Home Of Some Of The South’s Finest Meats And One Of The First Agritourism Destinations In Georgia
You don’t have to wake up as early as the owners of Hunter Cattle Company in Stilson, Georgia when staying on their farm, but when your breakfast of just- laid eggs, grits, sausage gravy, biscuits and fresh bacon arrives you might want to help them feed the pigs and goats to feel like you’re part of the family.
The Hunter Cattle Company is home of some of the South’s finest beef, pork and poultry, but it is one of the first agritourism destinations in Georgia to offer accommodations for overnight stays. For tourists, a multi-day visit is a chance to “get back to the land.” Visitors can get dirty by pitching in with the work, or learning where food comes from and what it takes to produce it, or simply enjoy a few days rocking on the porch.
Farm-stay agritourism is a new take on the old-fashioned dude ranch and an additional source of income for ranchers and farmers, while introducing people to their way of life.
A one-room loft at Hunter Cattle starts at $220 for a two-night stay; for an extra $50, you can participate in farm chores that range from gathering and cleaning fresh eggs to feeding livestock to mending fences. You can also request the on-site food option and they’ll deliver farm-fresh meals to your room to be heated and eaten at your leisure.
“We want to be as natural as an old farm,” said owner Del Ferguson. “Even if we aren’t getting rich, it don’t matter if we are able to have people enjoy their stay while learning something.”
Before they owned a farm, Del and Debra Ferguson built a successful construction and real estate business in Savannah, but they always wanted a place in the country where their entire family could gather.
Ferguson has run the farm since 2003 with his wife, their youngest son, Hunter, their oldest son, Anthony, and daughter, Kristen, who also live and work on the farm with their families. For Ferguson, who was raised on a small family farm in Appling County, Georgia, Hunter Cattle Company represents the realization of a lifelong dream. After 25 years of operating his own business in the Savannah area, Ferguson began the farm with the goal of raising quality animals.
“We try to do it like it was a hundred years ago,” said Ferguson, who was inspired to pursue an all-natural, grass-fed, free-range approach to farming after his wife read about the health benefits associated with eating meat from naturally raised animals. “People have a disconnect with their life and where their food is coming from. Part of my job is trying to educate people about where their food comes from and why it should be done the natural way.”
The herd has now grown to 250 head of Black Angus and Hereford cattle. The cows feed on grass, eat no grain, and will never experience a feedlot, instead they wander on acres of bright green pastureland.
Guests can also help out in the pig pasture, an acre of land with a grassy field, a grove of trees and mud.
Besides working in the fields, the family also works in their store, MooMa’s, a bright red building with vintage metal advertising signs on the façade. Inside, the store is crammed with freezers full of meat and coolers stocked with cow’s milk, yogurt, and raw goat’s milk. Shelves are lined with local produce and gourmet staples such as grits, pasta, honey, and salsa.
The Fergusons love visitors and host events throughout the year.
“We’ve got some people that come out here and they just sit on the porch, and I don’t even ask them if they want to buy anything,” Ferguson said.
If you’re in the mood to sit back on the porch and watch baby pigs scamper or you want to jump in the mud with them and play, the choice is yours at Hunter Cattle Company.
Candice Reed
A graduate of Kelsey-Jenny College in Communications as well as a certified grant writer, Candice has written for The Los Angeles Times & The New York Times. She loves entertaining and all things French.
Make Sure To Check Out:
Hunter Cattle Company, a family owned and operated farm. This “pastured and sustainable” farm raises cattle, hogs, and chickens without giving them antibiotics, hormones or caging them.