BELTED BARNYARD

the belted barnyard

For over two centuries, the Fearrington farm and its rolling pastures have dotted the landscape between Pittsboro and Chapel Hill, North Carolina. The farm, now a vibrant village consisting of shops, restaurants and an award-winning inn, still features rolling pastures, farm animals, the dairy barn, silo, and other farm structures. Several of these original buildings have been re-adapted and now form the heart of our Village Center.

A close-up of a Belted Galloway calf with shaggy dark fur and a distinctive white band around its middle, standing on green grass in a sunny pasture. Another cow is blurred in the background.

Cows graze in a green field with a tall, cylindrical silo in the background. Trees, a white fence, and a small structure are visible under a clear, blue sky.

A close-up photo of a black and white cow standing in a grassy field, looking directly at the camera with a blurred background of trees and sky.

belted galloway cows

Most notable of our farm animals are our beloved signature black and white belted cows, a rare breed of Scottish beef cattle that was introduced to the United States back in the 1950s. In 1982, R.B. Fitch brought a herd of six Belted Galloway Cows from Virginia to Fearrington. There are now over thirty pet Belties grazing our pastures. Guests often refer to the Belted Galloways as “oreo cows.” Our Belties consistently bring home awards in their category at local and national fairs.

Fearrington farm manager Bob Strowd regularly shows our cattle at state and national venues. These include the North Carolina State Fair in Raleigh, and the North American International Livestock Exposition held in Louisville, KY, the largest all-breed, purebred livestock competition in the country. Farmer Bob also cares for our other farm animals, keeping them safe and healthy.

Meet Bess

FEARRINGTON'S BOTTLE-FED BARNYARD STAR

In September 2024, a resident found a newborn calf alone in the pasture, and when it became clear her mother had died, Laura Morgan, General Manager of Fitch Creations, stepped in immediately. She bottle-fed the tiny 50-pound calf around the clock, giving her both nourishment and constant care. Now named Bess, after Laura’s grandmother, she has grown to over 375 pounds and is considered one of the top Galloways raised at Fearrington in Farmer Bob Strowd’s 28-year tenure. This fall, Bess made her debut at the NC State Fair, where she and her best friend Buela both earned Best in Show.

For months, Laura, her partner Newt, and several Fitch Creations team members fed Bess four bottles a day behind McIntyre’s, where she lived happily among goats and chickens. Now transitioned to grain, she still greets Laura and Newt with enthusiastic moos, and leans in for hugs. Playful and curious, she occasionally nudges the goats—sometimes prompting a dramatic reaction from on of our Tennessee Fainting Goats.

As Newt says, “It’s been a privilege.” Visitors can still stop by Bess’s barn behind McIntyre’s at 4:30 pm to say hello before Fearrington’s bottle-raised sweetheart becomes a full pasture star.

A woman in an orange shirt kneels on the ground, brushing the neck of a black cow with a metal grooming tool outdoors on a sunny day. The cow appears to enjoy the grooming, stretching its neck upward.

A black and white goat with short fur stands on a blurry, dirt-covered ground, looking directly at the camera with wide, alert eyes.

A young black and white baby goat stands on a patch of dirt and straw with green grass in the background.

A black goat with curved horns and a white tuft on its forehead stands on a rocky, sunlit ground, looking up at the camera.

A black goat with white markings and curved horns stands on hay next to a red metal hay feeder in a sunny, grassy area.

TENNESSEE FAINTING GOATS

You may spot our black-and-white goats frolicking in the pastures alongside the Belted Galloways. These are Tennessee Fainting Goats—named not for actual fainting, but for a harmless hereditary condition called myotonia congenita, which causes their muscles to briefly stiffen when startled. It’s quirky, endearing, and completely safe.

The breed has an equally colorful history. They are believed to have arrived in Tennessee in the early 1800s with a reclusive, unnamed farm worker—likely from Nova Scotia—who eventually sold his small herd to Dr. H.H. Mayberry. Dr. Mayberry continued breeding them, helping the goats become a beloved part of Southern agricultural heritage.

In early 2000, a herd of these charming goats found their forever home here at Fearrington Village. Today, Farmer Bob lovingly tends to them—along with all our other barnyard residents—ensuring they remain healthy, happy, and wonderfully entertaining for guests and neighbors alike.

A white chicken with black-tipped feathers on its neck and tail stands on green grass, looking toward the camera.

A white chicken with black markings walks down a dirt-stained wooden ramp leading from a raised chicken coop. The background shows the coop's white wall and some sunlight filtering through.

A black and white chicken with a red comb stands inside a white wooden coop, looking out through a small window framed by a geometric opening.

Several white chickens with black markings on their necks and tails stand together inside a wire enclosure, with sunlight shining on their feathers.

COLUMBIAN WYNADOTTE CHICKENS

In 2015, another heritage breed found its way to the Fearrington farm — black and white Wyandotte chickens! First exhibited in 1890 in Chicago, these rare, hearty birds are known for their good disposition in flocks. Our Columbian Wyandottes are a medium sized bird with a white feather body and contrasting black and silver neck and tail plumage. Currently, there are less than four breeders in the country raising Wyandottes according to traditional standards, and most have less than 25 hens. Fearrington’s beloved chickens can be found pecking away near the Fearrington Barn in their coop. Providing eggs for The Fearrington House Restaurant’s seasonal menus and smiles for those who watch their antics are their only goal.

DONKEYS

We can’t forget our donkeys — Jasper and Charlotte! The donkeys live in the pastures at Fearrington alongside the Belted Galloway cows, Tennessee Fainting goats and chickens. Farmer Bob Strowd keeps the donkeys on a strict diet of grass, hay and grains. Their role at Fearrington, in addition to greeting visitors, is to help protect our precious cattle from predators.

NATIVE BEES

Fearrington Village launched its honey bee program in 2013 with a local hive and a simple mission: to support nectar flow, strengthen pollinator health, and nurture the land that makes our gardens thrive. What began modestly has grown into a meaningful partnership rooted in stewardship, community, and a shared love of bees. Our beekeeper—herself a former Fearrington bride—approached us about tending several of her hives on the property. Since then, she has caught swarms, expanded the apiary, and helped guide our General Manager, Theresa Chiettini, an enthusiastic amateur beekeeper, in cultivating and caring for Fearrington’s hives. Today, we proudly maintain five thriving colonies on the Village grounds. The honey harvested from these hives is used in our kitchens and is also available for purchase at The Belted Goat Gourmet Shop, offering guests a true taste of Fearrington. Beyond honey, the bee program plays an essential ecological role—supporting pollination, enhancing biodiversity, and contributing to the health and beauty of our gardens. Our bees remind us daily of why caring for the land matters—and why sustainable practices remain central to Fearrington’s mission.