Windy Acres Farm was established in the early 1960's by Okey and Helen Rhodes (Tasha's grandparents). The farm has served many purposes over the years from a small dairy farm used as primary income for the family as Okey sold and delivered Grade B milk to a winter home for beef cattle and finally Okey's post retirement hobby and passion as a sheep farm. The sheep farm was at its peak in the late 1980's and early 1990's when Okey and Helen had over 100 ewes. Crossbred sheep were housed on the "old home place" while Okey kept his prized possession, purebred Suffolks, at the Windy Acres location. Okey and Helen raised sheep for the love of the creatures and to supply high quality animals to the local 4-H kids. Many of the pedigrees were from Sponaugle, Knapp, and McNeil stock. Farm operations ceased in 2007 after Okey's death.
While Helen (Granny) and her daughter continued to occupy the residence the farm was void of animals until 2014 when her grand-daughter and family moved in to help take care of Helen and her daughter. Helen's only living child passed away in the fall of 2014 and something had to be done to revitalize Helen. She began travelling again and went with Tasha and David and her great-grandchildren to a nearby farm in Wirt County to help her great-granddaughter select her first 4-H Market Lamb. Helen "lit up like a Christmas tree" and the family knew this was the key. Shortly thereafter, Granny and the family were at the WV Purebred Sheep and Goat Sale in Petersburg on a mission to revitalize the Windy Acres Sheep Farm. Granny carefully selected her initial 6 ewes and ram and not by coincidence she bought from some of the same breeders and she and Okey favored years ago.
Sadly, Helen joined her husband and daughters in their heavenly home in January 2016 and never got to experience the first lambing season. She would be surprised to see the growth of the farm as David and Tasha Bailey and their children now have 37 ewes. Windy Acres Farm supplies the lambs for both the Putnam County Ewe and Me Program and the Cabell County Special Lamb Project. The farm is currently owned and operated by David & Tasha Bailey as a hobby and in honor of Okey and Helen Rhodes.
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