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Once in Turkey, mere minutes from 1-40, visitors to the farm
turn off the highway, drive across railroad tracks, between fields
on both sides planted with row crops to feed the Wilders animals,
including corn, soy and silage. Fifty acres of hay is planted.
Not all the property improvements, including the luxury 10-stall
main horse barn and the 100-foot x 200-foot indoor arena, are in
use yet. But the veterinary lab facilities are, as are the acres of fenced
pastures, woods, paddocks and pens, the haybarn and silo and the
ancillary buildings. The Southwestern-themed 3,000 square foot
residence over the barn has morphed into a comfy family place, as
have the additional scattered accommodations for staff.
The farm is also used for education for RiverWild’s 155 employ-ees.
All are encouraged to spend time on the farm. They have been
team building, planting and harvesting potatoes and cabbage, feed-ing
the animals, and just hanging out on employee Farm Fridays.
“We’ve tried to open that up to employees to experience agricul-ture.
A lot of our employees say that’s their only chance to be on a
farm, to experience that,” Jaclyn says.
Attending festivals and farmers markets to sell their meat is
ramping up, including a booth at the Monday Wrightsville Beach
Farmers Market.
All the cows, chickens and hogs are pasture raised, not housed.
The cows are grass fed and grain finished. Reid says the intent is not
to use any hormones or medicines, or even grain, except at the end
for flavoring.
“Our goal, our message, is buy local, buy from your local farmer,
understand what you’re buying whether it’s from us or Lewis Farms,
wherever. Support your local farmer, buy from your local farmer,”
Reid says.
They have an event scheduled for the farm in September for
ranchers called Wilders Wagyu Field Day.
Still to come is an effort to engage the customer and create an
agricultural experience through agritourism.
“Agritourism is something we are passionate about,” Jaclyn says.