250 Acres in Southern New Jersey

Mad Horse Meats sits on 250 acres in Hancocks Bridge, NJ — named for the Mad Horse Creek Wildlife Management Area that borders our land. When Morgan and Jennifer Dawkins bought this property at the end of 2020, it had been used for row crops for decades. The soil was tired. The land was flat and bare.

We saw something different: a farm that could come back to life. We’ve been converting it acre by acre into a regenerative livestock operation, and it’s been one of the most rewarding — and humbling — things our family has ever done.

Today we raise Hereford-Angus beef cattle, Cheviot-cross lambs, Berkshire heritage pigs, and pasture-raised chickens — with heritage turkeys coming in fall 2026 or 2027. What started with eggs, honey, and lamb has grown into a full operation. And we’re just getting started.

Two Vets, Four Kids, and One Big Dream

Morgan grew up in rural southern Mississippi, surrounded by agriculture and a deep curiosity about animals. That curiosity eventually led him to Warren Wilson College in North Carolina — a working campus with its own farm — where he first discovered his love for stock dogs and met Jennifer. They went on to earn their veterinary degrees together at the University of Tennessee.

Morgan now runs a small animal and 24-hour emergency veterinary practice in Wilmington, DE. Jennifer brings that same veterinary foundation to every decision we make about how our animals are raised. Their training isn’t just a credential on a wall — it shapes how every animal on this farm lives, every single day.

Mad Horse Meats is also a family operation in the truest sense. Our son Trevor lives on the farm and is hands-on with daily operations — he’s the boots-on-the-ground presence that makes this farm run day to day. Collin helps tell our story through social media and marketing, helping connect us with people who care about where their food comes from. Sidney and Bailey show up when it counts, because that’s what family does.

It Starts With How the Animal Lives

There’s no shortage of farms that call themselves humane, pasture-raised, or regenerative. We’re not here to knock anyone — but we do want to be specific about what those words mean to us in practice.

Our animals are never confined in feedlots. They move on pasture using low-stress herding with our border collies. They are never given added growth hormones, and antibiotics are used only when an animal medically needs them — never routinely, never for growth. When it comes time to harvest, we keep the process calm, close to home, and as stress-free as possible.

We bale our own hay and have plans to grind our own feed from bulk ingredients — corn, soybean meal, and minerals — as we grow. Knowing exactly what our animals eat, and controlling that ourselves, is something we’re committed to. That level of transparency is non-negotiable.

Farming That Gives Back to the Land

Regenerative agriculture is a word that gets used a lot these days. For us, it comes down to one idea: we want to leave this land better than we found it.

We use a rotational grazing system, moving animals to fresh pasture frequently so grazed areas can rest and recover. Manure spreads naturally across the land, feeding the soil instead of running off into waterways. Our pastures are a mix of grasses and clover that we work hard to keep healthy and diverse.

It’s slower. It requires more management. But the results — healthier soil, cleaner pastures, stronger animals — show up in the food. We plan to write more about this in future posts, because there’s a lot to say and we’re genuinely excited to share it.

Come Find Us

Mad Horse Meats is now open for orders at madhorsemeats.com. We offer nationwide shipping and local farmstand pickup here in Hancocks Bridge. Right now you’ll find our farm-fresh eggs, raw wildflower honey, beef, and lamb cuts. Pasture-raised chicken will be available this spring, and Berkshire pork this fall.

We want to be up-front about something: we’re a growing farm, and product availability will be limited as we build toward full capacity. We’d rather be honest about that than overpromise. If something is sold out, check back — more is coming. Signing up for our email list is the best way to know when new products drop.

Our farmstand is open daily. Stop by anytime, or order ahead online for pickup. If you’re local to southern New Jersey and the Delaware Valley, we’d love to meet you in person.

We’re Building Something — Come Watch

One of the most exciting things on the horizon for Mad Horse Meats is something we’ve been planning for a while: an on-site USDA-inspected processing facility, right here on the farm. That means we’ll be able to take our animals from pasture to package without ever leaving our land — the kind of true farm-to-table transparency that’s rare and worth building toward.

Construction is planned for later this year, and we’ll be documenting the whole process — the planning, the build, the inspections, and what it means for the quality and availability of our products. It’s a big undertaking, and we want you to be part of it.