Black Willow Farm

Black Willow Farm We are a family-owned and operated farm in Southern Virginia specializing in equine and fowl

02/04/2026

Flashback to Sheila and Archie back when he was just a wee thing--fresh and new. Its that season--foaling season--and I'm seeing a ton of posts on people's timelines this time if year.

To those of you struggling with this foaling season, I send my deepest condolences to you. No matter how seasoned of a horseperson you are, nothing prepares you for loss. Thank you for sharing your journeys with us so that we can stay grounded and know that this is still the reality of breeding.

For those of you sharing your beautiful foal pics for us to fawn over, we see those too! I love seeing all the effort and work come together to create such amazing horses--and we can hear the collective sighs of those who are thankful to watch their babies hit the ground, healthy.

Let's just remember that, no matter what, you can chose to help others in sharing your journeys, and tips you may have, as well as your struggles. We can support others, rather than gatekeep, to ensure that those who choose to breed are doing it ethically--with purpose and care. Inspire others to be better for their horses, their breeds, and themselves as owners and breeders.

Anyone after a frozen turkey? Our little Velociraptors are doing well in the snow, and roost when they get cold. Surpris...
02/03/2026

Anyone after a frozen turkey? Our little Velociraptors are doing well in the snow, and roost when they get cold.

Surprisingly, these guys do well regulating their temperature:

Key Winter Survival Mechanisms:
Insulation & Feathers: Turkeys fluff their feathers to trap body-heated air, providing a natural, insulating layer. They also complete molting before winter for optimal, thick plumage.

Roosting Behaviour: They prefer to roost in dense conifers, like pines or spruces, which block wind and snow. They often stay on the roost longer during extreme cold to conserve energy.

Body Position: To protect unfeathered areas, they often sit in trees or on the ground with their legs tucked under their body feathers. They may also tuck their heads under their wings.

Energy Conservation & Diet: Wild turkeys consume high-fat foods, particularly acorns, and pack on significant body fat (up to 25% of their weight) to fuel their metabolism. They limit movement on extremely cold days to conserve energy. Ours eat tons of feed to supplement their lack of foraging skills 🫠

Heat Exchange: They use a counter-current heat exchange system in their legs, which minimizes heat loss from their extremities.

02/01/2026

Its beautiful out, albeit cold, and Tex is just worried about food because he's always hungry lol We were definitely glad to be able to get out and grab some more essentials, like pvc fittings since we had a pipe burst last night. Mr. Farmers is always handy in situations like these, and today fixed us right up with some pics and some Shark Bite connectors. Anyone else having trouble with this biting cold?

So I was trying to show Mr. Farmers how to measure the horses for their blankets and we did from the top of the withers ...
01/31/2026

So I was trying to show Mr. Farmers how to measure the horses for their blankets and we did from the top of the withers to the top of the tail and the chest to shoulder for the front.... now, when I drew it on my phone, it gave me the option to let AI create an image from my drawing. I had absolutely no idea it would create.....this. Its like almost okay, and almost an abomination 😂😂☠️

There's something so magical about the snow, even if our most recent bout was more than we were anticipating....and it h...
01/30/2026

There's something so magical about the snow, even if our most recent bout was more than we were anticipating....and it has stayed longer than we hoped. Eventually it will warm and thaw, but can we appreciate the beauty of winter here ❤️

Tex has gotten so big, and still just as mischievous as ever 😅 He did well through the weather but boy did he give me a ...
01/28/2026

Tex has gotten so big, and still just as mischievous as ever 😅 He did well through the weather but boy did he give me a run for my money when it came time to blanket horses. Why, you ask? Because he had to lick all the new blankets, because Tex is a weirdo 😅🤣

Its been snowy here, but we just had roads scraped and I am so glad we were able to do a feed run this evening! I don't ...
01/28/2026

Its been snowy here, but we just had roads scraped and I am so glad we were able to do a feed run this evening! I don't know what it is about snow, but as soon as I can't go out, I immediately want to go 😅 I hope that everyone else has been safe and warm through the snow and ice. Our Herd didn't enjoy the cold, and really, we ran out to get new blankets and couldn't blanket any of them due to our mischievous bull in the pasture. I am hoping, come spring, we can relocate all the horses to the new pasture, and maybe figure out a more permanent place for Tex that allows us access again to all the horses. Sending love to all of you! ❤️

So its definitely cold, but we are glad that we are warm and toasty with electricity and food. Counting all the wins tod...
01/25/2026

So its definitely cold, but we are glad that we are warm and toasty with electricity and food. Counting all the wins today as the ice has been intermittently pinging off the windows all morning. How are you guys doing? Warm, I hope!

Its cold! Oh, so cold! And windy--windy enough to cut straight through a winter coat, but its still pretty outside.Have ...
01/15/2026

Its cold! Oh, so cold! And windy--windy enough to cut straight through a winter coat, but its still pretty outside.

Have you ever had one of those moments where you wanted to do something and priced it all out, and then you didn't really hear the price until later? That was our hay barn quote. Why did I think 9k was really 9k when that was the cost of materials without installation.... 🫠 Guys I am not okay lol why is this hay barn gonna cost us 17k?! So we aren't even into the year yet and now I've gotta decide what we need most 🤦‍♀️ We are still getting lots done, but we are balling on a budget. Atleast there are still these beautiful sunrises ❤️🌞

The definition of fresh frozen 😅 I think one of these Tom's has seen snow, but the rest didn't know what to do with it. ...
01/12/2026

The definition of fresh frozen 😅 I think one of these Tom's has seen snow, but the rest didn't know what to do with it. Amazingly, they weren't bothered in the least. Most of our turkeys roost up high, out of the snow, especially at night, and their feathers are amazing protectants from the cold. I'm pretty sure the one at the very bottom is Gidget, Bridgett's daughter, who is also, a very special bird with no special awareness, who follows us around just like her mom did.

Its amazing and interesting finding a ring-necked pheasant on our property, especially because we have never seen one he...
01/11/2026

Its amazing and interesting finding a ring-necked pheasant on our property, especially because we have never seen one here in the almost 6 years we've been here. I don't know where he's gone, but Mr. Farmers, who has been keeping an eye on him to make sure he was okay, said that he flew into a tree when he approached him the day after we found him. Maybe he's gone on to more elusive places by now.

Foggy mornings settling on the fields highlight the feeling of winter. This year has been long, and difficult, but we ar...
01/11/2026

Foggy mornings settling on the fields highlight the feeling of winter. This year has been long, and difficult, but we are still here, anticipating the upcoming changes that Spring will see for us. Aspen, Carolina & Archie, Tex, and the birds are all hanging in there, and after all this rain, definitely look forward to the sun. Its been a transition for us after I returned back to work, and the farm has been at a stasis for months now. We have a few big projects in the works this year, and look forward to showing you how we are getting ready to grow.

Thank all of you for reaching out and giving your condolences on our loss of the matriarch of our farm, and the best and sweetest horse we've had in a long time.

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Axton, VA
24054

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