The long journey HOME...

Five years ago I met a man.  Little did I know at the time, but this man would offer me the opportunity of a lifetime.  He arrived on my doorstep just four days after the passing of my husband Geordon.  The universe certainly does have a way of opening doors for us, after closing other doors...  In the months following Geordon's death, I began to meet with this man and discuss his vision and what he wants to create on his property.  His vision included me and my herd of goats.  He asked if we would be willing to move our farm operations from our property, to his 500+ acre property only 15 minutes drive away.  The opportunity was too great to pass up.  Some of you may be aware of the journey we embarked upon to come to Woodfield and others are not, but here is the story of how we came to be at the amazing place we now call home.  This will also explain why there has been so much silence and lack of posts.  I can't speak for Woodfield here, as it is not my journey or story to tell.  That story will have to wait for now.

So how does one start life over again after losing a husband/partner suddenly?  A giant leap of faith is how!  The last 5 years have been challenging to say the least, but the rewards have been far greater.  Being offered a farm that is far beyond my means to afford was a very large adjustment for me.  Realizing that I am being handed the opportunity to make all my dreams come true has been difficult to accept.  It is almost as if for the last 5 years I have expected to wake up suddenly and realize it was all just a dream....or to have someone come along and take it all away.  Putting down roots in a new place, adjusting to my new normal, reimagining my farm business, figuring out what I want to do with the rest of my life, completing a few new certification programs, studying a totally new life path, exploring new ideas and finding magic in the most unlikely of places, becoming a grandmother...these are a few of the things that have occupied me over the last few years.  I have not been idle, but very busy indeed.

June 2018 saw me finally make the move with the herd to Woodfield.  Our last year here has been beyond magical.  Although it has been very busy with moving 4 times in the last year, to different houses on the property, we are finally settled into the farmhouse and huge bank barn where I was first brought to 5 years ago.  We have come full circle and everything happened exactly as originally planned - even though along the way it seemed like we would never get here.  The universe is always so full of tests.  Checking in with us to see if we really WANT something as bad as we say.  The tests that have come my way have been difficult, heartbreaking and sometimes I felt they would break me.  I held onto my faith in myself and what I want to create here and we all came through to the other side.  We have been living in this amazing farmhouse for a month now and it still feels completely surreal.  I spend each evening watching the sun set over the fields and am just in awe of the place I get to call home.  What an amazing place for people to come to interact with animals.  The healing that we will bring to the people and the land here inspires me to keep working hard towards this goal that I feel so passionately about.  Creating my small piece of what will be the bigger picture here at Woodfield is an incredible gift that I intend to put all of heart and soul into.  Stay tuned!  Creating something amazing takes a lot of time and energy, which is why my online presence is so much less these days.  Finding time to be on the computer and particularly on social media is nearly impossible most days.  I hope that now that we are finally done moving I can get into a new routine that will include more time for posting online.

So, Sky River Meadows is now not just a small breeding farm of Nigerian Dwarf Goats.  Although the original breeding program is still operating and I am continuing to offer mentorship to anyone wishing to raise goats, we have expanded the business operations to now include our Therapeutic Animal Programs.  I am also meeting with other professionals in the area who wish to explore some possible collaborations which could develop into some other offerings in the future.  Currently our huge barn is under extensive renovations in order to restore her to her once previous glory.  Restoring a barn that was built in 1907 is no small task.  Because of some unexpected delays with those renos however, it has delayed the start of some of our programming - most specifically GOAT YOGA!  I want all of our animal experiences here to be beyond our visitors expectations, and that means having everything in place before we welcome people.  Again, challenges and obstacles from the Universe.  We will tackle whatever road blocks the Universe puts in our way.  The closer I get to my goal, the harder I want to chase it!

I will not put a timeline on when we complete projects here or have new activities ready.  I fully believe that everything will come together at the right time.  For now I am focusing on one day at a time.  Staying focused on Self-Love (a personal goal of mine for this year), and staying focused on the needs of my herd are my priorities at the moment.  As volunteers come forward and get involved in the activities here, things will begin to shape up.  If you've ever thought of becoming a volunteer here, maybe now is the time to reach out?  Send me an email and let me know what skills you bring to the table.  We are in need of assistance with everything from daily animal chores, to admin, to baby goat cuddling.  The benefits are immeasurable!

Until next time ~ Angee