In Goodrich, Michigan, a lifelong love of animals, a close-knit family, and 37 acres are coming together to create something pretty special.
Meet Thickle Farms
Farm: Thickle Farms
Location: 12438 Hill Road, Goodrich, MI | Genesee County
Owners: Courtney and Jim Teague, alongside Adam and Taylor Thiel
What They Raise: Mini Highland and Mini HighPark cattle, Nubian goats, Valais and Babydoll sheep, Mini Mediterranean Donkeys, pigs, chickens, and honeybees
What They Sell: Farm-fresh eggs and honey, available directly from the farm. Honey can also be shipped.
Farm Experiences: Animal encounters, tours, educational classes, workshops, and community events
Connect: Website | Facebook | TikTok
Not long ago, a little boy visited Thickle Farms in Goodrich. He loved animals, but he'd never actually touched a chicken.
By the end of his visit, he'd held one, learned a little about caring for chickens, collected eggs, and even taken some home.
For Courtney Teague, watching his reaction was one of those moments that reminded her exactly why she's doing all of this.
"The look on his face was just incredible," she told us.
It's a small moment, but it says a lot about what Courtney and her family are building on their 37 acres in Genesee County. And the story behind Thickle Farms is one worth getting to know.
A Dream That Found Its Next Generation
Courtney has loved livestock for as long as she can remember. She grew up around horses, raised pigs through 4-H, and always imagined having a farm of her own.
She and her husband, Jim, have been building a life together for quite a while. The two are middle school sweethearts and have now been married for 31 years.
In 2017, when the neighbor's property became available and there was talk of developing it into a subdivision, Courtney and Jim purchased the 37 acres next door.
Their hope was that their son, Tyler, would eventually move onto the property and they could build something together.
Sadly, Tyler passed away in 2020, and for a while, the property sat untouched.
During that difficult time, Courtney found herself drawn back to animals. She began volunteering at Abraham Ranch, a large animal rescue in Clarkston, looking for a little peace and something to keep her grounded.
"I needed to be grounded and find some peace," she shared.
She was the rescue's first volunteer, and six years later, she's still helping care for animals there. That experience eventually helped bring her original dream of having a farm back to life.
But as Courtney and Jim began thinking seriously about the farm, they knew they wanted to create something that would last well beyond their own years of caring for it.
They didn't just want to start a farm. They wanted to build something a younger generation could grow with, take over, and someday pass down themselves.
And as it turned out, they didn't have to look very far to find the right people.
Adam Thiel grew up next door to the Teagues and was one of Tyler's closest friends, both as a kid and into adulthood. The families had been part of each other's lives for years, and when Adam married Taylor and they welcomed their own children, that relationship grew even closer.
Today, Adam and Taylor's children, nearly three-year-old Layla and baby Colton, are the grandchildren Courtney and Jim consider their own.
So when the Teagues approached Adam and Taylor about building the farm together, it was a natural fit. The young couple loved the idea of raising their children on the land and being part of something they could one day carry forward.
Even the name tells that story. Thickle Farms brings together the Teague and Thiel family names, with the C for Colton and the L for Layla.
Layla and Colton already spend time at the farm almost every day. In spring 2027, Adam and Taylor plan to move into the farmhouse, making the next chapter of the family's plans a reality.
For Courtney and Jim, there's comfort in knowing that the farm has a future with people they love and trust. It's also a way of keeping Tyler's memory close. Courtney says he's always in the back of her mind as they build a place she knows he would have loved.
Getting to Know the Animals
Of course, you can't talk about Thickle Farms without talking about its residents.
It started with two cows, a Mini Highland and a Mini HighPark named Patsy. Then came a Valais sheep whose big personality and beautiful appearance helped Courtney feel like the farm was really coming together.
Today, you'll also find goats Pippa and Pete, who were named by the community through an online contest, along with chickens, donkeys, pigs, honeybees, and more sheep.
Some of the animals have their own rescue stories, too. Two donkeys and two pigs came to the farm through Courtney's connections with Abraham Ranch.
And they're far from finished growing. The family plans to add beef cattle and feeder pigs in spring 2027, partly to produce food for their own family and partly to teach Layla and Colton where that food comes from.
Courtney wants them to understand the entire process of raising livestock, including the responsibility that comes with it. It's a lesson she hopes to eventually share through 4-H as well.
Bringing a Little Farm Life to Metro Detroit
One of Courtney's favorite things about Thickle Farms is getting to introduce people to animals they might never otherwise meet.
And that's something we can really appreciate here in Metro Detroit.
We have an incredible mix of working farms, orchards, growers, and small agricultural businesses throughout Southeast Michigan, but it's easy to forget what's available just outside our everyday routines.
Courtney wants Thickle Farms to be a place where anyone can come experience a little of that world.
She's welcomed families who have never spent time around livestock, including children visiting from Jordan who didn't speak much English. They might not have been able to have a long conversation, but everyone understood the excitement of meeting the cows, pigs, and donkeys.
She's also intentional about keeping visits, classes, and events affordable.
"Everything is so expensive," Courtney explained. And while not every event puts money back into the farm, she sees those experiences as an investment in its future.
After all, she's not building Thickle Farms around a five-year business plan. She's thinking about what it could look like for her grandchildren and, someday, their children.
That long-term approach also leaves room for some fun.
One of her favorite events so far has been a songwriter storytelling night, where musicians shared their music and the stories behind it in a small, intimate setting. She enjoyed it so much that she's planning a series of four or five gatherings for summer 2027.
There are also hands-on workshops, seasonal activities, and more opportunities to spend time at the farm on the way.
Growing a Farm That Welcomes Everyone
And somehow, Courtney is balancing all of this while working a full-time job of her own.
But she's quick to point out that Thickle Farms isn't something she's building alone. The farm wouldn't be possible without Jim's hard work and dedication, Adam and Taylor's commitment, and the support of family and friends who have helped bring it all together.
When we asked what keeps her going, she came back to her animals, her grandchildren, and the people she gets to share the farm with.
Her advice for anyone considering starting a farm is pretty simple:
"Be patient, be prepared, and have fun. When it starts feeling like work, you need to step back and reflect why you started in the first place."
As Thickle Farms grows, agritourism will continue to be a big part of its future. For Courtney, that means more than inviting people out to see cute animals. It's about giving families a chance to get their hands dirty, ask questions, learn how livestock is cared for, and enjoy experiences they might not otherwise have.
From meeting a Highland cow to collecting fresh eggs, attending a workshop, or spending a summer evening listening to live music, Courtney wants people to find their own reasons to keep coming back.
And that's what makes farms like Thickle such a great addition to our Southeast Michigan community. You don't have to grow up on a farm to appreciate one, and you certainly don't have to travel far from Metro Detroit to experience farm life.
Come spring, Adam, Taylor, Layla, and Colton will be living next door, helping care for the animals and continuing to build the farm together. As the kids grow, so will the opportunities for visitors to learn, explore, and become part of the Thickle Farms story.
Courtney is already looking ahead to a busy 2027, with new animals, more events, and plenty of reasons to make the trip to Goodrich.
And if you've got a little one who's never held a chicken, well, you know where to start.
Want to visit Thickle Farms?
Check out www.thicklefarms.com for upcoming events, farm experiences, and information on purchasing fresh eggs and honey. You can also follow Thickle Farms on Facebook for a peek at farm life and what's coming next.
Our Local Roots is a Field + Flock Farm Club series introducing you to the people behind the farms, food, and agricultural businesses right here in Southeast Michigan.
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