Farm family
Heritage breeds produce meat at Hampton Ridge
When Rachel Hampton, shown, was growing up, there were horses and cows and a garden on the Grant County farm where she lived with her parents and siblings. But when the senior Hamptons left Grant County to do mission work in southeastern Kentucky, Rachel and her siblings were grown, and their parents hadn’t been farming for a while.
“They said, ‘Have fun, do whatever you want,’” recalls Rachel. Her parents expected to be gone for a while.
“So, we got married, bought some pigs, bought some cows,” says Rachel of the farming enterprise she started with husband, Jay. When her parents returned home earlier than expected, they bought chickens, turkeys and ducks. The blended family added sheep and honeybees.
The animals are nearly all heritage breeds—Red Poll cows, Gloucestershire Old Spot pigs, Bourbon Red turkeys, and so on. These breeds thrive on pasture and Rachel believes it’s important that diverse genetics thrive. The meat the animals produce is sold to neighbors, she says. And of course, the family eats well. Learn more at www.hamptonridgefarm.com.
