousin's farm. When corn prices soared we sold the breeding pigs, and fed out feeder pigs that we bought from a neighbor. We increased our cattle herd at that time. Trent saw an article about goats and decided that would be our next venture. So we started with 3 pygmy goats. We quickly decided that we would like full size dairy goats. We purchased a couple of bred dairy goats from a farm down by Effingham. We quickly increased the herd of goats when we realized that we enjoyed interacting with the goats. All have different personalities. Some are real friendly, others are standoffish; but they all follow the bucket of feed! We fed the goats a combination of cracked corn, cracked peas and oats that Trent milled himself. The goats are fed grass/alfalfa hay during the winter and are on pasture during the spring, summer and fall. |
2007 |
In 2007 we suffered a devastating fire when the barn full of animals, hay & straw, and equipment burned down. We lost half of the goat herd and all the feeder calves. And a brand new John Deere "gator" that was very handy when it was time to do the chores.
By the spring of 2008 we had a new barn built and started filling it with baby goats and a calf. In 2009 we began participating in the downtown Bloomington Farmers Market selling our goat milk soap and heirloom vegetables. We needed a name for our farm and decided on Catalpa Grove Farm after the grove of Catalpa trees that had been planted in the timber in the 1940s. We had also bought some lambs to feed out that spring, so by late summer we had lamb and goat meat to sell at the Market. That fall we bought a herd of Dorsett sheep from a local farmer and started breeding them. Because of the increase in livestock Trent was no longer milling our own feed. We purchase our feed from a local feed mill, which is a mixture of cracked corn, oats, bean meal and minerals. Both the goats and lambs are fed this. The pigs are fed a combination of cracked corn and a protein and mineral mixture. All the animals we feed-- pigs, goats & sheep- are not given growth hormones and antibiotics. |
2010 |
In 2010 Trent started marketing our goat and lamb meat to various restaurants in the Chicagoland area.
In 2012 we brought back a pig herd of Berkshires and started selling pork. In 2013 we received a grant from FACT Fund-a-Farmer so we could plant new pasture pens for the pigs. |
2018 |
In 2018 we built a large hoop building for the pigs. It holds up to 3 pens of pigs of various sizes.
In 2020, in an effort to become more sustainable, we planted our own alfalfa field for a supply of hay for the animals. We now have 6 grandchildren who like to come out to the farm and see the animals. Some have participated in showing the goats and sheep at 4-H faIr. |