oak forest farm

Oak Forest Farm has been farmed since the mid-1700's, initially by three generations of Conners and followed by three generations of Yancys. It has been home to Sharon Pierce and her two daughters for the past twenty-three years. In an interesting twist of fate, Sharon and her daughters descend from Uriel and his wife Nancy Naile Conner, builders of the stone wing in the 1790s.

It's not known whether sheep were part of the earlier agricultural production but it's highly probable. And sheep have been a part of the long farming tradition behind Sharon.  Her ancestors have been farming in America for 400 years and she grew up on a farm with cattle, sheep, chickens, and ponies. It took a long time to return to those roots but it was motivated by a deep concern for the long neglected soil of this small hill farm. As some farmer wise in these ways said, "you don't grow sheep, you grow grass.  And how you manage that grass reflects the health of the soil." For true ongoing sustainability, how we manage and respect our soil is potentially the most important gift we can offer the generations to follow.

Sharon chose to raise sheep here because of their efficacy in grazing, what they return to the soil and their appropriateness to a hilly terrain. In considering the terrain, it led to a choice of a hill breed, Clun Forest. And Clun Forest are just plain fun, with quirky personalities.

That Rappahannock Farms is organized as a cooperative venture was another important philosophical consideration for Sharon. Currently, she is aided by Dugald, a young Rappahannock native who shares a passion for this very beautiful corner of Virginia.

We sell Clun Forest sheep and products and seasonally offer naturally grown 3/4s American chestnuts, small but very sweet.