As I dive into our journey as beginner modern homesteaders, I want to share the events leading up to a devastating decision that changed everything for our us—culling our entire flock and closing the farm for nearly two years.
It’s been a rollercoaster of emotions, filled with excitement, heartache, and a small amount of hope. Now that we have reopened our farm, I want to share the raw and honest moments that shaped our farm experience.
To give you some context, our adventure began in August 2021 when we embraced the modern homesteading lifestyle. We were filled with excitement, not knowing what to expect or what we were doing, as I went down the rabbit hole of Pinterest trying to create the dream fowl farm. We introduced our first flock of chickens, ducks, guineas, and the most amazing Rooster Hey Hey Maui Kyle in September 2021, and soon, we were hatching eggs by January 2022.
The joy and hard work of transforming an old Morgan building into a coop and extending it were stressful and exciting. Every day, something was completed, and it felt like we were creating something special—a little haven for our birds and ourselves. In February 2022, we welcomed our first peacocks, and everything felt like it was finally working out. We even hosted our intimate vow renewal at our farm in August 2022.
Eager to expand our feathered family, we attended two auctions, adding new flock members and hatching even more eggs. It was a whirlwind of growth, and we were riding high on the wave of our dreams.
But as we all know, life can take unexpected turns. By November 2022, we faced the heartbreaking reality that every single bird on our farm had to be culled, and everything we invested in and built had to be destroyed. I can still remember the overwhelming emotions I felt that day— being pissed off, confusion, sadness, and disbelief.
To capture that moment, I recorded my thoughts as we decided to change our farming direction forever. In this raw recording, you’ll hear the uncertainty in my voice and the weight of that moment. It’s a candid glimpse into the heart of our experience.
Listening back to that recording, I can feel the pain and vulnerability all over again. It was a moment that shook us to our core, and it set the stage for the long road ahead—almost two years dedicated to healing the land, putting down lime, and sanitizing every inch of our property. We learned that MG/MS Mycoplasma can persist for up to three days without a living host, which made the task all the more urgent.
As we move forward, I am reminded that every challenge brings growth and renewal opportunities. Thank you for being part of this experience, and I look forward to sharing more about our recovery and the lessons we’ve learned along the way.