Freedom Ranch

Chuck and I talk about the latest on our non-profit, The Refuge, where we plan to pair rescued horses (and other farm animals) with at-risk youth in a therapeutic environment. Our desire is to cultivate an environment of healing through the profound bond between child and animal, while enjoying the natural beauty Freedom Ranch offers, an ideal setting for finding peace and restoration for those in need. Welcome email: http://eepurl.com/iEPZ4E

As our spring box comes close to drying up, we have to rethink how we are watering our animals. A trip to the creek with a new gas powered water pump saves the day!

Brie's bathroom needed extra storage so I created shelves from scrap wood we had harvest from our land.

Using rough cut lumber harvested from our property, I frame out the kitchen window in our log home. #short

Our pups couldn't be more different!

Chuck teaches me how to use the hyaline for the first time, Bri helps with the racking of the cut hay & the baling gets completed after frustrating malfunctions.

We have to separate the boars from the momma's and their babies, especially Waddles (who is getting too skinny). Our boars are FAT and they are hogging the food.

Our piglets and Waddles escape from their pen and our German Shepherd's get to work herding them back to their home. So proud of our pups!

Left over basil from your garden? Why not dry it to make seasoning that will last through until next growing season? Just need a food dehydrator (I got mine on Amazon) and a desire to smell and taste delicious basil for months to come. WAY better than the basil seasoning you buy at the store!

We show you the interior of our log home, including all we have left to do to make it complete. My sister Beth... https://www.instagram.com/fieldofbentgrass/

The chinking of our home was a tedious and challenging task, but working together as a family we persevered and now live in the log home of our dreams! #shorts #short

After discovering some chickens who were not in the best condition, we realize our chicken coop is over-crowded & decide to let our chickens free range again (praying the predators leave them alone. We also expand the hog pen into the cattle catching area, letting them eat the fresh grass. Best news of all...Fletcher and Finley come to visit!

Brie and I get to work attempting to finish off her room, trimming out the windows and building a ladder to her small loft. We have a blast working together!

Canning meat made easy! Stock up your pantry for quick family meals. #shorts

I am still new to canning and wanted to share what I have learned so far. If you have any helpful tips for me, please share!

Each morning I am blessed to be able visit all of our animals and provide them water, nourishment and a little love ❤️

We are officially moved out of our yurt, the home we shared for the last two years while building our log home. It is now open for friends and family...bring on the guests! #shorts

Waddles does an excellent job on birthing her piglets without our help and her babies is so adorable! A couple days old and the runt is injured, so we had to keep a close eye on him.

Chuck takes a moment to share his thoughts about the movie "Sound of Freedom". #shorts

Chuck and I are at our wits end after almost all of our chickens are killed. Major cleaning and reinforcing of our coop is accomplished for our new chicks.

Our 5 piglets are mingling well with all the adult pigs and growing fast. We are enjoying the miracle of new life on the ranch!

Our two sows go into labor 2 days apart and we realize how unprepared we were for their challenging births.

Completing Chuck's closet and having the deck railings installed means we are ready for our Certificate of Occupancy!

Our sow Clover has her 1st piglet on her own, but after being in distress we have to intervene and help the next little ones out.

Chuck and I sit down to talk about the highs and lows of the last two years since starting our homestead. We also answer questions about the cost to build our log home, what we plan to do with our charity and if touching the fawn was such a good idea.