Our Beloved Belted Galloway Cows
Our black and white belted cows are Belted Galloways, a rare breed of Scottish beef cattle that was introduced to the United States back in the 1950s. In the early 1980s, R.B. Fitch brought a herd of six Belties from Virginia to Fearrington. There are now over thirty Belties grazing our rolling pastures. The Belties’ sole purpose is to greet village guests and coax a smile or two.
Fearrington farm manager Bob Strowd regularly shows our cattle at state and national venues. These include the North Carolina State Fair in Raleigh, and the North American International Livestock Exposition held in Louisville, KY, the largest all-breed, purebred livestock competition in the country.
The Beltie's Friends
The farm is also home to a delightful herd of Tennessee Fainting goats. Named for a harmless hereditary genetic disorder known as myotonia congenita, fainting goats do not truly faint, but stiffen when startled.
The goats appear to have arrived in Tennessee in the early 1800s, courtesy of a reclusive and unnamed farm worker who was most likely from Nova Scotia. Before he left the area, he sold his goats to Dr. H.H. Mayberry, who bred them.
The donkeys live in the pastures at Fearrington alongside the Belted Galloway cows and Tennessee Fainting goats. Farmer Bob Strowd keeps the donkeys on a strict diet of grass, hay and grains. Their role at Fearrington, in addition to making visitors smile, is to help protect our precious cattle from predators.
And the winner is...
6.18.13 Cassandra Johnson (Beet & Baguette)! A huge thank you to everyone who voted. We had hundreds of votes through email, Twitter and Facebook for all of the delightful pictures Fearrington-lovers submitted. Who knows there could be a special surprise or two coming out of these...
Escape to Fearrington
Reserve 2 nights and enjoy a 3rd night free. Enjoy the complete Fearrington experience featuring both restaurants, our spa, boutique shops, and our award-winning Inn.