In 2014, we moved into what we thought was our dream home. It was a beautiful home, in a nice subdivision, and had all the comforts we could ask for.

Shortly after we moved in, a storm came through our area. The tornado sirens went off and we lost power. The house was equipped with a generator so we brought our young boys into the basement and put a movie on in the home’s theater room. Sound nice? Maybe to some, but we thought differently. 

As the storm raged outside, we thought back to the storms of our childhood and the trips to the basement with a battery powered radio and flashlight. We thought about the understanding and respect for the power and beauty of nature that came with those experiences. Then we looked at how completely unaffected our boys were by this storm. In short, we decided they needed a deeper connection to the outdoors…..They needed chores.

The next day, we bought five chicks. We had absolutely no idea what we were doing, but we decided it would be perfect for our boys.

The chicks quickly became a family activity. We built a brooder as a family, took care of the chicks as a family, and then built a coop as a family. The following spring we bought more chickens. Which of course led to ducks, and more chickens. Then quail, and more chickens. Then rabbits, and more chickens. Then goats, a pig, and… more chickens.

Here’s a secret: we weren’t supposed to have any of them. Our subdivision had a covenants against livestock of any kind, and here we were with a mini farm! We were spending so much time outside as a family, that we realized maybe this “dream home” wasn’t our dream anymore.

We started looking for farms and found this 10.5 acre piece of heaven. We moved in, and bought our first cow, four Idaho Pasture pigs, and of course, more chickens!

Leaving behind what was comfortable for the unknown wasn’t an easy choice, but we listened to our hearts and followed what made us happy.

What started as a simple idea for our children ended up changing our way of life. This journey has brought us closer to our family, friends, and community, and has given us immeasurable happiness. It’s been a WILD ride, but we’ve never looked back.