Spring is often seen as a season of change, renewal, and new beginnings. This year, it brought more change than I bargained for.

A Job Market in Flux

After months of watching the job market in environmental sustainability tighten and shift, I found myself facing cuts and uncertainty. It’s an exceptionally tough (and humbling) job market out there. Living rurally and running a farm means remote work isn’t just a preference, it’s a necessity.

I’m beyond grateful to have landed a new remote role that fits my skills and lifestyle (after applying to hundreds of positions). It allows me to keep one foot in corporate sustainability and carbon accounting, and the other planted firmly in the red clay of northeast Georgia.

The reality for me, and for many first-time farmers, is that a day job is essential to funding the farm dream.

Blanche and Betty Arrive

With a few weeks between jobs, I tackled one of those never-ending farm to-dos: fencing. I called in backup with a skid steer, a hydraulic post driver and fence stretchers and got the pastures ready to welcome  Blanche and Betty, two bred Angus heifers registered with the American Angus Association.

These girls are calm, curious, and already commanding the landscape like they’ve been here forever. Born just next door in 2023, they’ll become first-time moms in fall 2025. I think they’re adorable, though my family insists they’re “too big.” They’re not even fully grown yet and will likely top out around 1,200 pounds.

I visit with them morning and evening, and like clockwork, they’re often waiting by the gate for treats around 7 a.m.

Cutting Fields and Crafting a Brand

Another spring priority was bush hogging. Several days during my job transition were spent mowing pastures in an effort to reduce weeds and encourage healthy regrowth. They already need a second cut after inches of rain put the weeds into hyperdrive.

You might also notice the farm got a digital facelift. I teamed up with Brooke Taylor Creative to design a new logo and branding for Deer Creek Pastures—something that reflects the care, intention, and dirt-under-the-nails reality of this work, with a touch of whimsy and millennial pink.

I can’t say enough good things about working with Brooke. Using a detailed brand questionnaire and Pinterest board, she brought my vision to life in just one day. Take a peek at the new look here ➝

Storms, Fences, and Pallet Forks

In true “why not all at once?” fashion, I started my new job the same week the cows arrived. The following weeks, while ramping up in my new role and attending ALL the Zoom meetings,  also brought nonstop storms—we had four straight weeks of intense weather that turned pastures into mud pits and knocked down trees (and fences, of course).

I was able to put my pallet forks to work to repair the damaged fenceline and keep Blanche and Betty safely contained. Nothing like starting a new job and wrangling tree limbs during your lunch break.

Sheep on the Loose

While traveling for work in the Midwest, the barn cameras lit up like a Christmas tree. At 5:30 a.m. on a Wednesday, the sheep were frolicking around the barn.

Before leaving for the airport, I had moved them to fresh pasture, lined up a daily caretaker to check water and feed them treats, and did everything I could to minimize escape risk. But storms had grounded out the electric fencing, and they tore through.

I waited until 7 a.m. to reach out to my caretaker and ask if she could swing by to re-corral them. We ended up needing to call another friend to help, since part of the fence was down and it was not a one woman job.

It can be hard to ask for help, especially when you’re used to handling things solo, but I’m beyond grateful for the friends who show up when it counts. Thankfully, they got the sheep contained and the fence patched up with no further adventures during my trip.

Parasites and Pasture Management

All this rain didn’t just flood the fields, it brought parasites. Sheep (and goats) are particularly vulnerable, which is why I rotate pastures frequently.

Despite those efforts, I started to notice signs of worms: some weight loss and soft stools. I checked their FAMACHA scores regularly to monitor for anemia, which would indicate the deadly barber pole worm. Fortunately, no anemia.

The twins, Jelly Bean and Huckleberry, ended up with tapeworms. And poor Elderberry is showing signs of a suspected case of CLA (Caseous Lymphadenitis), an incurable bacterial infection that causes recurrent abscesses and can spread within a flock.

While we wait on lab results from Elderberry’s abscess, the flock is split into two pens. It was three for a while, with the twins separated from their mom, but Huckleberry decided he’d had enough and hopped the fence to reunite with her. So now Huck and his mama are back together, and Jelly Bean is bunking with the rest.

Learning in the Mud

It’s not glamorous. It’s often muddy, stressful, and exhausting. But it’s also deeply meaningful.

The land shifts. The animals grow. The seasons change. If I’m being honest, spring felt like a bit of a bust. I didn’t get to the garden projects that I had planned. But reflecting back, I am reminded to give myself grace and am proud of myself for tackling one of my biggest 2025 goals for the farm, which was to get cattle. 

Something I keep coming back to is this: “It is a blessing to be tired from a pursuit of your choosing.”

Many days in the past two months, I’ve felt overwhelmed and humbled, but also incredibly grateful. Some lessons you only learn the hard way. And sometimes, you just have to go for it. Thank you for following along with my farm journey, and for your kindness and support when things are going awry over here.