Rock House Farm was established in 2005, when Keith Kelly purchased some 1,750 acres in Leesburg which is in Lee County, GA. He named it for an old tenant and sharecropper house made of rocks that still sits on the property today and is used for guests. The little rock house has stood on the property since the 1920s. 

The old Rock House is made from local limestone native to the area.

Over the next 10 years, other adjoining farms were purchased, and Rock House Farm now comprises more than 4,000 acres. 

Taking Care of the Land

“We use the land in many ways,” says Kelly, “From raising commercial and specialty crops and our grass-fed cattle herd and hogs. We also have habitat management program for deer and quail populations on the farm.”

Rock House Farm is involved in land conservation through planting native grasses and vegetation throughout the property, as well as habitat preservation planting longleaf pines each year. Longleaf pines offer the best nesting habitat for quail.

The farm has even been developed to include 15 irrigated fields that are designated for crop and grass-fed cattle production. Commercial crops include corn, soybeans, and peanuts. Two varieties of heirloom corn are also grown to supply the Farmview Market Grist Mill in Madison, GA. Farmview uses these heirloom varieties to produce grits and cornmeal. Small acreages of sweet corn are also grown and picked fresh to supply Farmview Market.

Taking Care of the Animals

The cattle operation includes a cow-calf component as well as a finishing operation for producing grass-fed and grass-finished beef for Farmview Market. Using irrigation allows Rock House to grow high quality forage on a year-round basis, which translates into tender, flavorful beef being produced throughout the year. Working with University of Georgia forage specialists has been a big help in creating a rotational grazing program and in selecting the proper forages needed to finish top quality animals.

The heritage hog operation entails breeding registered Berkshire hogs and then raising and finishing the offspring from that registered stock. The hogs are raised in an open environment that combines woods and pasture. They obtain some of their diet from grazing but are also fed a blended ration from a local feed mill to ensure that they stay healthy and happy.

We believe in taking care of our land and animals, honoring them through traditional production methods that you can feel good about. Rock House Farm makes it easy to choose natural products that are good for both your family and the environment. We know that all good things come with time—sometimes doing things the long way, the right way. We invite you to taste the Rock House difference!