We keep a flock of about 20 breeding Africans. I have had Africans for many years and most of the flock would trace back to Holderread breeding. We did produce a nice group of goslings in 2010 and should have several select pairs available for sale. Will sell them off the farm or at shows/sales we attend this summer/fall . Inquire if interested. I am planning on hatching a larger number of them in 2011 and also hope to add White Africans as well.
White Africans
I am really excited to have had the opportunity to add White Africans to my flocks. They have just gotten here this past week and have already settled right in with the rest of the birds. I was able to purchase one yearling pair and then one juvenile pair that was produced by the yearling pair this spring. I am hoping to add at least one more pair to bring in some other bloodlines. These pictures were taken just a couple of days after they arrived.
Gray Toulouse
Probably my favorite breed of geese is the giant Dewlap Toulouse. I have owned/bred them for more than twenty years. My original birds came from Darrel Sherraw's Hickorynut Farm and then I added a few others over the years. I found the Sherraw birds to be much more prolific than the others that I had aquired and was interested in getting some more of his birds in my flock. In the fall of 2008 I had the opportunity to buy Darrel's entire flock of Toulouse geese and of course did so. I have a small but very nice group of grays at the present time. In very limited showing they have done extremely well. At the 2010 APA National at the Northeastern Poultry Congress in Massachusets I showed two of my breeders and they were both first and Best and Reserve Best of Variety. I hope to have a limited number of grays available in 2011. I may have one or two extra ganders for sale this fall. Inquire if interested.
Buff Toulouse
Again, as with the grays Buff Toulouse are among my favorites. The first time I saw them was at Hickorynut Farm in the late 1980's. I knew then that I wanted some and it wasn't too long before I purchased my first pair. These birds however, never developed the deep keel or the defined dewlap of the grays (I suspect they were crosses using American Buffs). I continued to look for some better quality birds to work with. I did get one good pair that I exhibited very successfully for several years. As with the Grays I purchased the entire flock of Buffs as well from Dr. Sherraw in 2008. At the present time I have the best group of Buffs I have ever owned. My Buff Old Goose was Reserve Champion Heavy Goose at the 2010 Northeast Poultry Congress Show and was also selected as the Third Best Waterfowl of the show. My Buffs have been quite productive and I do have some excellent young pairs for sale as well as a couple of extra ganders. Contact me if interested.
Pomeranian
Pomeranians are the newest breed of geese here on the farm. I started with a trio on a breeders lease from Steve Blash, and at least one of those females goes back to Blodgett breeding. She is very large and correct in her markings. I also purchased a pair and a trio from Lew McGinnis when he dispersed his Superior Farm flocks this spring. I did not do a good job with them this past spring and consequently only hatched one gosling this year and unfortunately lost it. I am looking forward to next breeding season with them. I hope to have goslings for sale in 2011.
Sebastopol
I have had Sebastopols for about three years now. My original birds came from Roger Thiebault and go back to both Holderread and Kidder bloodlines. I also purchased a small flock of breeders from a farm in Kentucky in the fall of 2008 and they make up the base of my current breeding program. I find them to be more of a challenge than the other breeds in that they are so much harder to keep clean and in show condition. I produced quite a few goslings last year but did not raise many this year. I may have two or three adult breeder pairs for sale this fall. Inquire if interested.
American Buff
My Buffs started with a breeding group of one gander and four geese of unknown bloodlines. I aquired them in a swap to a freind who was looking to change breeds. I immediately added an excellent gander from Steve Blash and produced a large number of goslings in both '09 and '10. I have decided to cut down the number of breeders I'm planning on keeping thru the winter due to feed costs, so I have several excellent breeders as well as a number of this years goslings available for sale at the present time. I have found the American Buffs to be excellent setters and mothers and many of my females hatched and raised their own goslings. I have shown them and they consistently place near or at the top of the Medium Goose classes.