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About Our Family

Our family values include nonviolent communication, self-directed education and gentle parenting. We strive to implement permaculture principles in all areas of our lifestyle.

Nature does not hurry, yet everything is accomplished. -Lao Tzu
Our Heritage Breed Chickens
  • Ameraucana (Blue, Black, Splash)
  • Bresse
  • Cream Legbar
  • Isbar
  • French Black Copper Marans
  • Lavender Orpington
  • Silkie (Blue, Black, Splash, White, Porcelain and Mixed)
  • “Olive Egger” (Blue Ameraucana x French Black Copper Marans)
  • “Easter Egger” (Barnyard mix of many heritage breeds)

Great Pyrenees Livestock Guardian Dogs

About our Dogs: Why Great Pyrenees Livestock Guardian Dogs

How We Raise Our Dogs: Naturally Reared for optimal health & longevity

Learn about each of our dogs on their individual pages: Beau, Bella, Bria, Blossom and Mint

Great Pyrenees Puppies

Available Puppies: Information and photos of puppies that are currently available

Previous Puppies: Information and photos of past litters and puppy updates from their families

Hours & Info
P.O. Box 3105
Shepherdstown, WV
917-727-2039
By appointment only
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betterwiththyme

Sarah | Better with Thyme Farm
I sadly don’t have any chicken photos today - we I sadly don’t have any chicken photos today - we’re in a cold snap and have been extra busy checking up on everyone and hauling water to replace all the frozen water etc and I haven’t gotten the camera outside.⁣ ⁣⁣ ⁣I do have the Isbar egg photo I promised. I’ll share a close up in my stories since I can’t get multiple photo posts to work right now.⁣ ⁣⁣ ⁣I find the pale blue and green eggs the hardest to photograph; they never quite look the same as in person but I think I got pretty close with these photos.⁣ ⁣⁣ ⁣These are my favorite eggs as far as color/pattern goes!⁣ ⁣⁣ ⁣#meetmychickenmonday @17chickensandcounting @chickouttawater
Day 16 / Throwback picture / #31daysofhomesteading Day 16 / Throwback picture / #31daysofhomesteading with @venturatohomestead⁣ ⁣⁣ ⁣I was hoping to share some photos of our urban food forest and our first ever backyard egg but since Instagram isn’t cooperating — am I the only one who gets a crash every time I try to post a carousel/more than one photo? — I’m sharing my first attempt at growing something edible. This pot of basil lived on a wood shelf in our skylight since our NYC apartment had no balcony and the only windows didn’t get enough light except just before sunset. The basil thrived in the hot little microclimate up in our skylight. It grew into a big bush several times after harvesting.
Day 14 / Lesson you learned / Day 15 / Something y Day 14 / Lesson you learned / Day 15 / Something your proud of #31daysofhomesteading with @venturatohomestead⁣ ⁣⁣ ⁣When I think about our process of beginning to set up our farm and build our house, I am almost overwhelmed by how many lessons we have learned in the last few years, but I am also proud of how much we survived and how much we have accomplished, getting our house built and getting our farm largely up and running.⁣ ⁣⁣ ⁣I think an umbrella lesson is to keep chasing your dream and focusing on what brings you joy and gets you feeling like showing up to life every single day. Even if you find yourself in way over your head, just keep focusing on your goals (and drop things that don’t align with your goals!). Every time we participate in welcoming new life into the world, like the little silkies above, reminds of this feeling of sticking with our dream.⁣ ⁣⁣ ⁣Another lesson is to be happy with what we have, even if it isn’t quite what we expected. When I imagined what it would be like to live in the house that we got to design and build, I didn’t expect that there would be certain quirks, but just like our previous more than 100 year old house (and I’m sure everyone’s houses!) there are oddities that came about during the process of translating an imagined place into a physical place. Shall we just embrace it all and call it character?⁣ ⁣⁣ ⁣Does anyone else have a lesson they want to share? I love hearing others’ reflections on their experiences!⁣ ⁣⁣ ⁣#babychick #bluesilkie #chicken #chickenfarm #chickenkeeping #chickenlife #chickenmama #chickens #chickensofig #chickensofinstagram #crazychickenlady #dailyfluff #farmfresh #homestead #homesteadinglife #lovemychickens #pastureraised #permaculture #permaculturechickens #petchickens #silkie #silkiechick #silkiechicken #silkiechicks #silkies #silkiesofinstagram #spoiledchickens #whitesilkie
Her hand-me-down coat wasn’t cutting it anymore Her hand-me-down coat wasn’t cutting it anymore and when she saw this one, she called it her silkie coat. Then the first thing she wanted to do was help feed the silkies and hold her favorite chicken, Alice. I think she was right; her coat fits in perfectly. Our littlest is definitely a #farmraisedkid; this is the only life she’s known. Thanks @sassy_feathers_farm for this fun hashtag! #backyardchickens #chicken #chickenfarm #chickenkeeper #chickenkeeping #chickenlife #chickenmama #chickens #chickensofig #chickensofinstagram #crazychickenlady #farmfresh #farmfresheggs #farmkids #fresheggs #homestead #homesteadinglife #lovemychickens #pastureraised #permaculture #permaculturechickens #petchickens #silkie #silkiechicken #silkiechicks #silkies #silkiesofinstagram #spoiledchickens
Day 13 / Mistake you made / #31daysofhomesteading Day 13 / Mistake you made / #31daysofhomesteading with @venturatohomestead We’ve made this mistake before (and it’s happening right now). This little gem was laid in one of the shelves of the desk in little Peter’s workshop. We have a whole bunch of pullets that are starting to lay and don’t know where to go since the winter housing we built for them doesn’t have any nest boxes and they’ve never been in the coops that do have nest boxes. Time to get building and teach them where to lay those eggs! Also, this egg is tiny (if we cracked it there would be no yolk). This sometimes happens with new layers. Another misfire with new layers is a really long, pointy egg. I’m thinking this one is darker since it’s so small but it would be awesome if the full size versions are as dark (swipe for a comparison to another Marans egg). #chicken #chickenfarm #chickenkeeper #chickenkeeping #chickenlife #chickenmama #chickens #chickensofig #chickensofinstagram #chocolateegg #crazychickenlady #egg #eggbasket #eggbasketcollective #eggenvy #eggrainbow #eggs #eggseggseggs #farmfresh #farmfresheggs #frenchblackcoppermarans #fresheggs #homestead #homesteadinglife #marans #maranschicken #pastureraised #permaculture #permaculturechickens
Somehow Friday snuck up on me this week but I can Somehow Friday snuck up on me this week but I can never sneak up on our LGDs. Even going through the door that doesn’t squeak and tiptoeing out at sunrise won’t get past these pups. Happy (almost missed it!) #farmpupfriday @parallel45farm #briaofbetterwiththyme #akcgreatpyrenees #farmdog #farmher #farmlifebestlife #giantpuppy #greatpyr #greatpyrenees #greatpyreneesfamily #greatpyreneeslife #greatpyreneesofig #greatpyreneesofinstagram #greatpyreneesoftheday #greatpyreneesofthehour #greatpyreneesofthemoment #greatpyreneespuppy #homesteading #instapuppy #lgd #livestockguardian #livestockguardiandog #pyreneespuppy #pyrpup
Hey, where’d all my friends go? Day 12 / Someth Hey, where’d all my friends go? Day 12 / Something you’re working on / #31daysofhomesteading with @venturatohomestead This chick is part of a project I’m working on, combining some of my favorite breeds with the goal of creating a signature Better with Thyme “Thyme Egger.” Goals include medium green, mossy tone eggs with speckles, a chicken with a sweet temperament and I hope to keep certain physical characteristics from individual breeds (like beards and feathered legs). It will likely take several years but I’m excited to try out this aspect of chicken keeping! #babychick #backyardchickens #chickenbreeder #chickenbreeding #chickenfarm #chickenkeeper #chickenkeeping #chickenlife #chickenmama #chickens #chickensofinstagram #crazychickenlady #designerchicken #homestead #homesteadinglife #lovemychickens #pastureraised #permaculture #permaculturechickens #petchickens #petphotography #spoiledchickens
Day 10 / Favorite spot / Day 11 / Something you ma Day 10 / Favorite spot / Day 11 / Something you made / #31daysofhomesteading with @venturatohomestead I share my favorite spot often (the view from our east deck, of the cedar/juniper trees along the lane beyond the rolling pasture). So I thought I would share our 8 year old’s favorite spot. He had some help getting the boards up on the walls but he organized everything himself. In this spot there is also a very large shelving unit that he is working on building himself out of pallets we salvaged and saved. #selfdirectededucation #garage #tools #workshop #homestead #enchantedchildhood #magicchildhood #homeschool #homeschooledkid #homeschoollife #childhoodunplugged #childledlearning
I wanted to take updated photos of the chicks we h I wanted to take updated photos of the chicks we hatched on Christmas, and the kids brought Apple over to photo bomb. I think everyone had fun! #appleofbetterwiththyme #babychick #bluesilkie #bunniesofig #bunniesofinstagram #bunny #bunnylove #bunnyoftheday #bunnyrabbit #cagefreebunny #chickenmama #chickens #chickensofinstagram #crazychickenlady #cutebunny #dailyfluff #hollandlop #igbunny #ilovemybunny #petphotography #petsofinstagram #rabbit #rabbits #rabbitsofinstagram #silkie #silkiechick #silkiechicken #silkies #silkiesofinstagram
Whenever our county sends out a dense fog advisory Whenever our county sends out a dense fog advisory message I think about how little fog effects us, since we aren’t obligated to commute or drive anywhere on any particular day. Lucky, sure, but also not just luck because we took the leap to set up our lives this way. The fog last night and this morning was dense and beautiful. As I completed the morning chores I watched the fog slowly burn off and drift away in the almost imperceptible breeze. It was breathtaking. Recently I’ve shared about why we farm, as it relates to our health and allergic reactions to modern “food.” Mornings like this morning remind me that those reasons are more of a symptom than a true cause. Or maybe a spark that lit the fire within that was already there and waiting to burn bright and strong and warm. There is a much more basic reason than allergies; a deep calling in our souls to tend to the earth and animals and ourselves. To connect to the universe around us and to try to make a positive impact on every living thing we encounter. I suspect all of us homesteaders/farmers feel this on some level, right? I’d love for you to share your WHY on #homesteaderhaven What inspired you to take the road less traveled? Please remember to tag and follow your hosts: @themustardseedfarmco @sassy_feathers_farm @virginia.farm.living @one.grace.filled.life and tag a friend or 2 to play along. I’m tagging @awakeningourfarm @coppercoopacres and @hilltopheritagefarm to share.
Last Monday I shared an Isbar rooster with you and Last Monday I shared an Isbar rooster with you and here is a photo of what he looked like as a chick! Out of all the breeds we raise, the Isbar chicks have the most unique look to them. A lot are two tone black and white like this and there are blues, mottled blue and the splash ones that look pure white. I think it’s fun when you can easily distinguish one chick from another of the same breed. (Not so easy with some other breeds like the Lavender Orpington chicks.)⁣ ⁣⁣ ⁣Happy #meetmychickenmonday @17chickensandcounting and @chickouttawater⁣ ⁣⁣ ⁣#isbarchicken #babychicks #babychicksofinstagram #chickens #chickenmama #chickenfarm #petchickens #chickenlife #chickenkeeper #lovemychickens #chickenkeeping #backyardchickens #chickensofinstagram #homesteadinglife #homestead #petphotography #crazychickenlady #spoiledchickens #permaculture #permaculturechickens #pastureraised
Mint: “Hey dad I was just trying to watch the si Mint: “Hey dad I was just trying to watch the silkies.”⁣⁣ ⁣⁣Beau: “Not when there’s snow on the ground son.”⁣⁣ ⁣⁣Blossom: “I wish he invited me to play.”⁣⁣ ⁣⁣⁣⁣ ⁣⁣We currently only have a tiny bit of snow left since it was nearly 60 today, but when there is snow even the big dogs can’t help but reverting to playful puppy mode. ⁣⁣ ⁣⁣⁣⁣ ⁣⁣Tomorrow is forecasted to be 66! I made a lot of progress on my beauty/order intention today and hope to do more tomorrow.⁣⁣ ⁣⁣⁣⁣ ⁣⁣Today I removed some unneeded old fence posts and t-posts that were detracting from our view and gathered up loose materials left around in various places. We also started moving our fire pit recently and today I finished that up and extended the garden fence to encompass the whole area I intend to plant this spring!⁣ ⁣⁣⁣⁣ ⁣⁣Happy #farmpupfriday (and happy birthday too!) @parallel45farm ⁣⁣ ⁣⁣⁣⁣ ⁣⁣#mintofbetterwiththyme #beauofbetterwiththyme #blossomofbetterwiththyme #akcgreatpyrenees #farmdog #farmher #farmlifebestlife #giantpuppy #greatpyr #greatpyrenees #greatpyreneesfamily #greatpyreneeslife #greatpyreneesofig #greatpyreneesofinstagram #greatpyreneesoftheday #greatpyreneesofthehour #greatpyreneesofthemoment #greatpyreneespuppy #homesteading #instapuppy #lgd #livestockguardian #livestockguardiandog #pyreneespuppy #pyrpup
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