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Throughout each season, there is always a warm welcome for every visitor that comes to CornerStone Farm.

The original portion of the farm house was built in the late 1800s with the new additions added in the 1980s and in 2004 to accommodate our B&B guests.

92 acres make up the farm.

Summer
This is a sitting flower garden off from the front of the house. The donkey and horse pastures border the garden.

There is always something in bloom Spring through Fall.

Winter
Even in the starkness of Winter there is a beauty to the land that leaves you in awe.

Winters are not cold enough here to freeze the pond at a safe thickness, so we don't get the chance to skate on it (sigh).

Spring
From early Spring to the start of Summer there is a never ending burst of colors throughout the farm that can be enjoyed while sipping tea on the porch.

This is the original barn we chose for our does. Originally this was used to feed the cattle for a small Angus beef operation.

There was lots of work to be done before we could safely bring the goats to live here. We needed to convert all the buildings to accommodate the livestock, including service for water and electric.

As you can see we have done a lot of work to the barn. We still have more to do and will complete it as time allows.

The small red hutch in the foreground houses our two pet Netherland Dwarf rabbits.

The barn is built on two levels to accommodate the rolling hills. As you enter the door to the barn, you walk onto a platform area. We use this area for barn storage and kidding.

We have modular pens we set up to the left during kidding season so each doe has a separate stall to stay with her kids for a couple of weeks. We have a total of eight pens set up during kidding season.

After the kids are a couple weeks old, we put them in stalls down in the lower level. Outside the door is a small "nursery" pasture where they stay with mom until about five weeks old. They are then released with mom in the main pasture with the whole herd.

We keep two pens up all year round for any need we may have to care for goats where they can be away from the herd.

At the end of the platform is a short set of stairs that takes you down to the lower level.

This view allows you to look over the whole lower room like an observation deck.

During warm weather we have any of six fans going to keep the heat and humidity flowing out of the barn.

During extreme cold weather in kidding season, we use heat lamps on the newborn kids as needed.

As you leave the observation deck, you follow a walkway to your left. This brings you down to the milking parlor and out the back door.

The barn is constructed with dual weather in mind. The upper barn has solid siding and the lower barn is open slatted, giving the does options as to where they want to be, depending on barn temperatures and weather conditions.

This shows the major room in the doe barn. We have platforms in many sizes and shapes for the does to lounge on.

We have a refrigerator in the barn to store all the goat's meds and that needed soft drink in the warm weather when working around the farm.

Photo A shows the "nursery" at ground level and pen area to the small pasture out side.

Photo B shows another area at the end of the walkway that we use for hay storage and it also doubles as another larger stall as the need arises.

The barn tools hang on the wall to the left.

This is the approach into the little milking parlor. This was our original barn we built back in 1996 when we purchased our first two goats. I knew we would eventually need a bigger, "real" barn and that I would convert this into a functioning small scale milking parlor.

Photo A shows the approach from the side hallway down to the parlor. Photo B is a head-on view.

This is the view as you open the parlor door. The room serves as milking facility and infirmary for medical exams, administration of veterinary services, and hoof trimming.

On the cabinet, we have everything needed to make milking time more pleasurable: a tape player for music, a candy jar, a fan for keeping cool, a microwave for baby bottles & coffee, and a dish rack to dry all milk utensils.

Photo A shows the little milk stand. It is a converted weight bench. We feed the does while we milk. I place a towel on the bench to prevent slipping and it easily removes for cleaning from dirty little hoofs. A padded piano stool serves as a milking stool.

Photo B shows a working sink equipped with both hot and cold running water. We also have a supply of commonly used meds on hand.

Photo A is a picture of the milking machine. The does are accustomed to both hand-milking and machine milking. As more does freshen and are added to the milking string, we switch over to the machine and revert back to hand milking when drying off.

Photo B is a storage cabinet that we have all the towels, medical equipment, and of course a stockpile of animal crackers placed in.

This is a view of the pasture looking out from the side of the barn to the right.

This is a favorite hang out for the goats during the early morning sun when the heat of the day is not yet too high. The terrain in this part of Virginia is very hilly, making it perfect for goats to enjoy.

The does have about five acres to play.

On the left is the original barn we chose for our bucks when we purchased the farm in November 2001. It is the only remaining tobacco barn on the property from the early days of raising tobacco on the property.

This barn was once used to shelter cattle. Much work was done inside and out, before we could safely bring the bucks to live here.

Photo A shows a small inner area in the barn that is reserved for people. This allows access into the buck barn without being in direct contact with the bucks. I still choose to go in to feed and water my bucks. This contact with them twice a day leaves them very friendly and approachable.

Photo B shows the separate areas in the buck barn for bucklings up to a year old (on the left). At 1 year old they are turned in with the senior buck herd.

Looking out of the lean-to from the senior buck's side, you see their well-treed pasture. The bucks have about one and a half acres to romp in.

Their favorite play is "king of the mountain" on the platform.

Their pasture borders the poultry compound on the top of the hill.

The buck barn is always open due to the way it is constructed and Cana's clear sense in guarding against all danger.

We lock the bucklings in the barn at night for protection as Cana does not have access into their pasture while they are young.

We use the lean-to for the equine in really bad weather, placing the bucks in the barn.

Even Beka gets to be "queen" once in a while.

This small pen serves as a run in shelter, calving area, and veterinary treatment facility. The furthest gate allows access to the main pasture.

B

Photo A shows a head gate at the end of a chute to safely hold a cow for administering veterinary medicine.

Photo B shows a cow and her calf in the cattle pen.

Even the donkeys don't mind the winters here in Virginia. Snow or ice stay on the ground for only a day before the sun melts it all away.