Agritourism Events 2026!

NEXT EVENT:

Pasture-Raised Poultry Series: Whole Chicken Processing Demonstration

This event is offered free of charge through funding provided by the New Jersey Agritourism Grant Program.

Saturday, June 13, 2026, 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Rain Date: Sunday, June 14, 2026 (heavy rain)

This hands-on educational workshop focuses on one of the most important—and often least understood—aspects of raising poultry: processing birds for home consumption. Participants will observe the complete workflow used to process pasture-raised Cornish Cross chickens, from humane harvesting through preparation of a freezer-ready whole roasting bird.

Topics covered will include humane culling methods, scalding, plucking, evisceration, cleaning, inspection, and packaging considerations. We will also demonstrate the use of a backyard poultry plucker and discuss practical equipment options for small farms and homesteads. Birds processed during this demonstration will generally range from 4 to 7 pounds, reflecting the typical size of a pasture-raised roasting chicken.

In addition to the processing demonstration, participants will learn how our poultry are raised on pasture using mobile chicken tractors and rotational grazing practices. We will discuss bird selection, pasture management, predator protection, and daily operational considerations associated with raising meat birds in a pasture-based system.

This session will focus exclusively on producing whole roasting chickens. A future workshop later this summer will cover poultry cut-up techniques, including how to break down a whole bird into breasts, thighs, drumsticks, wings, and other retail cuts.

As with all Sheepy Hollow Farms educational programs, this is a small-group, highly interactive workshop designed to provide practical, real-world instruction rather than a staged demonstration. Attendance is limited, and only a small batch of birds will be processed to allow time for detailed discussion and participant questions.

What Makes These Programs Different

Most farm “events” are passive. These are not.

Each session is structured around:

Small-group, interactive learning
Real operational workflows (not demonstrations built for optics)
Direct engagement with equipment, animals, and systems
Q&A and discussion built into the program design

From a program design standpoint, each session is built to run approximately two-four hours, allowing for meaningful instruction, hands-on exposure, and participant interaction.

Stay Connected

Because many of these programs have limited capacity and variable scheduling based on farm operations, the best way to stay informed is:

Follow us on Facebook for announcements and registration openings.
Sign up for our mailing list (below)
Check our website regularly for updated dates and program details

Cost & Access

All programs are offered at little to no cost to participants due to grant support from the State of New Jersey.

This funding allows us to:

Bring in experienced professionals
Provide educational materials and structured programming
Maintain safe, well-organized learning environments

The Bottom Line

This initiative is about rebuilding practical knowledge.

If you’re interested in:

Raising your own animals
Understanding where your food comes from
Learning traditional skills that are increasingly rare these programs are designed to give you a grounded, no-nonsense introduction.

Upcoming Programs at Sheepy Hollow Farms

Hands-On Agritourism Education in Ethical Livestock Production & Raising

Updated June 3, 2026

Sheepy Hollow Farms is proud to launch a series of hands-on, educational programs designed to give participants a practical understanding of ethical livestock raising, processing, and sustainable land management.

These programs are supported through funding from the New Jersey Agritourism Grant Program, enabling us to offer high-quality, small-group experiences at little cost to the community.

Our objective is straightforward: provide real-world exposure to responsible farming practices, from animal care to pasture management to processing, in a way that is transparent, educational, and grounded in how farming is actually done.

Portable Fencing & Grazing Systems

Timing: Early to Mid-Summer (Date TBD)

This program focuses on one of the most important operational levers in small-scale livestock farming: controlled grazing.

Participants will learn:

How to set up and manage portable electric fencing systems
Rotational grazing strategies to improve pasture health and productivity
Species-specific considerations (sheep, pigs, poultry, goats - all onsite for the demo)
Predator mitigation and pasture protection techniques

This session ties directly to real farm infrastructure investments, including fencing systems and grazing tools used daily on-site.

Pasture-Raised Poultry Series

Timing: Late Summer to Early Fall (Date TBD)

This multi-part educational series provides a start-to-finish overview of raising poultry on pasture.

Core topics include:

Sourcing and selecting birds
Brooding and early-stage care
Transitioning birds to pasture systems
Feeding, health management, and humane treatment

The goal here is end-to-end literacy. Participants should leave with a clear understanding of the full lifecycle and what it actually takes to raise poultry properly.

Past programs

Sheep Shearing Demonstration

Sunday, May 17th, 9-11:30am.

This live demonstration offers a firsthand look at proper shearing techniques and animal handling. Participants will:

Observe safe, humane shearing practices performed by a professional shearer
Learn why shearing is essential for animal health and welfare
See hoof trimming and general livestock maintenance in practice
Have the opportunity to ask questions in a working farm environment

This is not a staged demonstration. It reflects standard farm operations, including real-time decision-making and animal handling (and catching!).

Interested in attending? Message us on Facebook to reserve a spot.