Bill Graves at Mission in Capistrano

Side Notes

 

I would raise those little chicks using a small  heat lamp under my parent's back porch. Staying that intimate with baby chicks makes them bond to humans and become quite tame. I can teach you a lot about chickens if you want to swap stories. The chicks I raised would eventually end up at my Grandfather's poultry farm. Young hens prior to laying are called pullets. Some, also use the term "poults". Once they become official hens, each bird should lay between 200 and 260 eggs per year. Growers do not need a rooster for the hens to lay.

Our Approach

Our Vision

Everyone has a vision for a better world. I believe the life around agriculture and simple lifestyle changes are a big step in the process. We'll talk about choices, work, health and living in the country. I firmly believe that eating right, calm approaches to problems and getting rest after exercise is super important.  I'll be changing the content of these headers as I go, but thought I'd throw that out there!

Our Story

Our Story

I guess I should give you a bit of a background. I am... Well.... let's just say past middle aged. I was raised on a poultry ranch where we had 20,000 laying hens and I have a degree in Animal Science. I started this site because of that life long committment to critters and everything about them. When I was just a boy, I lived near a hatchery and would "save" baby chicks in the alley out back that hadn't quite hatched when the others were sorted and sexed. I literally saved a few baby chicks every week that hatched in the garbage cans. (See side notes)

My parents lived in town (Petaluma, CA) so I would ride the bus after school to my Grandfather's ranch to feed chickens and gather eggs. My Grandpa also had about 40 white faced (Columbia) ewes and two Hampshire rams. Tommy and Ernie.

My Mom would pick me up at the end of the day. It was a great way to grow up!

My wife also grew up in a small rural town on the Sacramento River in the heart of California's Delta. A true valley girl!

Meet the Team

Here's the family, well.... minus our now grown up daughters and their children. Rhonda and I have been blessed with many fabulous years of marriage. I hope our site and lifestyle can be an inspiration.

Bill Graves at the California coast

Bill, CEO and owner

Founder & CEO

Bill is the founder of Claw Foot Farm and makes most of the decisions around the farm. Bill is a College Professor and also Founder of Green Planet Plastics, a recycling nonprofit.

Rhonda visits the snow at Butte Meadows

Rhonda, Co-owner

Vice President ~  Rhonda is the other half of all decisions. 

Rhonda is also a fabulous artist working primarily in water colors.

Rusty at less than 2 months

Rusty

Head Cat in Charge

Rusty is just under two years old. This picture is from when he was a kitten. He weighs 16 pounds now. Not overweight, just a  big boy! He was under 2 pounds in this photo.

Next Steps...

Take the time to get to know us and keep in touch on our Blog Site.