The Story of the Hatchery:
Reviving a Legacy
Ty Walker, owner of Smoke In Chimneys, grew up farming and fly fishing in the Shenandoah Valley, but it took leaving home—and then finding a renewed purpose upon his return—to inspire his deepest love for the trout and their habitat.
Having satisfied his desire to experience urban life, Ty and his wife, Shannon, left the city to work on his family’s farm. He heard about a retired 1930s trout hatchery for sale near New Castle and convinced an elderly gentleman who worked there long ago to show him around. When he first got to the property, the water wasn’t running and there were weeds everywhere.
“Then, that old fella turned this gigantic cast-iron valve, and water started flowing through the place. That was when I started to see the vision.”
After purchasing the hatchery, Ty learned how to run it from a century-old book on trout farming.
Despite both Ty and Shannon’s extensive farming backgrounds, they had never attempted to raise fish, let alone operate an antique hatchery. After months of clearing the land and learning everything they could about raising trout, Ty and Shannon opened Smoke in Chimneys in 2022 with the mission of providing delicious Virginia-raised trout.
Smoke In Chimneys is raising fish the same way they were raised at that location almost 100 years ago and producing a quality of trout matched only by those caught in the wild.
Documentary of Our Hatchery:
Our Mission
Smoke and Chimneys hosts elevated farm-to-table events, produces in-demand, land-conscious farm products, and facilitates powerful experiences of encounter with the Creator.
Our Vision
A movement of people connected with their food and united with their land and Creator.
About ty & Shannon
Ty and Shannon Walker are the owners of Smoke In Chimneys, a revitalized 1930s trout hatchery in New Castle, VA. They hatch, raise, process, and distribute trout for table fare to restaurants, co-ops, stores, and individuals around the state.
Ty and his wife have three children and are ordained ministers through Kingsbury Bible College. They have spent the past few years developing an internship curriculum to help people encounter God through his beautiful Creation.
Learn more about us:
Investing in wildlife by sewing into habitat building and natural food production.