"I'm a great believer in luck, and I find the harder I work, the more I have of it."

When did the farm start?

The farm started in the 1940s when Louis Stenger, a glass cutter, purchased the old home place just outside West Milford, WV. He then purchased additional bordering property on Stonepot and another outside Good Hope along the West Fork River. Over the years, additional parcels and properties have been added to the farm. In the late 2000s a farm was purchased off of the Ward Family on Duck Creek Road, and then in 2018 the Bond Farm was purchased that adjoins the Stonepot property.

How long have you had cattle, sheep, goats, etc.?

Beef cattle had been the mainstay species on the farm for decades. It wasn’t until the children started getting older that sheep, goats, and pigs were added as projects for the kids. The sheep operation expanded and has become a large part of the operation for the last 20ish years. Bob is most vested in developing the goat herd and though he had a herd of about 60 nannies in high school it was dissolved when he went away to university. The goat herd got back into production in 2019 when Bob moved back from veterinary school. The goats, herding dogs, and LGD programs have developed since 2019 when Bob moved back to the farm.

What made you select the breeds you are raising?

Our philosophy has always been ease of care and limited external supplements. We want animals that are adapted to their environment and well thrive on the forage available to them without additional inputs. The cattle are a mixed breed with a focus on maternal traits and low mature cow size. Due to the current market premium for black hided cattle we have used predominately Black Angus genetics the last several years. Though many other breeds have been used in the past.

The Katahdin hair sheep seemed like the perfect fit as a transition from cattle to small ruminants. They are forage based sheep with good maternal and parasite traits. Recently we have been working on introducing Texel genetics for a better butcher lamb and meat quality - mostly as terminal crosses though we have been selecting some replacements with Texel genetics.

The goats were selected to try to find a hardy goat that wasn’t going to break the bank. Kiko goats were considered, but it was not possible to find large numbers of females at a price-point that made sense for a mostly commercial operation. The Baylis Spanish line originates from Mississippi and is renowned for its parasite resistance and tolerance of humid climates. This in combination with the Kensing for size and growth has allowed us to maintain heritage genetics while also introducing some hybrid vigor and build a goat that works in our climate and management style. We also have a line of brush/Toggenburg/Kiko goats that is held over from Bob’s high school herd, and these “Cerro” line goats are our favorite animals.