Lookout Swamp Farms

Hello, and welcome to Lookout Swamp Farms. I’m Phil and this is how we got to where we are. My wife Amanda and I met while I was serving in the United States Navy, in Bremerton, WA. That was in 2008. Today, I’m retired from the Navy and employed by a shipyard in Newport News, VA. The years in between involved a lot of travel with the military and moving every few years. In that time we grew our family, and have 3 wonderful children. In 2014 we were lucky enough to get stationed in Norfolk, VA and we decided to live away from the crowded cities. We bought 10 acres and had a house built in Gates, NC, which is where we are currently located. We bought the land to have our own little area to raise our family, and to have somewhere to do some hunting without the need to travel. It didn’t take long to realize we wanted more, within our first year here, we built a small chicken coop and added 12 laying hens to the land. The first egg we got from those hens changed how we looked at food all together. The freshness and flavor was so different from anything we’ve bought from a store. Since then, we have added on and tried new things every year. We now maintain a small group of rabbits, we always have our laying hens, we’ve raised pigs, turkeys, and we even grew out a steer this past season. Each year we raise a few batches of broiler chickens. We have an active beehive to produce our honey, and we’re starting a quail breeding program. Last year we got our first few sheep, and our first lamb, an adorable little ram, was born this January. As each season and year passes, we attempt something new, and we learn from our mistakes. In addition to the livestock mentioned, Amanda’s gardens grow yearly. We started by trying to plant into the clay soil we have on our farm, with added soil amendments. She was able to get a small amount of produce out of it, but nowhere near enough to sustain a family of five. Since then, we’ve worked to amend the soil by rotating where the animals live. We’ve also built a series of raised beds, and everything gets composted. Last year, our small greenhouse went up, and it was just in time. Our first attempt at a winter crop worked out great, and we were reaping the benefits just as the pandemic hit our country. Being retired from the military now and working normal hours without all the travel, we have decided to use our time to continue improving the land and expanding the productivity. During all of this, we have learned that our children are being raised right. They are learning that anything is possible with hard work, and that the less we depend on the world, the less we’re disappointed. They love the food that we eat, and the time they spend working outside.

Coturnix Quail Eggs: 18 pack: $6 or 24 pack: $8

Coturnix Qual: Roos and Hens, all ages. Call or email for availability and pricing.

Lambs: Hair sheep lambs, Rams and Ewes available. 2 months old and up. Prices starting at $200

Muscovy Ducklings: straight run only. Limited amount available $7 each

Chicken eggs for eating or hatching: $3 a dozen

Coming soon: Rabbits. Kits were born and are doing great. Will sell at 8 weeks old. $20