Every animal here has a job, an opinion, and a favorite spot along the creek. Here's the whole crew.
Three mini dachshunds run security at the oxbow: a bold red, a black-and-tan with strong opinions, and one black-and-white dappled deputy who believes every delivery truck is a personal affront. They inspect fence lines, supervise the feed buckets, escort visitors from the gate, and nap in shifts so coverage is never interrupted.
A rare Southern heritage breed and the true mascots of the oxbow. They're auto-sexing, wonderfully self-reliant, and were once kept to weed cotton rows by hand — which is why they still graze the orchard like they're on the clock.
Black as a cast-iron pan until the light hits them, and then suddenly beetle-green and purple. Calm, quiet, and the first ones down to the water every morning.
Soft dappled silver and cream, and the best layers on the place. Their rich-yolked eggs are what make our custards and cakes taste like the farm.
A mixed flock that free-ranges the orchard rows, turning bugs into breakfast and following anyone carrying a bucket.
The gentle giants of the back pasture. They set the pace of the whole farm — slow, steady, and always ready for a scratch along the fence line.
Equal parts guardian and comedian. Their bray carries clean across the oxbow and announces every visitor long before the gate opens.
Our brush-clearing crew along the cedar line. If a fence has a weak spot, they will find it before we do.
A quiet row of hives humming at the edge of the woods. They pollinate the vineyard and the garden, and pay rent in raw, unfiltered honey.