Smokeshire Hilltop Farms is owned and run by Peter Hudkins and Donna McNeill-Hudkins, continuing what Peter’s father started back in the 70’s.
Their goal is to have a traditional, sustainable Vermont Hillside Farm using old and new technology. They raise blueberries in the summer, are tree farmers doing restorative forestry with horses; and they process and sell firewood. They also raise and sell grass fed lamb to local restaurants and markets, as well as to individuals for their freezers.
Peter is “The Farmer”; he has spent most of his life here in Vermont, first spending summers at his grandmother’s farm in Windham, and then on his parent's farm (The Farmhouse) he graduated from high school here in Chester. Peter left Vermont at times (as all Vermonters do) to pursue other areas and careers. He worked for years building many of Vermont roads, bridges and on hydro projects. He eventually got his AS degree in Civil Engineering from VTC and his BS from RIT. Most recently he worked in the Boston area for a top Construction company. He was responsible for the completion of many of the Boston area’s top projects including buildings at M.I.T, Children’s Hospital, Mass General Hospital, Brandeis University and Novardus.
Donna grew up and spent most of her life in the Boston area (got her college degree in Western Mass.) She has just retired from her position in Human Resources at the local school district and continues contract work as a Corporate Trade Show and Events Manager where she has over 20 years experience.
Making the decision to move full time to Vermont, they built a home up the road from the Farmhouse (Peter’s family home). Peter used all of his expertise to design and build their unique home to be energy efficient and it is powered by Solar Panels, a Wind Turbine, and heated with firewood from their own land. The house has been featured in several articles on Energy Efficiency and using alternative energy in building homes.
Peter and Donna have been living full time in Vermont since 2004, and Peter has been working full time on the farm since 2010. They work on the farm with "Jenn", our Border Collie a working farm dog, Rocky an Australian Shepherd, three Heritage Suffolk Punch Draft Horses and about 25+ Dorset sheep. Oh, and one cat who let us live with him.
Their goal is to have a traditional, sustainable Vermont Hillside Farm using old and new technology. They raise blueberries in the summer, are tree farmers doing restorative forestry with horses; and they process and sell firewood. They also raise and sell grass fed lamb to local restaurants and markets, as well as to individuals for their freezers.
Peter is “The Farmer”; he has spent most of his life here in Vermont, first spending summers at his grandmother’s farm in Windham, and then on his parent's farm (The Farmhouse) he graduated from high school here in Chester. Peter left Vermont at times (as all Vermonters do) to pursue other areas and careers. He worked for years building many of Vermont roads, bridges and on hydro projects. He eventually got his AS degree in Civil Engineering from VTC and his BS from RIT. Most recently he worked in the Boston area for a top Construction company. He was responsible for the completion of many of the Boston area’s top projects including buildings at M.I.T, Children’s Hospital, Mass General Hospital, Brandeis University and Novardus.
Donna grew up and spent most of her life in the Boston area (got her college degree in Western Mass.) She has just retired from her position in Human Resources at the local school district and continues contract work as a Corporate Trade Show and Events Manager where she has over 20 years experience.
Making the decision to move full time to Vermont, they built a home up the road from the Farmhouse (Peter’s family home). Peter used all of his expertise to design and build their unique home to be energy efficient and it is powered by Solar Panels, a Wind Turbine, and heated with firewood from their own land. The house has been featured in several articles on Energy Efficiency and using alternative energy in building homes.
Peter and Donna have been living full time in Vermont since 2004, and Peter has been working full time on the farm since 2010. They work on the farm with "Jenn", our Border Collie a working farm dog, Rocky an Australian Shepherd, three Heritage Suffolk Punch Draft Horses and about 25+ Dorset sheep. Oh, and one cat who let us live with him.
