Our New Journey
Joe and I have embarked upon a new journey. In September 2018 after visiting our friends farm in Elbert, CO we felt a pull to explore our dream of having land and animals. Joe and I have always had the dream and just planned to have ‘our ranch’ in retirement. As we watched the kids sad to leave our friends farm we started to dream.
Joe grew up in northern California almost on the Oregon border. He lived in a small town and had family involved in rodeo and horses. He then relocated to the bay area and always had a desire to get out of the city and have some space. I grew up in northern Colorado and later in the foothills of Denver. I have fond memories of small town living and always treasured my memories as a child. Joe and I have always loved the western lifestyle and knew our future would include owning land.
In our life experiences we have gained a keen awareness that life is precious and we are not guaranteed tomorrow. So we decided to make a lifestyle move. We left the comforts of our wonderful life in Ken Caryl and knew we would miss our community, friends and neighborhood. However, we knew the sacrifice would be worth taking. After a few stressful months of buying and selling we have landed at our farmette. We are nestled in the foothills of Douglas County in a village like setting and have the benefits of being 10 minutes to retail and dining options.
We moved in the dead of winter with two and a half feet of snow in the driveway. The first few days felt isolating and overwhelming which is probably typical but you always question removing your kids from schools, neighbors etc. After getting settled in we started to appreciate the quiet black night skies and slight sounds of the train. The winter although its never been my favorite season presented a new beauty on our land. Spring and summer brought unexpected scenery including a large lilac grove, wildflowers and blooming cactus.
We have come to appreciate the long dirt roads and scenic drives home, all of which have been therapeutic for the soul. As far as our plans, we have big ones, but we have to take them day by day. We have dreams for our further acquisition of animals but for now have our chickens and Holland Lop bunnies! Ultimately we want to share our experience with our friends and family and be that escape that we were seeking. We are also excited to create community and be good stewards of our land. In this blog I hope to share the adventures on our farmette…the good the bad and the ugly! Happy reading.