History of Appalachian Farmstead

Appalachian Farmstead was created in 2004 when Dennis and Peggy Vonderfecht acquired their first donkeys. Prior to their first donkey purchase, the Vonderfecht family had quarter horses, but it was Peggy that initiated the interest in donkeys that led to the quality herd of donkeys for which Appalachian Farmstead is known today.

The first donkey purchase was actually a Mammoth jennet named J.B. Royal Elizabeth who caught the attention of Dennis as a foal in Las Vegas. The miniature donkeys came a short time later following the attendance of Dennis and Peggy at the Cheers for Ears Show in Lexington, Virginia, when six Mediterranean Minatare Donkeys were purchased from a Texas farm Frontier Legends Miniature Donkeys. Soon thereafter, another purchase of Miniature Donkeys from another Texas farm, Country Music Miniature Donkeys, formed the beginning of the successful breeding program for the Appalachian Farmstead.

Since 2004, Appalachian Farmstead has bred, raised and shown multiple halter champion donkeys, winning numerous National Championships within the NMDA, ACOSA, and NASMDA. The select breeding program of Appalachian Farmstead which results in only a small number of foals each year is known among breeders for its focus on quality conformation, pedigrees, and dispositions. Whether you are seeking a donkey for showing, for breeding, or for a pet, you can be sure that you are valuing quality when you consider an Appalachian Farmstead donkey for your purchase.