Galloway meat is lean with lower fat and cholesterol and extremely tasty. Our Belted Galloway cattle are raised in a natural, low-stress environment, feed on lush green pastures and are completely hormone-free, resulting in a beef product that is exceptionally tender, full of flavor, and juicy. (not our animal)
The beginning of our story starts in the 1800’s in Saxony, Germany. Long ago, this area was a hotbed of the revolutionaries who took part of the May Uprising in Dresden. During this time, in 1844 the East Tennessee Colonization Company promoted land sales in the Cumberland region. During this time, they targeted immigrants from the kingdom of Saxony who were attempting to flee poor economic conditions and the constant threat of war. During this time Christian F. and Johanna Heidle immigrated along with Saxony family friend Carl Augustus Weigel across the Atlantic Ocean on a small boat for three months to come to America.
The Heidle’s settled on a large piece of property in what is now Eastern Tennessee. The family had eight children. In July 1845, the largest contingent tracts were located at the southwest end of Bird Mountain on a minor plateau between Crooked Fork Creek and Emory river. Part of that land was owned by the Heidle family. There Guenther established a center of a settlement with the popular German name “Wartburg” in memories from the mountain fortress in Wartburg, Germany.
The Heidle's had a son named Ed Heidle, he is the grandfather of Love Heidle. Love Heidle is the father of Margaret Heidle who married James Howard Gibson. Love practiced many types of farming but mainly specialized in meat processing, dairy, and operating saw mills. Love farmed the property and took care of the land on Liberty Road for years. The house that Margaret Heidle was born in still stands to this day, Love built the house from lumber he cut and saw milled on the property for his family. Crooked Fork Farms in the 1930s was diversified, growing a variety of crops in the fields, vegetables in the garden and fruit in the orchards. Love usually raised chickens, eggs, hogs, and cattle, as well as keeping horses and mules for work, and sometimes kept bees and harvested the honey but one of Loves most wanted products was his Strawberry, Blackberry, and Muscadine wine while Mina loves wife baked her own breads, made cheese and many other farm goods. Years later, Love and Minas daughter Margaret and her sons Mark and James would start to rebuild the farm and the property. After retiring from a long career in iron fabrication, Mark returned to the property to reintroduce farming principles to the land. Mark, "Paw" is known for his ability to fix anything.
This is the beginning of the Crooked Fork Farm Family as we know it, as history began and all the potential it holds in store.
Farm Fresh Meat vs Store Meat
The meat you find in a grocery store is mass-produced. Its origins are more like a factory than a traditional farm. Operating with government subsidies, the purpose of these meat factories is to produce as much meat as possible and the quality goes down. Some of these facilities are processing as many 5,000 animals per day.
The owner of Crooked Fork Farms and matriarch of the Gibson family, she is the daughter of Love and Mina Heidel. She's the strong, graceful force that helps keep the farm going.
James is our State of Tennessee Master Farm Manager, Master Beef and Small Ruminate Producer. and over sees the day to day. With a degree in Criminal Justice and a background in criminal investigations and education he brings a wealth of experiences to the farm.
Paw is known for his ability to fix anything and rig up a solution. Paw whose experienced in dairy, beef, poultry, equine and everything goat always provides good experience. When in doubt, always call Paw.
Roger is always providing a helping hand installing fence, cutting brush and administering medicine to livestock. He is an invaluable piece of our family and operation.
Dylan, a pipe fitter by trade has a non-stop work ethic and is who you want on any job that the farm offers.
This sweet teenager cares for the calves and goats who are sick or need extra attention. She likes to feed them after coming home from practices.
Our resident spunky kid who is the farms goat caller. Alivia helps feed the livestock and herd them. Liv's favorite thing to do is feed the animals out of her hands.
If your in need of gravel, mulch, top soil, fill dirt or need something hauled please dont hestiate to contact us.