nurturing art, craft and healthy soil on our Wisconsin sheep farm
the secret is in the soil
Welcome to Brown Dog Farm. This is the place where Rachel Catlett and Ed Hicks call home and where we work, play and create things with our hands. I am Rachel, you can find me in the STUDIO. I am married to Ed, you can see what he’s up to in the WORKSHOP. We make things with our hands inspired by our farm and life here in rural Wisconsin. On our FARM, we steward our land using regenerative systems to rebuild soil, and promote diversity in the ecosystem. We raise Shetland and Icelandic sheep for wool and meat, heritage Chickens and Ducks to produce free range eggs, and hay to feed our flock through the winter and share with our rural neighbors.
linger awhile...
Sometimes life works in strange ways to bring you what your heart has always longed for. This is that place for us.
10 years ago, we bought this 40 acre sheep farm with my parents, Sue and Bill Catlett. Ed and I are in the renovated ‘Farm Cottage’. Across the garden, Dad designed and built their ‘Hill House’ looking over the marsh and pond and fields, nestled among the giant oaks. We live together here, gardening and farming and making. We relish the inter-generational life, creating respite for family and friends, and stewarding the land together.
Our farm is named after our family’s love for the old brown dogs we have loved over the years. Raleigh's portrait graces our farm sign. Like them, we’re not fancy, but we’re steadfast and loyal ; working on being good farmers, creating a beautiful place for those we love and care for and taking time to make things with our hands to share them with others.
Come on in. Check out our farm blog, see what we do..
“Farmers must tend farms that they know and love, farms small enough to know and love, using tools and methods they know and love, in the company of neighbors they know and love.”
— Wendell Berry