- ABOUT US -
We like to say our story begins when Brandon and I fell in love in the fall of 2011. Brandon was serving as a Scout Attack Helicopter Pilot stationed at Fort Polk, and I was selling houses as a real estate agent in Lafayette, Louisiana. A short time after we met, Brandon was struck with severe headaches that lasted over four and a half months. He began to experience numerous unexplained medical conditions that have been recurring ever since. He endured an arduous journey of testing, speculation, and experimental treatment that resulted in his medical retirement from the military and the end of his aviation career. Brandon was prescribed a litany of medications that all began to interfere with his quality of life and further exacerbate his physical well-being. With the responsibilities of supporting a new young family and the complexities of Brandon’s health, we decided to make a complete change. Brandon and I located a large tract of land with three decrepit structures on it and set to work acquiring the property that would later become Cockeyed Farms.
We moved our family to Washington, Louisiana in the fall of 2016. The next year was dedicated to cleaning the property, a complete renovation of a small farmhouse and a total diet overhaul and supplement purge. Brandon systematically demolished, artfully designed and rebuilt the house while I researched holistic remedies, began cooking only whole foods and instituted a new way of life dedicated to healthy living by purging prescription medications and processed foods.
Through extensive research of holistic living, Brandon discovered the healing benefits of American Elderberry, and incorporated it into our family's supplement regimen. His research unveiled that the overwhelming majority of elderberry products are made with dehydrated berries that are imported from Europe. While all elderberry is good, he found that American Elderberry is best, and embarked on a journey that has taken him all over the United States; allowing apprenticeship opportunities at farms learning firsthand about this incredible super fruit.
In the spring of 2018, Cockeyed Farms became the first commercial American Elderberry Farm in the state of Louisiana. Utilizing sustainable growing practices, we are working toward an organic certification and are excited to offer hand crafted, small batch American Elderberry products that feature only the best ingredients.
2019 brought HUGE changes for our family and we moved Cockeyed Farms to Folsom, Louisiana. The property we purchased has an established blueberry orchard on it and we are proud to present premium American elderberry, blueberry and unique honey infusions from our family farm to your table. We host friends and family by appointment to pick our delicious blueberries and have thoroughly enjoyed welcoming hundreds of guests in our short tenure on the Northshore. Stay tuned, folks! We are just getting started!
In September 2018, we partnered with the Louisiana Grazing Lands Coalitions and the National Resources Conservation Service to host their first Veterans Pasture Walk. A dozen farmers came to our farm to collaborate and offer advice on how to best utilize our property.
This opportunity allowed us to network and provide a support group for other Louisiana veterans who are transitioning to life after the military. As first generation farmers we are honored to work with and for our Nation's finest in an effort to preserve and care for the land to the best of our ability.
This video showcases our farm and our journey and we would like to thank Taylor Frey Productions for the clear depiction of who we are and why we are doing this.