Fall on the Farm: Reflection & Planning

As the last of the leaves cling to the trees and the mornings start coming in frosty, we’re wrapping up our first full season with sheep, goats, and cows. It feels both wild and wonderful to say: we made it through our first year with a proper herd on the land—and we learned a lot along the way.

A Season of Firsts (and Fencing Lessons)

If this year had a theme, it might be: figure it out as you go.

We spent many days learning the ins and outs of fencing, rotational grazing, and processing. But all of that work led to a pretty satisfying milestone: our freezers are full.

There’s something deeply grounding about knowing the animals we raised with care are now nourishing friends and family. It’s a reminder of why we do this in the first place.

Fall Color & Tobacco Barn Celebrations

The fall leaves were absolutely stunning this year, and we took a little field trip to the Weston Bend State Park Scenic Overlook to see them in all their splendor. Standing there, looking out over the river bluffs lit up in gold and orange, we tried to imagine Lewis & Clark, or the Native Tribes, experiencing a similar view centuries before.

Back on the farm, we had one particularly special evening:

We co-hosted a blow-out birthday celebration for a dear friend in the tobacco barn. String lights, good food, laughter, live music—it felt like exactly what these old buildings were meant for: gathering people and making memories.

The Bees: A Humbling Year

Not everything went the way we hoped.

Our honey-loving hearts are pretty disappointed this year: it was a rough season for the bees. We took a more hands-off approach, hoping to let them do their thing with minimal interference. Unfortunately, they didn’t stick around or produce much honey.

Beekeeping (like farming in general) is a continual trial-and-error process. Some years give you jars of golden honey; others give you lessons.

A Promotion: Our Young Guard Dog

On a brighter note, one of our young livestock guardian dogs has finally grown into her job. She’s ready to start managing a herd on her own, and watching her confidence grow been pretty rewarding.

Looking Ahead: December & Beyond

Even though the pastures are slowing down for winter, things are far from quiet. We’ve got a lot coming up:

• Breeding season for the goats starts in December– We’re excited (and a little nervous, in the best way) to plan for next year’s kids.

  
  

• New fencing lanes through the timber– We’re going to start creating fencing lanes throughout the timber. This will help us: open up more grazing areas, improve efficiency of our rotations, and better care for the land by managing how and where the animals move.

  
  

  It’s the kind of project that takes planning and patience, but it will make a huge difference in how we steward this place long-term.

  
  

• A new heated storage area– We’re also very excited about a new barn coming soon. It sounds simple, but having a warm, organized space is going to be a game-changer.

As we move from fall into winter, we’re feeling grateful—for the animals, the land, the people who have supported us, and the chance to keep learning as we go.