Foxloft Farm
Foxloft Farm represents 98 acres of land in Southeastern Minnesota, stewarded by Foxfeather and her husband Roman. Foxloft Farm is focused on raising grass-based, rotation-grazed livestock in a sustainable fashion.
Tibetan Yak
In 2015, we added Tibetan yak and one Highland cow to our farm. Why yak? Yak are well suited for our harsh Minnesota winters and can dig through the snow for forage even in the depths of winter. They eat about 1/3 of what a cow does and are very hardy. We manage our herd to keep it small, as of 2020 we have 13 animals.
If you would like to be notified when we have (live) yak for sale, signup for our yak-specific mailing list:Poultry: Heritage Chickens, Turkeys, Ducks, and Geese
We have a small flock of various heritage breed poultry, focusing on Sweetgrass turkeys, but including emu, ducks, geese, chickens, and peafowl.
I love nature and enjoy working with animals of all kinds. My work reflects this passion. I am always learning new things - I attend conferences, courses, volunteer and keep a variety of pets and livestock. My dream was to have land where I could work with the creatures I admire and manage it in a way that is respectful to nature.
In 2011, this dream finally came true. My husband and I purchased an 80 acre farm in bluff country of southern Minnesota. The place is wonderful - it is quite diverse, with both forest and fields, rocky cliffs and open spaces. Three-fourths of a mile of protected trout stream meander through it - we have seen some great big trout in the crystal clear waters!
Follow Our Adventures
In 2015 we added another 18 acres and a farm house so we could finally move from the suburbs to the country.
Beekeeping
In 2012 we established an apiary. We find the bees fascinating and are learning as much as we can about them. We are happy to be hosting these amazing little pollinators! You can visit our bee-specific site at: Ofbees.com
Native Prairie Restoration
We have been working to restore native prairie on our land, planting over 50 different species of wildflowers and grasses!
The Animals
Once the prairie gets established, our favorite critters can arrive. I have Sami blood and I would like to honor and follow the
traditions of my ancestors by having a reindeer herd on the land. Reindeer are well suited to our environment here, as they can resist the cold Minnesota winters
and are capable of foraging even with snow covering the plants. They can provide so much - including the thick, fatty milk that can give rise to specialty cheeses,
velvet from their antlers for medicinal purposes, the antlers themselves for arts and crafts. Their hides can be used for drum making,
their meat is delicious, lean, and healthy; even their hooves can be used for making rattles or other crafts.
A big step above the caribou when it comes to complexity of caring for them are muskox. I do no expect being ready for them soon, but
the muskox is my ultimate dream farm animal. Minnesota is one of the few states cold enough to keep muskox, besides Alaska.
I also work in wildlife rehabilitation and conservation education. We are working to expand enclosures for birds transitioning back to the wild that need special care and the ability to stretch their wings and fly, preparing to get back to their lives in the wild. You can learn more about my wildlife rehabilitation work at Foxloft Conservancy