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History of MacFarlane

On July 1, 2014 in General by spope

Often times we make it a point to highlight where the farm is, or how it is growing. It is exciting to see how it has evolved and what all it has become! Today I thought I would give you a little insight as to the history of MacFarlane Pheasants, and where it all began.

Ken MacFarlane first traveled to New York to attend a game rearing school. Upon completion, he returned home and began importing eggs from England. The birds were bred to be sold and used in hunt clubs. This was in 1929 when what would now be called MacFarlane Pheasants was established.

The farm began in a single-family dwelling in Janesville, WI, and quickly outgrew its location. It moved out to Center Avenue right around the time Ken’s brother Don joined him in running the farm. Together, the brothers ran the farm until Ken passed away while on a hunting trip during the Armistice Day Storm in 1940.

History of MacFarlane

Don MacFarlane

The farm moved to the south side of Janesville in the 1950’s under Don’s direction. He ran the farm until his passing in 1979. It was at this time that Bill, his son, took over.

Our reputation regarding the quality of our pheasants grew and soon we began taking international orders. Our business focused primarily on the sale of live pheasants to hunt clubs initially, but before long, we expanded to include the sale of hatching eggs and day old chicks. To date, we have shipped over one million chicks!

In the early 1980’s we began producing dressed pheasant. Now we offer meat available right in our on-site store. MacFarlane’s pheasants are also found in stores and restaurants nationwide, including Whole Foods!

We now employ 60 full-time employees, and own over 500 acres. We strive to be philanthropic in our community and work with integrity and accountability. We also want to be considered a resource, so feel free to visit our website or call our office with any questions!



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