About The farm

Hi, I’m Paula! My husband Phil and I had a desire to live the simple life but do it in the most unusual and complicated way. We manage Hidden Hills Homestead in South Glastonbury CT where we offer Puppies to loving homes, rent RVs and sell livestock as a way to keep things afloat. We have occasionally rescued but we are not a “real rescue” since this is a working farm where we raise meat and breed animals. This is not our farm, but land and animals that we are grateful to be a part of. In 2014 Juan Villamizar heard my husband was a veteran looking for land to raise our animals on when we were moving from fort Polk Louisiana to CT. He told us to come on out! It was a miracle as his land was in my hometown and farming in Glastonbury was something I had been dreaming of since I was a child. When I thanked him for allowing us to be here, he replied, “ I’m just paying it forward”. This also resonated with us as we had tried to pay it forward by giving a free ram to other veterans since we had started farming. My husband was in the Army for 10 years. During that time, we saw the need for animal connection for our family and those that we knew. Military life is challenging not only for the service member, but for those who love and support them. We felt that animals were some of the best healers. We started the Pay it forward sheep, goat, puppies and ponies for veterans program as a way to show gratitude for the help + support we have been given in our farming adventures. This support has made it possible to conserve a Endangered breed of sheep, Rescue horses and other farm animals when people had to move or could no longer care for, and help place dogs being retired from breeding situations. To keep these programs going we need your help!

Please consider donating, sponsoring an animal, renting an RV or purchasing a puppy from us!

More about our sheep,

There are approximately 150 Santa Cruz sheep left in the world. In 2012, we met Marion Stanley, who had gone to Santa Cruz Island with the Livestock Conservancy to rescue the sheep when they were being slaughtered on the Island. When we met him, he was looking for new stewards for his sheep since it was becoming challenging for him to care for the flock and they were being eaten by a mountain lion. So we bought a livestock trailer and moved sheep from California to Louisiana since the Army gave us orders to move. We moved the sheep again in 2014 from Louisiana to Connecticut where we have been blessed to use this 20 acres of land to conserve this flock and raise other animals. (special thanks again to Juan and Sarah Villamizar for allowing us to use this amazing property to care for thee animals and make these programs happen!) The catch is the sheep don’t always earn their keep… The puppies do, but if we are giving them away to veterans, we don’t have the funds to feed our sheep. Help to save this critically endangered breed and support our pay it forward programs for veterans! Please consider purchasing one of our animals or donating today.

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“This place is magical. ”
— Said by an 11 year old who had never been to a farm and was afraid to get out of the car.

What we do

  • Sell Puppies.

  • Rent RV’s (see adventure page)

  • We sell Wool

  • We conserve an endangered breed of sheep.

  • We have taken in sheep when people had to move and do not want their pet sheep to be dinner

  • We educate individuals who come to the farm about animals and heritage breeds if they want to listen to me go on about them.

  • Plant Sale

  • Free rams to approved Veterans

  • Pay it forward Puppy Program for Veterans

  • We have pulled horses from slaughter (10 so far)

 

  • We participate in an annual free live nativity in Ellington, CT

  • We provide consultation to individuals interested in raising livestock to help with the learning curve

  • Giving Garden, excess produce goes to families in need

  • Horseback Riding lessons For children with disabilities occasionally.

 

What we have achieved

  • 2016 - Rescued 8 horses from going to slaughter

  • Rescued a Shetland Sheep from being Christmas dinner

  • 2017 - Our flock has grown to 38 Santa sheep making it one of the largest flocks in the US.

  • 2017 - Took in Bobby, a Nubian dairy goat and her baby whose family was moving and needed a new home right away.

  • 2018 - We have Electricity!!

  • 2018 - Started rebuilding the Greenhouse.

  • 2019 - We finally have running water at the farm!!! Thanks to donations + the Owner of the Farm and Dalmik Well Drilling for supporting us with a discount that made it possible

  • Spring 2020- Our incomplete Greenhouse fell down in a storm and we were fortunate to rebuild it better with lumber purchased by the owner of the farm and donated Materials. Thanks to Wing-side in Weatherfield and North East Power washing in Glastonbury for the Doors and windows

  • June 2020. Helping for find homes for Abby and Molly, 2 ponies that were giving to us by their owner in hopes of finding a loving forever home.

  • Summer 2020 Started the Pay it Forward Puppy Program for Veterans.

  • August 2020 Donated 2 ponies, Abbey Molly to a local veteran family as part of the pay it forward pony Program.

  • 2012 - Rescued 17 Santa Cruz Sheep that were being attacked by a mountain lion in King City, CA

  • 2012 - Moved the flock to Leesville, Louisiana

  • Invited Veterans and their families out to the farm weekly to give them an opportunity to connect with farm animals

  • Provided farm based education and activities at Anderson Farms for 3500.00 children in the south west Louisiana area

  • Had a barn raising even where 100 individuals from the community came out to help build a barn for our animals. We offered free pony ride and crafts for the kids and a large barbecue to thank all our volunteers.

  • Offered free nature classes for preschoolers

  • Moved animals to Hidden Hills Homestead in CT

  • 2015 - Welcomed our Santa Cruz ram Burt to the farm to add new genetics to our flock from East Hill Inn