At Bland Lake Hideaway, we have a working farm. Cackle Berry Farm is a busy place where we try to raise our own food for our own family. We like to find interesting ways to use our property.
Goats at Cackle Berry Farm
We have goats that we raise for our own meat at Cackle Berry Farm. They are a mixed breed of goat, and we have fun with them. Baby goats always cause lots of excitement around the farm.
Hair Sheep at Cackle Berry Farm
Cackle Berry Farm also has hair sheep that we raise for meat. These are not wool sheep; so we don’t have to sheer them. They are so calm! It is so fun to watch them graze and help us keep the grass mowed in our fields.
Pigs at Cackle Berry Farm
Pigs are an important part of our farm, and they are the first step in our four-plot garden rotation. They help us prepare our garden plots, and they fertilize as they work. Pigs are hard working and get the ground cleared for the next step in our garden system. Pork is just a byproduct from using these amazing animals to work our garden.
Chickens at Cackle Berry Farm
Step two in our garden system is chickens. We are working on developing our signature line of chickens. Also, these chickens are dual purpose birds providing free range eggs and meat for our table. The chickens are offspring from a breed that was imported from France in 2015. They are known as American Bresse. This type of chicken is known as the best tasting chicken in the world. The king of chicken and the chicken of kings is how they are known in France. We are going to try to help develop this breed in the United States.
These birds have a red comb, white feathers, and blue feet. The French say that they are the color of the French flag, and I have heard some people say they are the color of the flag of The United States. However, we are going to raise chickens that are the color of the Lone Star Flag. We are proudly Texan! You can watch our YouTube channel and follow along with this project.
Cackle Berry Farm Garden System
Step three is letting our ground rest. We cover this plot in a black tarp. This allows our ground to rest as the tarp prevents light from allowing plants to grow as well as letting the manure from our chickens and pigs go through a heat stage before we plant again. Our garden is a fun place. We rotate our garden in a unique way. We plant one plot, run pigs on one plot, run chickens on one plot, and lastly we cover one plot with a black tarp. These four plots are rotated at the end of every harvest. It is a fun place to watch!
