Seven Years on the Ranch

On September 10, 2018, we left behind a suburban cul-de-sac and took a leap of faith into 141 acres of pasture, timber, and possibility. We didn’t know all the lessons we were about to learn. We didn’t know how many fences we’d fix, how many calves we’d name, or how many mistakes we’d make along the way.

But we did know this: we wanted a life that mattered. A life rooted in family, in hard work, and in the kind of legacy you build one season at a time.

Seven years later, the land has changed us as much as we’ve shaped it.

🌱 From City Kids to Country Roots

When we first started, we didn’t even know the right questions to ask.

• We wondered if pigs could climb fences. (They can.)
• We Googled things like “baby cow poop color” at the dinner table.
• We learned the difference between hay and straw by trial, error, and a few busted fences.

The kids — once “city kids” — now run tractors, fix fences, spray fields, and gather firewood without blinking. They’ve grown up with calves in the pasture, bees in the garden, and all the lessons that come with country life.

🐄 Building the Herd

Our herd started small, with just two cows and the hope of growing into something real. Today, we’ve raised multiple generations:

• Grayson (947G), our very first purchased cow, became the cornerstone of our cow families.
• Lil’ Lou, her daughter, was our first registered heifer — named in honor of Tom’s grandma and aunt.
• Melody, Lil’ Lou’s sister, is the only registered calf from our first herd sire, Jukebox — and soon she will carry our future.
• Naughty by Nature (311N), our spring 2025 bull calf, represents our first AI success and a glimpse at the next generation of sires.

From one purchased cow to multiple cow families, we’ve built a herd with both sentiment and strong genetics.

🛠 Fixing, Learning, and Laughing

The ranch has been as much about repairs as it has been about raising animals. Over the years we’ve:

• Pulled tons of trash out of the fields
• Poured time, sweat, and tears into the land to make it cattle ready
• Poured new concrete floors for pens
• Rebuilt pig pens after jailbreaks
• Learned that no matter how many fences you fix, there’s always a bull plotting his escape
• Gardened through mud, drought, and late starts — with the help of mulch from an old oak tree and plenty of determination

Every season comes with a new challenge. But also, with new victories.

🐝 The Little Things That Make It Home

• We’ve gone from pulling just 30 bales to over 200 bales of hay
• We’ve built a thriving beehive full of honey
• We’ve pulled kids out of the pond with frogs in their hands
• We’ve sat on the porch watching thunderstorms roll in, grateful for every drop of rain after a dry spell

It’s little things like bees buzzing clover, kids laughing in the pasture, calves bawling in the lot that stitch the days together into a life.

❤️ Seven Years Strong

Seven years ago, we moved here with city shoes and country dreams. When we started, our boots were stiff and shiny. Today, our boots are broken in, our herd has a name, and our kids are part of a legacy that’s still unfolding

Here’s to 7 years down — and to all the years to come.

🐄🏡🖤 From cul-de-sac to cattle ranch. From Day 1 to Year 7.