Whitmore Farm

FOR SALE - Fainting Goats breeding stock

Sat, 04 Feb 2012 11:29:15 -0600

We have started our February 2012 kidding and will have a nice selection of new kids to choose from over the next few weeks.

Our pricing is typically as follows: $300 for intact males and females, $150 for pet wethers, all delivered at weaning.

We sell on a first-come, first-served basis, so if you see something you like, please let us know ASAP.

Contact to schedule a visit.

We typically require a 50% deposit to hold an animal plus vet certification fees if requested for animals crossing state lines.

BUCKLING DOB: 11/16/2011 DAME: Goat Flower ROSE SIRE: Eddie Taylor GILSEN Brown eyes TWIN. SOLD!
DOELING TRIPLET WHK 11140 Dame: Whitmore Farm AGATHA Sire: Whitmore Frm LEONARDO BLUE eyes
DOELING TWIN WHK 11134 DOB: 02/14/2011 Dame: Whitmore Farm LIZA Sire: Kactus Kanyon WILDFIRE BLUE eyes
Eddie Taylor BILLY DOB: 11/03/2006 Beautiful dark blue, easy going. Herd sire material.

Hereford Hogs

Sat, 04 Feb 2012 10:31:20 -0600

irst developed around 1900 in Missouri, the Hereford Hog was created by crossing white and red stock of Duroc, Chester, and Ohio-improved Chesters. Later, in the 1920's, additional crosses including the addition of both Duroc and Poland China blood lines, produced the breed as we know it today.

Hereford Hogs should show the following color pattern, in order to be registered in the National Record:

". . . a white face, not less than two-thirds red exclusive of face and ears, with at least two white feet - white showing not less than one inch above the hoof. They must be red in color, either light or dark."

Shades of red may vary from light to dark, but a deep red color is preferred. Belting, while acceptable, should not represent more than one third of the body (excluding head and ears).

The Hereford Hog is a medium-sized animal with good length of body, a long neck, a medium length face with some dishing of the snout, and drooping ears.

Hereford's breed true to color and conformation despite being a relatively young, composite breed. We have found them to be easy keepers with reasonable feed requirements, strong growth, and good carcass quality at processing time.

They perform well on pasture and do not root or dig excessively, making them a good choice for small-producers and pasture-based operations.

Mothers are prolific and have strong maternal instincts. They are sweet-natured, intelligent, and enjoy being around people. Hereford's are said to be more feed-efficient than many other breeds and typically reach a slaughter weight of 200-250 pounds at 5 to 6 months of age. Adult sows mature to about 600 pounds, and boars to about 800 pounds.

The meat compares favorably with other heritage breeds, such as the Berkshire, but with less lard. Hereford's are primarily concentrated in the American Midwest, and are relatively rare on the East Coast. Their numbers went into a state of decline in the 1960's and they are currently listed as 'threatened' by the ALBC. If you are interested in raising Herefords, you should join the Hereford Hog Association.

We currently are not keeping a Hereford Hog, and use our females for terminal crosses with our GOS boar to create terminal crosses for our meat customers.

Marans

Mon, 23 Jan 2012 21:03:54 -0600

arans were approved and accepted into the American Poultry Association in the Continental Class in April 2011. They were developed in France and are known for their famous, chocolate brown egg. The English standard calls for clean legs, the French standard calls for feathered legs. Whitmore Farm breeds to the French standard.

Whitmore Farm raises both Black Copper Marans and Blue Copper Marans. The Black Copper variety is the most common variety in France and is generally believed to have the darkest egg color of all the varieties. The Blue Copper variety is a striking color combination with all the traits Black Copper Marans are famous for. The French Marans website acknowledges that Blue Copper Marans, although rare and not a recognized variety, have been around as long as the Black Copper variety has. The nice thing about raising Black Copper and Blue Copper Marans is that you can run the birds together and still get purebred Black Copper Marans and purebred Blue Copper Marans. The blue color gene is a variant of the black color gene, they occupy the same loci on the chromosome. Think of the blue color gene as a dilution gene. It dilutes out the black color. Gray is a dilute black.

Whitmore Farm recently added several Blue Copper cocks to the breeding flock. This Blue Copper variety is a striking color combination with all the traits Black Copper Marans are famous for. Because the blue color gene is a variant of the black color gene, the two varieties can be run together.

Here is a sample of the eggs laid by our Marans flock. The white eggs in the top right row are Leghorn, the egg in the middle is an Ameraucana, and the two tan eggs on the left are Delaware eggs. Marans lay the largest egg of the breeds we raise. Eggs from one year old hens average 2.27 oz (64.4 g) and meet the USDA "extra large" classification. Eggs from adult hens frequently hit the jumbo benchmark.Marans egg color is a very controversial and often misunderstood topic. I've raised several different bloodlines of Marans and these are by far the best. They have the darkest eggs I've been able to find. Egg color does vary by individual bird, by the time of the year, and varies depending on their diet and management (free range on green pasture vs. confinement). Generally speaking, the eggs from these birds average around 7 with some 8 and some 6, on the French 1-9 color scale. It is unrealistic to expect every bird in your flock to lay a dark egg all year long. Egg color does not work like that. We occasionally get a 9, but it is the exception and it is usually in early spring or late fall when birds are just coming on line.

Marans have the lowest lay rate of the breeds we raise. Some speculate that selecting for dark eggs reduces lay rate because dark eggs pass thru the oviduct more slowly receiving additional coats of color. Brown egg color is controlled by at least 14 genes and is not well understood. If it were as simple as only hatching the dark eggs, everyone would have a good line within one generation. Whitmore Farm will continue to select for improved lay rate and monitor egg color in successive generations to be sure it does not suffer. If you are simply interested in dark brown eggs, you should also consider the Welsummer. Our Welsummer lay eggs nearly as dark as our Marans. We have to collect them separately to avoid confusion. Here is a pic showing eggs from both breeds in the same tray. The Marans eggs are on the left, the Welsummer eggs are on the right. Leghorn eggs are in the middle and two Delaware eggs and one Ameraucana egg are in the top row for additional color reference points. These represent the best of the Welsummer eggs during a single days collection. To view the full color spectrum of Welsummer eggs see the Welsummer page.

Those interested in the breed should join the Marans Chicken Club USA and the Marans of America Club. The French Marans Club is the premier source of information on Marans. I refer to it often. If you speak/read French, you should definitely join their club. They have their own forum and newsletter. There are also several Yahoo groups where people can go to for advice and discuss the Marans: Yahoo Marans Breeders of America, Yahoo Marans Chicken Club, and Yahoo French Marans.

Whitmore Farm employs flock breeding, so when you place an order for day old chicks you will get a mixture of both Black Copper Marans and Blue Copper Marans chicks, and occassionally a Splash Copper Marans chick. Basically, whatever black copper/blue copper/splash copper color ratio hatches out that week.

For pricing and to order day old chicks, click here.

For more photos of these breeds and any other type of chicken, see www.feathersite.com

Customer comments:

Hi there, I just wanted to let you know how pleased I have been with my Marans. I have had chickens for about 20 years but none so hearty and well dispositioned as the Marans. - Christine Radanovaich

Ameraucana

Mon, 23 Jan 2012 21:00:47 -0600

meraucanas lay the most beautiful blue eggs. They are a uniquely American breed derived from South American Araucanas, but improved for fertility and lay rate. Most people mix up Ameraucanas, Araucanas, and any mutt that lays a blue egg and calls them all Ameraucanas, or worse yet Easter Eggers, a catch all phrase with little meaning. For an excellent article on the differences in these terms read Ameraucana Myths & Facts by Vicky Thompson on the Ameraucanas Breeders Club MSN group. If you are interested in Ameraucanas you should join both the Ameraucanas Breeders Club (ABC) and the ABC Forum.

Ameraucana have pea combs, black or slate legs, and these wonderful fluffy muffs and beards. The nice thing about raising the black and blue varieties is that you can run the birds together and still get purebred Black Ameraucana and purebred Blue Ameraucana. The blue color gene is a variant of the black color gene, they occupy the same loci on the chromosome.

Think of the blue color gene as a dilution gene. It dilutes out the black color. Gray is a dilute black. In addition to the American Poultry Association’s (APA)) standard for the breed, our breeding program emphasizes egg color and size and lay rate.

Here is a sample of the eggs laid by our Ameraucana flock. The white eggs in the top right row are Leghorn, the dark egg in the middle is a Welsummer, and

the two tan eggs on the left are Delaware eggs. We are very pleased with our Ameraucana egg color. We specifically select for a dark, saturated sky blue egg color. Ameraucana have an excellent lay rate. They are the first birds to start laying in the spring. The breed, in general, isn't known for large eggs. By hatching out only the largest eggs over several generations we have increased the egg size of our flock. Pullet eggs now average 1.89 oz (53.7 g) just shy of the USDA large classification of 2.00 oz. Eggs from one year old hens clear the 2.00 oz benchmark, and in general, egg size continues to increase with the age of the hen.

Here are some pictures of day old Ameraucana chicks. Even their down has muffs and a beard!

Whitmore Farm employs flock breeding, so when you place an order for day old chicks you will get a mixture of Black Ameraucana and Blue Ameraucana chicks, and occassionally, a Splash Ameraucana chick. Basically, whatever black/blue/Splash color ratio hatches out that week.

For more photos of these breeds and any other type of chicken, see www.feathersite.com

For pricing and to order day old chicks click here.

Internships & volunteers

Mon, 26 Dec 2011 20:42:46 -0600

W hitmore Farm currently has two internship programs available each with a unique focus - short term and long term.

Our short term internship is 4 week program designed to give participants an introduction to what farm life is all about. You will be exposed to all aspects of the operation and leave with a general overview of what is like to raise food in a humane and sustainable manner. Room and board is provided.

Our long term internship is a 3 to 6 month program designed to give participants more in depth knowledge regarding the technical aspects of animal husbandry, intensive vegetable production and the skills necessary to run a small business. The junior internship offers a stipend in addition to room and board.

The time of year also dictates the farm activities that an intern will be exposed to. We lamb, kid and farrow twice a year, late winter and early fall. Chicks are hatched February thru June and again in October. Rabbits are born & butchered year round.

Winter interns will also be working in our cold greenhouse, an unheated hoophouse designed for year-round production of produce for commercial and retail customers without supplemental heat.

Our summer interns focus on finishing and retailng of our meat and produce. Butchering of animals. Working at the farmers' market in DC. Animal maintenance and breeding programs, rotational grazing and pasture management, and continued vegetable production both in the polytunnel and out in the field.

Both internships are excellent opportunities to learn more about farming from the ground up. If you're interested in a career in farming, wonder what it is like to live and work on a farm, or if you are passionate about sustainable agriculture, Whitmore Farm is a an excellent place to start. Interns work 5 days a week with 2 days off to explore the DC, Baltimore, and Frederick region.

Many interns have never worked on a farm before. Although we try to screen people to identify those we think will be a good match, if for some reason either the intern or farmer feels like its not working out, the internship may be terminated at any point.

If interested, email the following information to Will :

1. Name, address, age, education and telephone number.

2. Reasons for wanting to internship at Whitmore Farm. What do you hope to take away from the experience?

3. Desired time period for the internship.

4. Please list any dietary restrictions, allergies or physical limitations that may affect your ability to perform certain tasks on the farm.

5. Describe any agricultural, animal or plant experience you have had to date.

Volunteers

If you would like to spend time on the farm helping out, but don't want the commitment of an internship, we also offer volunteer opportunities. Volunteers come for one or two days a week and help out with whatever farm chores need doing that day. The actual work varies tremendously depending on the days you show up, the time of year, and the activities we are engaged in.

FOR SALE - Silver Fox breeding stock

Mon, 26 Dec 2011 15:28:12 -0600

ilver Fox rabbit breeding stock are available three to four times a year. We select only the largest bucks and does from each litter for breeding stock candidates. Then we evaluate the coat to ensure good, even silvering and fur that stands up when stroked.

It is advisable to get on a waiting list because any rabbits not sold at weaning get butchered to meet our customer demand for rabbit meat. Buyers get to choose from available kits in the order they are on the waiting list. Black Silver Fox breeding stock, weaned at 8 weeks, are $50.00. Blue Silver Fox breeding stock, weaned at 8 weeks, are $75.00. We do not sell adult breeding stock. We do not ship rabbits, on farm pick up only.

Please email me to get on the waiting list. info@whitmorefarm.com

Customer comments:

Hi William,

Just wanted to drop you a line, the two Silver Fox we got from you this summer, the doe placed 2nd out of 15 junior does, and the buck placed 1st out of 5 junior bucks. Thanks for helping Jordan and me find such great bunnies. P.S., they have great personalities, gentle and love to be petted.

Stephanie Vance - Steubenville, OH

Welsummer

Mon, 26 Dec 2011 14:58:55 -0600

elsummers are named after the village of Welsum in Holland where they originated. They are famous for their large, dark, terracotta-brown eggs. They have a wonderful disposition. By far, they are the friendliest breed we have on the farm. They are the first to figure out who butters their bread and readily come to us when we call them with treats. In addition to breeding to the APA standard for the breed, our breeding program emphasizes egg color, size and lay rate.

These beautiful birds are also well known from their role in American advertising. The Kellogg's Corn Flake Rooster, "Cornelius" is a Welsummer.

Here is a sample of the eggs laid by our Welsummer flock. The white eggs in the top right row are Leghorn, the egg in the middle is an Ameraucana, and the two tan eggs on the left are Delaware eggs. Welsummer have a higher lay rate than Marans and lay a large egg. Eggs from one year old hens average 2.09 oz (59.2 g) meeting the USDA "large" classification. Eggs from adult hens consistently hit the extra large USDA weights. The Welsummer eggs are by far the most popular at the farmer's market. The dark spots bring a certain individual charm to each egg with no two being the same. An individual hen will lay the same general egg pattern throughout her life, so you can select for more or less spots, or large or small spots on eggs using trap nesting or simply only hatching the eggs with patterns you like.

Those interested in the breed, should join the Welsummer Club of North America. There is also a Welsummer Yahoo group.

Although Whitmore Farm only sells straight run chicks, Welsummers can be sexed at birth. The female has what I like to call "eye liner" the dark line extending beyond her eye towards her ear is dark and very well defined. On the male, that same line is light and blurry. Similarly, if you look at the triangle on the top of their head, on the female it is dark and clearly defined, the male's triangle is lighter and the edges are not clearly defined. In both of the chick photos below, the female is on the left, and the male is on the right. If you plan on doing your own breeding, it is highly advisable you grow out all the cockerels and select the best two to keep as breeders. The male if very important and under ideal conditions, should not be judged until one year of age.

Oh Good GOD, Will. I'll have to shoot myself if any of these eggs fail to hatch -- they're just too beautiful to go to waste!

All of the eggs got here just fine. The more solid ones put my girls' eggs to shame -- and here I thought I was doing pretty good already. Hah! And the speckledy ones are great!

- L Smith, TN

For more photos of these breeds and any other type of poultry, see www.feathersite.com

For pricing and to order day old chicks, click here.

Myotonic Goats

Mon, 26 Dec 2011 14:43:57 -0600

M yotonic Goats are an American Heritage Breed that was first described in Marshall County, Tennessee in the 19^th Century (hence their other name Tennessee Fainting Goats). An itinerant farm hand brought several goats with him with an odd tendency to stiffen when startled. When he moved on a year later, the goats remained behind.

Since that time, Myotonic Goats have been maintained to protect other livestock (when attacked, the goat goes down, gets eaten, and the more valuable animals get away), as pets, and for their meat.

Myotonic Goats have a neuromuscular disorder described as myotonia congenita. This syndrome can also be found in other mammals like dogs and humans, where it is referred to as Becker's or Thomsen's Disease.

This myotonic syndrome produces a higher meat-to-bone ratio (3:1 instead of 2:1) and a thicker musculature with a more tender nature that has earned myotonic goats a place on the Slow Food Ark of Taste.

As pets, myotonic goats are poor climbers (easily contained) and have a wonderful disposition. They tame easily when fed and handled regularly and can be very loving pets.

Myotonics come in a beautiful range of colors (the classic being black & white), all sizes, and lengths of coat. They are a landrace, composite breed and the only real criteria they must meet to be a myotonic is to have the myotonia gene and the right earset.

Our breeding program is focused on improving the breed as a production animal. I hate to see breeds imported from other countries like the kiko and boer, dominating the meat goat marketplace when we have a unique breed of our own, the myotonic goat. We breed for a full-sized goat for optimal musculature.

We are also interested in improving rates of growth without sacrificing important qualities like strong maternal traits, parasite resistance, out-of-season breeding, and multiple births. We generate performance data on all kids to determine which animals have the best growth at 50, 60 and 90 days. These rates of growth will be determined by different traits such as high milk production (50 day weights) and efficiency on pasture (90 day weights). All weights are adjusted for age of dame and number of kids born in the litter.

Our goats are raised on pasture and allowed to forage on scrub that encourages good health. The aromatic bramble they prefer helps maintain good health, minimizes parasite loads, and gives our goats a shiny coat and delicious flavor.

We primarily register with the Myotonic Goat Registry but can also provide paperwork for IFGA or Pedigree International on request.

Delaware

Mon, 26 Dec 2011 14:28:16 -0600

elaware were developed by George Ellis of Delaware in 1940 and were used for the production of broilers. The breed originated from crosses of Barred Plymouth Rock roosters and New Hampshire hens. A few off-colored sports were produced that were almost white with black barring on the hackles, primaries, secondaries, and tail. This coloration is very similar to the Colombian color pattern, but with the barring substituting for the black sections. For about twenty years the Delaware and the Delaware x New Hampshire cross were the most popular broiler chickens on the Delmarva Peninsula. Both the Delaware and the Delaware x New Hampshire cross were replaced by the Cornish x Rock cross that you see in grocery stores today.

The Delaware makes an excellent dual-purpose bird. They have an excellent lay rate, and a calm and friendly disposition. The breed is noted for rapid growth and fast feathering of the chicks. Cocks grow to 8-1/2 pounds and hens to 6-1/2 pounds. Our breeding program emphasizes carcass quality and growth rate in addition to the American Poultry Association's (APA) standard for the breed.

Delaware males may be mated to New Hampshire or Rhode Island Red females and produce chicks of the Delaware color pattern. Delaware females mated to New Hampshire or Rhode Island Red males produce sex-linked offspring; the males having the Delaware color pattern and the females having the solid red color of the sires. Chicks from this second cross can even be sexed by their down color when hatched.

In addition to the American Poultry Association's (APA) standard for the breed, our breeding program emphasizes size/weight at 12 weeks of age and lay rate as adults. Basically, we want a dual purpose bird that is growthy and lays a lot of eggs. If you are interested in Delaware you should join both the Delaware Club of America and the Delaware Yahoo Group.

Here is a sample of the eggs laid by our Delaware flock. The white eggs in the top right row are Leghorn, the sky blue egg in the middle is an Ameraucana, and the two dark brown eggs on the left are Welsummer eggs. Delaware have an excellent lay rate. They lay later into the fall than any of our other breeds. Eggshell color ranges from a pinkish, flesh color to a peachy tan. Pullet eggs average 2.10 oz (59.4 g) meeting the USDA "large" classification of 2.00 oz. During their second season of lay, eggs hit the extra-large and jumbo benchmark. We occasionally get double yolk eggs from our Delaware flock.

Here is a picture of a day old Delaware chick. The chicks are the most vigorous of all the breeds we raise. They are always the first ones to start eating mash. They also charge the brooder door when opened while the other breeds tend to run away. If you want an assertive forager, this is your breed. They are the last ones to go into the coop at night.

For more photos of these breeds and any other type of chicken, see www.feathersite.com

For pricing and to order day old chicks, click here.

Ancona

Mon, 26 Dec 2011 14:25:44 -0600

Ancona get their name from the port city of Ancona on the North East coast of Italy on the Adriatic Sea where the ancient breed was originally exported from. Ancona share a common history with their famous cousin the Leghorn, also from the same region of Italy. They are so similar in type, that some refer to Ancona as mottled or black Leghorns.

Like the Leghorn, Ancona are famous for being excellent layers of large, white eggs. In 1916, H. Cecil Sheppard, the most famous of Ancona breeders, held the world egg laying record with a Ancona hen that layed 306 eggs in 330 days! They are bold, active birds. Excellent foragers with a good feed conversion ratio for economical production of eggs.

He wrote a wonderful book in 1916 titled "A Little Journey Among Anconas" documenting the enormous success he had in breeding Ancona for production and the show ring.

For over 13 years, his winnings dominated the Madison Square Garden Poultry show. The largest poultry show in the nation at that time.

Ancona have a black backgound with a beetle green sheen and a white V-shaped tip on 1/2 to 1/3 of the feathers. For all you dog lovers, they remind me of the reverse of a Dalmation which is white with black spots. They have the classic white ear lobe associated with all Mediterranean breeds. They have yellow skin and shanks, although the shanks may also have black mottling on them. Ancona come in both single comb and rose comb varieties. Some claim their mottled pattern gives them a camaflouge advantage agains predation. Fertile, vigorous and somewhat flighty. These birds hold their own and pay the rent with copious amounts of white eggs.

It is quite a challenge to get the mottling right to win in the show ring. There can be a lot of variation within the same bloodline. The pullet on the left has good, even mottling. The pullet pictured bottom left has too much mottling, the one bottom right has too little. Birds should be evaluated their first year because the white mottling becomes more pronounced with age. This is true for all mottled varieties of chickens.

We raise the single comb variety. In addition to the American Poultry Association's (APA) standard, our breeding program focuses on egg size and lay rate. Ancona are the newest breed to arrive at Whitmore Farm and are currently laying a medium sized egg. We are working to increase egg size to the more historically accurate large and extra-large size. Below is a picture of the bright white eggs we have selected for with our Ancona. They are shown with tan Delaware eggs. The color combination is quite appealing in retail packages!

For more photos of this breed and any other type of chicken, see www.feathersite.com

For pricing and to order day old chicks click here.