OUR STORY
Quail and Hound: A Family-owned Farm
After Rick's time in the Navy, he worked in private industry and public service for several years. In 2013, he and his wife, Wendy, a science and English teacher, settled in the Northern Virginia area. Their love for the outdoors and desire to live in the country, drove them and their family on a year's long search for a farm in the historic town of Middleburg, Virginia-- the heart of Virginia's horse and hunt country. They found their diamond in the rough; a 20-acre farmette with a barn to raise chickens and other livestock, plenty of space for an apiary, and a workshop for their woodturning projects. Since 2016, they've remodeled the home and added great spaces for outdoor entertaining. In 2017, they started with a few backyard chickens and two hives, and their farm has continued to grow since then. Their children are now grown and have children of their own and help at the farm. Wendy and Rick enjoy entertaining and cooking for friends and family, and Rick occasionally cooks at local events. They now sell raw unfiltered honey, their amazing rubs and spices, and beeswax products. They also enjoy wood turning and sometimes have wood crafts available.
About Quail and Hound Farm
Rick and Wendy had a vision when they moved to the farm. They wanted a fixer-upper with enough land to produce quality food products they could feed their family and friends. They started with a few backyard chickens and a small garden; their love for their hens and search for the "perfect egg" grew. They love the rich flavor and color of farm fresh eggs and had enough to provide to family, friends, and neighbors, and the demand continued to grow. Their old barn was converted into a hen house, and the chicken run they added has been expanded multiple times to accommodate the growing flock.
Their good friends and long-time Winchester beekeepers inspired them to raise bees. As a former life science teacher, this piqued Wendy's interest because of the value of bees as pollinators in the environment, bees' endangered animal status, and research that showed local honey could help with her allergies. Rick just loved the idea of producing his own honey to have in the mornings with his Greek yogurt and walnuts. They started three years ago with two hives and have expanded since. As their knowledge and skill in beekeeping increased, so did their harvest yielding tons of liquid gold that could now be sold to the public.
Wendy and Rick grew up in households where food was what brought friends and family together. Rick's mom was an amazing cook and passed that passion onto him. Rick takes great pride in his cooking and prepares food with meticulous attention to seasoning and flavor. Rick has created his own rubs including Bistro Chicken, Flame and Smoke, and Fresh Catch, and also sells his grilling sauces, which are his son-in-law's favorites.
We hope you will enjoy our products as much as our friends and family do.
100% Free-range Chickens
Quail and Hound currently has a variety of chickens including Welsummers, Buff Orpingtons, a variety of ornamental chickens including Silkies and Houdans, Ameraucanas that provide blue, green, light pink, and olive colored eggs, and a variety of French Marans including Cuckoo and Black Copper that lay beautiful, large, dark- brown eggs that are very high in protein. Our hens are 100% cage-free and free-range throughout the day. They feed off a natural diet, which includes clover, dandelions, and all types of local flowers and seeds/fruit from our wooded lot. Their diet is supplemented with a high-quality, GMO-free, Omega-rich, natural feed to ensure proper nutrition and health. Our hens are also 100% antibiotic-free; we find that if they are well-taken care of and happy, they remain healthy.
Our Honeys
We have been keeping bees for six years. Our honey includes a 100% pure, raw, and unfiltered, amber-colored wildflower honey and a lighter, sweeter, golden clover honey. Our wooded lot and fruit trees provide nectar for our bees including delicious tulip poplar nectar, cherry, apple, and peach. Our creek provides a natural water source; however, our bees can also be found busily flying around our deck drinking from the fountain and visiting the flowers and hummingbird feeders.
This year we tried something new... the dark wildflower honey is now infused with habanero peppers. This honey is sweet with a kick and is great for marinades or chicky nuggies.