VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — Virginia Beach natives Kevin and Candice Warren went down a road less traveled five years ago — they bought a 15-acre farm in the Pungo neighborhood.
“I’ve never been an outdoorsy person, not that good with animals. I’ve definitely done a lot of things I never would have done, like vaccinating cows, riding the horses and butchering chickens,” Candice said.This all started when the nurse and mortgage broker wanted to start eating healthier.
“I started finding out how our food is produced in the U.S. and all the additives and preservatives added, and I thought if I was trying to eat the best food that I could, I’d just make my own,” Kevin said.
So they bought more than a dozen cows and chickens.
“We try to make it as natural and clean as possible, with no antibiotics or hormones,” Kevin said.They also wanted their neighbors to have access to fresh, natural food, so they sell meat, poultry and eggs in the store at the front of the farm.
“I thought if we had a store here, you could come and buy something for dinner that you can make in less than an hour,” Candice said.
They also sell products from neighboring farms — pork, bison, lamb, fresh bread and other homegrown goods.
And no, your eyes are not deceiving you — there are two zebras who live here too.
I asked the Air Force veteran what their role is at the farm. He told me about a visit to Hunt Club Farm a few years back.
“The kids were screaming and being loud, and I went over to be by the zebra, and she was just standing by the fence. She was really soft and quiet and would just stand there, so I thought that was really neat,” Kevin said.
So he contacted a breeder and bought Elvis and Ozzie to bring some calm to the herd.
And what about the Doodle Doo name?
“Our son used to call roosters ‘doodle doos,’ and when we started, we needed a name — so we thought it would be fun to name it that,” Kevin said.
Fun for sure! And if you call ahead, the Warrens say you can come say hi to Elvis, Ozzie and the whole crew.
The Warrens and Doodle Doo Farm — cultivating fresh, healthy food in your neighborhood — are positively Hampton Roads.
You can find Doodle Doo Farms on Facebook and their address is 416 Princess Anne Road, Virginia Beach, 23457.
