About Us
The Wool Family Farm is a first generation farm. Home to a dozen Angus/Galloway/Highland cows, various heritage-breed chickens, two donkeys, a dozen Muscovy ducks, thirty Nubian dairy goats, two Tennessee walking horses, two dozen Mangalitsa pigs, and two Stumpy-tailed Australian Cattle dogs. The farm produces:
- Manglitsa pigs and Nubian dairy goats for breeding stock
- Pasture-raised beef and premium Mangalitsa pork
- Handcrafted goat milk soap
- Children’s books written and illustrated by Evelyn Wool
- Farm tours, goat yoga, birthday parties, coprorate events, and workshops, such as soap-making and cheese-making
Owners Evelyn Wool, a former industrial engineer and data specialist, and Robert Wool, a restaurateur/entrepreneur, starting a farm was a welcome change of lifestyle. The couple moved from Connecticut to North Carolina and started the farm from scratch, with no prior experience, learning everything from neighbors, fellow breeders, the local livestock extension, and . . . Google.
Now celebrating its 10th Anniversary, the Wools have added an on-site Farm Market & Soap Shop, with hours by appointment, and an online shop with local pickup or shipping.
Robert
Robert is a Joint Venture Partner with Bloomin’ Brands, overseeing ten Outback Steak House restaurants in the Carolinas.
In his spare time, he builds/mends fences, shelters, water lines and automatic waterers, feeding systems, sprays fence lines, and handles any other farm project thrown at him.
Robert is the farm’s large animal manager. He introduced Mangalitsa pigs to the farm as a premium product for breeding animals and specialty pork.
Robert Corporate outings and parties are Robert’s specialty.
Evelyn
Evelyn spends her days milking goats, planning breedings, managing kiddings, registering goats, tattooing, hoof-trimming, clipping, marketing, making goat milk soap, leading workshops, and vending at farmer’s markets.
In her spare time, Evelyn serves on the boards of the Johnston County Arts Council and the Johnston County Goat Producers Association. She is an active member of the North Carolina Daairy Goat Breeders Association, showings goats at the NCDBA Memorial Weekend Show and the North Carolina State Fair.
In her spare time, Evelyn writes the series Stories from The Wool Family Farm and is the author/illustrator of fun and educational children’s books featuring endearing animals, like Mischievous Misty, the curious goat always getting herself into trouble. Or, Eve’s Big Day on the Farm, featuring a day Gram and Eve spend whizzing around the farm, meeting and feeding the animals and discovering flora and fauna.
Photo Album
Favorite moments on the farm.
Who We Were Back Then
Together, the couple built outdoor projects scratch, including a greenhouse, a tree fort, an arial rope slide, two recirculating water features, a outdoor putting green, and a formal garden with a pergula.
Robert built an upscale, independent steakhouse from two separate store fronts, rebuilt the reputation of a fifty-year steakhouse, converted a third restaurant to host large parties, adding outdoor seating, and revamped a concession operation providing catering for golf outings. Robert was known for his creativity, developing regular events such as live music and comedy, mystery wine tastings, and fashion shows for each venue.
A former industrrial engineer and management consultant, Evelyn worked independently from home sewing window treatments, designing home renovation projects, and prroviding administrative and graphic design support for the family restaurants while raising three children. Her last full-time employment was as data specialist for the local public school system.
The Vision: You Look Like a Farmer
One day, in their Connecticut back yard, Robert was hand-digging a six-foot-deep pit to hold water for a recirculating water feature the Wools were building around a giant boulder in their suburban Connecticut backyard, when a vision struck Evelyn.
Mesmerized by the rhythmic thrust, stomp, hoist, and toss of the shovel, a scene unfolds in my mind as daylight wanes. I see a broken fence post tangled in a ball of wires on a lonely stretch of pasture. A rooster crows in the distance as the first hint of light breaks the eastern horizon. A man with sweat stains seeping through his grayish undershirt and gaping holes in his pant legs, spears the ground repeatedly with a pole-digger, plucking and releasing small mounds of soil from the ground, creating a neat, round hole for a new post.
A nearby cow looks up from the grass and gives the man a hearty “Moo” hello.
The nearest house is a mile away. No witnesses around to take note of the man’s appearance. No minutes-before-closing trip to the market is needed, for adjacent to the pasture is a large garden bursting with vegetables. Swiss chard, spinach, collard, and mustard greens; scallions, radishes, beets, turnips, and carrots; iceberg, red leaf, and Romain lettuces soak up the early morning dew. Vines of melons and pumpkins race to the corners of the plot, obscuring their fruits beneath lattice-patterned leaves.
Excerpt from the short story:
You Look Like a Farmer
by Evelyn Wool
When Evelyn shared her vision with Robert, she expected him to scoff and tell her it was a silly dream . . . instead, Robert said, “Let’s buy a cow.” Four years and a 600-mile move later, they did.
Above: Robert with farm’s first two Angus cows, Pork Chop (left) and Wilma.
Below: Evelyn with Mischievous Misty, one of the farrm’s foundation goats.
