The History of Little Tail Farms

Where a cement cow named Bessy led us home.

Before the goats and the giggles, before the Highland Cottage or the Saturday tours, there was just a whisper of a dream: quiet, persistent, and shaped like a cow.

Over twenty years ago, I stood in the green hills of Ireland and gently patted a cow. That single moment stuck with me in a way I didn’t expect. Back home, I spoke of that cow often, as if she were an old friend. I dreamed aloud of pastures, slow days, and something simpler.

My children gave me a gift, a cement cow, which we named Bessy. She stood in our suburban backyard like a statue of hope, a reminder that even far-fetched dreams have a place to start. Bessy wasn’t a placeholder. She was part of the plan, whether we realized it or not.

Bessy's first holiday in the suburbs

In 2018, we followed that dream up the winding roads of Cagle Mountain. Our first day on the mountain was anything but charming. It was bitterly cold, foggy, and the sleet stung our skin. But even in the grey, we felt it: a beginning.

We arrived and began building the dream from the ground up - first a barn and a pasture, then the smallest of crews: four goats, two Highland cattle, and a pair of donkeys. They shared one pasture, a mismatched little herd that somehow just worked. And Bessy came too. She now sits by the front porch, a quiet part of the farm, as if she’s always belonged here.

Bessy at the farm

Not long after, our first guests arrived from New Zealand. Since then, Little Tail Farms has welcomed visitors from 13 countries and more than 7,000 families. People come to slow down, breathe deeper, and reconnect. They leave as part of the story.

Over time, we realized the animals were the heart of this place. They’re trusting and gentle, each with their own quirks. Their calm presence softens even the most hurried guests.

Today, David runs the farm's day-to-day rhythms, feeding, fixing, and keeping it all going. I handle the behind-the-scenes work: storytelling, bookkeeping, and medical care. We’ve added a custom tiny house for guests looking for a bit of quiet and 40 more acres for the animals to roam. Little Tail Farms is home to over 70 animals, two boutique farm stays, and weekend tours from March through October.

And what do we hope guests feel? We hope they feel rested. We hope they laugh a little, breathe a little slower, and fall in love with the farm like we did. We hope they leave feeling like family.

We didn’t set out to build a farm. We just followed a cow. And somehow, she led us home.