Antiquity Oaks was founded as an old-fashioned homestead in 2002 by the Niemann-Boehle family. We are former city slickers who wanted to become self sufficient and have easy access to organically grown food. We share our 32 acres with goats, sheep, pigs, poultry, a Jersey milk cow, and a guard llama. Although none of us had any experience with livestock, we learned to successfully raise animals by reading books and finding mentors over the Internet. We built our own home and homeschooled our children. In addition to raising much of our own food, we started selling a small amount of meat, eggs, wool, and homemade soap to customers who valued natural foods and products as much as we did.

Then the children grew up, went away to college, and got careers. But Mike and Deborah loved the country life so much, they decided to turn their homestead into a teaching farm so others could learn about sustainable agriculture and homesteading. Deborah is the author of Homegrown and Handmade: A Practical Guide to More Self-Reliant Living (2011 and 2017), Ecothrifty: Cheaper, Greener Choices for a Happier, Healthier Life (2012), Raising Goats Naturally: The Complete Guide to Milk, Meat, and More (2013 and 2018), and Goats Giving Birth (2020). We teach a variety of classes and workshop on the farm, as well as online through the Thrifty Homesteader Academy.

We started a small CSA in 2015, and in 2016 and 2017, we had a garden partner who took our fresh produce, eggs, wool, and goat milk soap to the farmer’s markets at 61st Street in Chicago on Saturdays.

We invite you to explore our website to learn more about what we do and why we do it. Keep up to date on what we’re doing by reading our blog and following us on Twitter and Facebook.