“My roles here are vast,” says Amber Hale. She runs a pet grooming shop, a campground, and a farm, as well as being a mother and girlfriend. People have called her crazy so many times, she even named her farm Neigh Say Mini Farm. Yet she’s living her dream of caring for animals and enjoying the land she fantasized of running away to as a child. Along the Cumberland River lies her home and grooming shop that helps fund her passion of raising those many pets.
“I would ride that stupid pony saddle on that bannister and it was there almost my whole childhood,” she says. Amber, 41, still has that saddle along with a pony and many more animals at her Williamsburg property along the Cumberland River. That property also includes a serene campground, a dog grooming shop, a farm and her home.
Amber says she truly is living her longtime dream of caring for animals and living on the land she fantasized about running away to as a child.
Jewel (Judy) Geneva Russell, Amber’s grandmother, owned the land before passing it to Amber, who grew up visiting her cousins in Williamsburg and celebrating family events along the river. After moving there from Cincinnati with her family in 2022, she hopes she can continue her grandparents legacy of making the land open to family and visitors alike so that everyone can enjoy the stunning nature. She named the campground Clayton Geneva, after her grandparents. She calls her grooming business simply "The Groomer at Clayton Geneva."
"She’s the best dog groomer in the county,” says Tina Tye, who has been taking her dog Festus to Amber’s shop for a few years. The dog grooming spark started at a young age when Amber and her sister would groom her grandmother's cocker spaniels and poodle. At 14, she started work at a grooming shop. Her daughter, Abby, says Amber is "very hard working" and that labor pays off, allowing her to maintain her Neigh Say Mini Farm as a home for the livestock she calls her pets.
A favorite moment for Amber is walking over to her farm across the street. As the gravel crunches under her feet, her donkeys and about 100 assorted animals start a chorus of noises as they anticipate breakfast. The longer you spend with them, you start to learn their personalities. Some chickens in the coop are "sweet and kind," and certain ponies walk right up to get their daily scratches. Myke, one of Amber's dogs that stays in her home, is a cheerful and friendly poodle who was originally found abandoned in the middle of a freeway, starving and covered in fleas and ticks.
Animal neglect is common in the county, where roads can become dumping grounds for live animals. Animals, including dogs, are often dropped off on her property. Amber is passionate about animal care enforcement and would like to see changes in the current laws, including those for animal cruelty and neglect, but doesn’t consider her property a rescue operation. She asks that people wanting to drop off any animals notify her before they come.
Meanwhile, Amber enjoys being with her beloved animals and preserving the land along the river that she hopes to pass along to her children.
Amber walks along the Cumberland River with her dog, Myke. “This is my backyard,” Amber says “I just love it here."
Donkeys Patience and Tolerance, also known as Patty and Tolly, eat breakfast on the farm. Both take part in the animal experiences visitors can add to their stay at the campground.
Amber’s grooming tools sit in her shop. When she first started grooming as a child, she taught herself by looking at photos of dogs and trying to replicate the looks herself.
The sun sets on a view of The Groomer at Clayton Geneva as Amber closes up shop for the evening.
The light shines through the shop’s window as Amber grooms a four-year-old Shih Tzu named Jazzie.
Amy Ford, 50, picks up her granddaughter's puppy, Sophie, from her first visit to Amber's grooming shop. The little handkerchief is a sweet touch Amber gives her dogs. She buys the fabric and cuts it herself as a special addition to their visits.
Amber chats with her daughter, Abby Winchenbach, 17, as she pets their dog, Myke. Abby shares her mom’s love for horses and Williamsburg. Although Abby has only spent a few years living in the town since they moved from Ohio, she has grown fond of it and intends on staying in the area in the future.
New foals aren’t usually kept at the farm to prevent inbreeding. Starry is the exception. The curious and friendly six-month-old simply couldn’t be parted with so she stays in a separate pen. Amber adores her and her day would be incomplete without the proper scratches.
“Every animal has a story,” Amber says while feeding her animals. Bumble Bee, or Bumble for short, came to her family as a puppy when they lived in Ohio. He was in need of medication and food, and after a period of recovery, he grew into the strong livestock guardian he is today.