Stephanie Ballard and her fiancé, Brian Neal, enjoy raising heritage chickens and living a sustainable lifestyle in Belews Creek.
Ballard explained that Neal was raised on the farm, where he began farming tobacco at a very early age.
“His grandparents had pigs, chickens and cows for food sources, plus they raised corn, potatoes, beans and other foods. It was their way of life,” she shared.
Ballard and Neal began raising chickens as a hobby in 2012 for the eggs and meat. Not long after that, they decided to start a small business.
“I developed such a passion for them and wanted to share with people how easy it is to raise your own eggs and chickens,” she said. “We are firm believers in producing our own food. It’s much better for you, more cost effective and really not that hard.”
She continued, “We also raise a large garden every year and still can and preserve a lot of our own food here.”
Ballard noted that they also do share cropping with their family and neighbors.
As a free-range farm, Ballard and Neal raise heritage breed chickens. They have 54 hens and six roosters they use for breeding purposes. Each year, they hatch around 600 chicks.
Ballard said they choose to keep their breeding numbers low in order to continue as a small farm and to produce healthy and happy chicks. She added that they are very selective in what they feed their chickens.
“We have Dominique, Rhode Island Reds, Buff and Black Orpingtons,” she said. “I chose these breeds mainly for their heritage.”
Ballard said the Dominique breed was the first chicken ever introduced to the U.S. and remains on the watch list for extinction.
“In the 1970s they were on the extinction list,” she shared. “We wanted to help keep this breed alive. The chickens are breeds that are known to be docile and tolerate the weather here.”
Ballard said the breeds they raise are also great egg producers, great mothers, and are wonderful for people who have never raised chickens before.
“They all have their own traits. It’s hard not to love them all,” adding that the Buff Orpingtons have become their favorite birds on the farm. “They are very social birds, beautifully colored and make great pets. Our Orpingtons are from a seventh generation breeder and we are so excited about keeping this lineage pure and going strong.”
Of all the chickens on the farm, Ballard said one has a special place in her heart.
“I have a blind chicken here on the farm; her name is Essie. She has her own house and does really well. I relate to her because even though she has a disability, it’s never stopped her,” she explained. “Me suffering with MS and bone cancer, I can relate to her. We are a lot alike.”
Ballard said neither she nor Essie let their ailments define them.
“We still get a great eating egg every morning from her. She hears the sound of my voice and will talk to me,” she said. “My chickens are very therapeutic and others have told me the same.”
Along with enjoying the chickens for themselves, Ballard and Neal sell both fresh eggs and baby chicks.
When it comes to taking care of the chickens, Ballard said she and Neal split the chores.
“My fiancé begins our day every morning when the sun comes up, feeding and watering all the chickens,” she said, noting that they both work full-time. “We take shifts collecting eggs, cleaning coops and throwing daily treats. Brian likes selecting eggs for the incubator, so I let him do that. He has a system and it works. I like taking care of the biddies and all my flocks.”
When it comes to planting crops and canning, Ballard said she leaves that up to Neal.
While they currently only raise chickens on the farm, Ballard said they plan to add goats later on to produce milk for soaps and caramels.
“We also plan on adding bees this year,” she said.
Ballard explained that they are very passionate about the environment and sharing that passion with others.
“We are not only chicken people. We are passionate about hunting, fishing and raising a garden,” she said. “We share our knowledge of planting crops, canning and hunting skills. We still believe in crop rotation and no GMO (genetically modified organism) crops.”
She continued, “I like to share with people that living off the land and respecting it at the same time is what our forefathers did. It’s what America was founded on. If you learn how to do this, you don’t have to be dependent on grocery stores.”
Ballard said her granddaughter, Khloe, enjoys playing with the chickens.
“She loves chickens like her Gigi when she visits,” she said.
Along with the therapeutic aspects, Ballard said she enjoys many other aspects of raising chickens.
“I love waking up to the sound of my roosters each morning. I am very passionate in sharing with my customers how to have a healthy back yard flock,” she said. “With the state as well as NPIP (National Poultry Improvement Plan) and AI (Avian Influenza) clean program, I teach people to be responsible chicken owners.”
For more information, visit “Creekside Heritage Farms” on Facebook.
