Reflections from Briarhopper Ranch Four months in, and we’ve officially survived the seasonal transition from “the last breath of autumn” to “stark winter” to the “is it here or not?” arrival of spring. When we pulled up to our new homestead, a few trees were still clinging to their fall wardrobes; today, everything is accessorizing […]
Category: Celebrate homesteading
Less House, More Life
Reflections This fall, we made a bold trade: we swapped a large house on five acres for a small cottage on fifty. We love having the extra room to roam, but shrinking from 4,400 square feet down to 1,500 is a major adjustment. We went from a heated six-car garage setup to an open-air parking […]
Quiet Skies
Reflection I was outside the other day and realized something pretty profound: It has been 2 months since I last heard an airplane fly over my house. Our old homestead in Colorado didn’t have many airplanes overhead, but we did have a few United puddle hoppers from Denver to Colorado Springs plus a handful of […]
Revitalizing Our Old Homestead
Background Briarhopper Ranch has relocated to a ~49 acre property in Eastern Kentucky. We are exploring the land, the history of the people who lived here for generations, and simultaneously launching an overwhelming amount of work to revitalize the land and the structures to make this plot our own. There’s evidence that this land has […]
Just Get Composting
Reflections I grew up in a gardening family, but for years, work and lifestyle prevented my husband and me from having a garden. Once I weaseled my way into non-travel work positions, we dove headlong into gardening. Part of this journey was to start converting our kitchen waste into compost to amend our soil. We […]
Stepping Forward into Homesteading
Reflection Sitting on a dream I grew up in a gardening family. I loved summers, helping with weeding the garden and gathering the bounty of tomatoes, beans, peppers, sunflower seeds and more. My husband and I dreamed for years of having our own garden, but our busy corporate careers and my business travel schedule made […]
April 2025 Update: Poults, Pullets, Chicks, Oh my!
Spring has sprung! A few good friends have asked for an update on the homestead this spring. Things are busy, but raising a garden and birds is absolutely a labor of love. Turkey Poults: Just a couple more weeks until they’re outside! The turkeys are now about six weeks old. This means […]
I’d Rather Clean the Chicken Coop
REFLECTIONS I’d rather clean the chicken coop than: When I clean the coop, my hens brrrrr with affection and approach me to be petted. They produce the most amazing, rich eggs. They say “thanks” in their own way, and they mean it. And I actually enjoy the work. I can see the end […]