God has a funny way of getting us where He wants us. After a trip to the Yadkin Valley for a girls weekend, daydreams become reality. We had been coming to the foothills camping with the kids for a few years. We wanted to get away from the coast and offer the kids more activities. We started looking at property in the area, stumbling on what we currently have while making our way back home after a camping trip. As soon as we drove on the land, I knew this was it, I could hear angels. The pieces started to fall into place and land was purchased. What was a 5-year plan turned into a few months after our house, at the coast where we moved from, flooded from a pipe busting just before hurricane Floyd. It was just what needed to happen for 2 families to join on a new adventure. God blessed us with another family to join in this new adventure.

We lived in the cabin that was reassembled on the property in the 80’s. It was large enough for the 2 families with 8 kids to live in without overcrowding. The Inman’s built their house first and moved in 2 years after moving, and the Willis’ shortly behind. As they settled in, the farm was growing on its own.

First, with the goats brought from the coast, then a milk cow, Tessie. Cheese started to be produced and we were realizing living off the land was where God was taking us. We added a few more cows, and the goat herd increased. Herd share became a part of sharing what God was blessing us with. Chickens were being hatched and the land was producing; this was becoming a self-sustaining homestead.

The farm has grown quickly in 8 years. We are growing in the community and establishing wonderful relationships. The farm store welcomes all who come to shop and we are experiencing farmers markets. This is what has given us the drive to continue to grow, community support and the demand for the products we sell. As the demand grows, we are adjusting on the property to sustain the growing herds.

The Willis’ have embarked on a new adventure as the Inman’s continuing to press on with what God has for this farm. The cabin they lived in is now a rental, and they plan on building more on the property in the coming years. The Inman’s purchased the Willis’ home and have moved in it to give them more room for visiting guests. The house they built will become another rental to give families farm experience.

Since moving to this property, that was previously used for cattle, we have switched to cutting our own hay and transforming their fields away from traditional practices of spraying. We know that God is asking us to return His land back to health. After the first couple of years, we have not sprayed the fields and have cut what grows, weeds and all. The nutrients that are coming forth are showing up in our livestock and our cheese.

The weeds are very beneficial to the land and animals. This practice is called Regenerative Farming. Having planted multi species of ground cover to help put the nutrients back into the soil and spread manure to fertilize the land. Rotationally graze all the livestock to keep the parasite as low as possible. We are letting nature deworm our goats, because they are highly susceptible, we have discovered by not spraying the fields, lespedeza that covers nearly every pasture is what is helping the goats, this has been scientifically proven to reduce parasite loads in goats. We put very personal care into God’s creation!