As I sit down to reflect on 2024, I am struck by how transformative this year has been for me. It has been a year of heavy growth, plenty of challenges, and even more triumphs. Starting a farm from scratch with no prior experience is not for the faint of heart, but it has been one of the most rewarding undertakings of my life to date.

This time last year, I was living with my mom, wrapping up a house remodel (goodbye red cabinets and icky carpet!), and dreaming about what my farm would look like and how it might take shape. At that point, it didn’t even have a name. Fast forward to today, and Deer Creek Pastures has grown into a living, breathing embodiment of my aspirations, albeit still at the tiniest of scales, and full of life and lessons.

A Mantra for the Year

Throughout this journey so far, there’s a mantra that I have kept coming back to: “We don’t wish for it; we work for it.” Over the course of the year, I’ve had countless people tell me I’m living their dream life or express that they wish they could raise their own food. My response is always the same: they can. Dreams and wishes are wonderful, but they require action to come to life. It also requires time, commitment, sacrifice, and trade-offs, all of which I choose everyday – choices which I am grateful for and happy to make. My schedule has often revolved around animal feedings and chores, with my work day for my full time job in between, and it’s been a schedule and routine that I have enjoyed and embraced. 

It has been amazing to witness those actions bear fruit—sometimes literally. From raising my first two pigs to growing my little flock of sheep, every step has been a testament to the power of perseverance and hard work. 

Notable Happenings in 2024

Here are just a few highlights from what has undoubtedly been a whirlwind year:

• Moving Full-Time to the Farm: In January, I officially moved into my home at Deer Creek Pastures, marking the beginning of my farming adventure.
• Learning to Use My Tractor: In March, I purchased my first tractor and taught myself (thank you YouTube for the safety pointers on bush hogging hills) to mow 20 acres of pasture. This was, notably, the first time I’d ever cut grass! Since then I have put my tractor to work for all sorts of things like turning compost, planting trees using my auger as a digger, and moving dirt.
• Welcoming the First Animals: April brought the arrival of my first pigs, Dolly and Loretta, who taught me more about rotational grazing, parasite management, and resilience than I could have imagined. Despite navigating challenges like hormone-induced aggression, 2 escapes, and multiple parasite outbreaks, they are chunky girls weighing in at over 220 pounds each. 
• Expanding the Sheep Flock: June marked the arrival of Stevie and Whitney, my first sheep. Though we suffered the heartbreaking loss of Lee Ann, the recent addition of Rosemary, Elderberry, Snickerdoodle, and Peanut has brought fresh energy to the flock. Rosemary and Elderberry are both pregnant, promising new lambs in February and March of 2025.
• Orchard Expansion: This year also saw the addition of new fruit trees to the farm, including peaches, pears, apples, plums, figs, and pomegranates, bringing the orchard to 22 trees total. While they’ll take time to mature, the orchard represents part of my long-term vision for Deer Creek Pastures.
• Creative Problem-Solving: From transporting animals in the back of an SUV to troubleshooting fences after pig and sheep escapes, this year has been a crash course in using what you have and learning on the fly.

Timing

One of the biggest lessons I’ve learned is the importance of pacing myself. As a farmer, I am ultimately responsible for the well-being of living creatures, and that responsibility requires careful planning and patience. I am also at the whims of the weather and parasites and other environmental factors beyond my control. While it often feels like I’m moving at a glacial pace, looking back on the year shows just how much progress I’ve made, but also gives me a sense of how much work is still ahead. I am trying to embrace the concept of “going slow to go fast” so that I can get through some of the learning curve ahead of expanding the animal count.

Looking Ahead to 2025

As I prepare to enter 2025, I feel both humbled and grateful. I have been blessed to have a lot of support and encouragement along the way from friends and family. While I’m not big on New Year’s resolutions (I am a firm believer that we should try to grow and embrace every day that we are given), I do embrace this time as an opportunity to reflect and plan for the year ahead, knowing that plans can easily change or go awry. Here’s what’s on the horizon for Deer Creek Pastures:

• Garden Planning: It hit me that spring planting will come up quickly and that I need to map out what I will plant where, assess my seeds and order more, and get some of my seeds going indoors. Being honest, my garden beds left me feeling a bit defeated in 2024 – the drought and squash vine boerers got the best of me, but I am eager to give it another go. I aim to expand beyond veggies and grow some flowers this year.
• Scaling the Sheep Herd: My flock of sheep went from 2 to 6 by year end in 2024. I am excited to experience my first lambing in 2025 (Rosemary is due February 16th and Elderberry on March 15th)! Sheep typically have 1-3 babies at a time, but I’m hoping for 1-2 because if they have triplets, I will likely have to bottle feed. I plan to add my first ram to the flock in May to breed Stevie and Whitney for the first time.
• Networking Locally: Solo farming can be isolating at times. And being new to agrarian life, I sometimes feel intimidated asking for help. The UGA Agricultural Extension has been such a helpful resource to me in meeting new folks and learning new things – I am very excited to be participating in the local program planning committee for 2025. I also am participating in the local Cattleman’s Club and have met some kind folks and gotten to learn from some very experienced farmers. 
• Welcoming Cows: I have been doing a lot of research and planning to welcome my first cows to the farm in 2025. Priorities ahead of purchasing cattle include optimizing a corral setup behind my barn and adding a chute. 

Final Thoughts

2024 has been a year of proving to myself what’s possible when dreams are met with determination, and hard work, and possibly a small dose of crazy. From the first piglets to the expanding orchard, every challenge has been a stepping stone toward creating something enduring. As I head into 2025, I’m filled with gratitude for the journey so far, humility for all the lessons I have and will continue to learn the hard way, and excitement for what’s to come.

To those who have followed my journey this year, thank you for your encouragement and support.