Sometimes you win... sometimes you lose. We made two trips to pick up this Dexter bull to service our Jerseys. He wouldn't take more than two steps into the trailer. He's actually quite sweet and we've had him on our farm as a stud before for our Jerseys. First trip I brought food... and he wouldn't take more than two steps on the trailer before running back out. Second time I brought a little heifer with us (and food) and he still wouldn't follow her in. We were picking him up at another farm (not the owners farm) and they didnt have any gates or anything else to assist, so I gave up.

The owner came out with her trailer (he hasn't seen her in 2 years since he's been on loan) she backs the trailer in, opens the door and says "alright... let's go"... and the bull hops right in. We spent hours over two days trying to load him and she does it in less than 30 seconds. Lol.

She dropped him off yesterday with our girls and he's happy. He has three Jersey cows that he will now service over the next few months.

This was my Christmas Eve project, building steps for our milk shed. All we had until now were some temporary concrete blocks. I had to work all day at my "day job" on Christmas Eve, so I got up early and worked on it, then finished after work. I still have to rip down some board to cover the open space between board, but thats all esthetics. The steps are fully functioning now. Also need to throw a railing on the side with a post but I'll get to that later. Not bad for a jackleg carpenter... lol.

Yesterday's project: vent replacement.

Those who follow us know we live in a ~100 year old farm house. Running water and 1 indoor bathroom were added in a porch area in the early 50's. Where we live in NC, there are no "poured foundations" just what they call "block and base". I'm told this house had just the concrete block and brick pillars for the longest time and then in the 60's the owners did brick underpinning to close it in and keep dogs and other critters from going under the house.

The vents they used were all falling apart. Couldn't open/close them and the screens were falling out. Not good for winter winds freezing pipes or to keep mice out. So yesterday I started replacing them with new vents that automatically open and close based on ambient temperature.

No power or batteries, just temperature sensitive springs. Quite ingenious.

Looks much better and now I dont have to open in the spring and close in the summer.

We have a tradition. Every New Year's Eve, we throw two Tomahawk ribeyes on the smoker grill and thats what we have for dinner. We can only afford it once a year but man is it special! Whatever you all do each year for New Year's... I hope it was safe and spent with family surrounding you. May God bless your 2026 and I pray that he will direct all of our paths. 

Whether you follow our family's journey of transforming a farm into a regenerative agriculture model or if your a casual Telegram user that happened to see this post... thank you for being part of our lives and we wish you the very best in 2026. Find a way to pay it forward this week. Do something kind for someone with no ulterior motive. We need less griping and more doing.

The honey-do list has been sitting idle for too long. Our 100 year old farmhouse has a single bathroom that was added by enclosing the back porch somewhere in the late 50's or early 60's.

While this faucet wasn't original to that renovation... it was still super old. My loving wife has been so patient with me not getting to replacing it as fast as I should have. Its been sitting in the cabinet under it for over a year now. Lol.

Got it done on Friday and used CLR to clean the lime and calcium buildup on the sink as well. The water is super hard around here, even with treatment, so that will be an ongoing battle. Its a bit like putting tonail polish on a pig but it looks better than it did before... and will work until we can afford to renovate one day.

Well.. I think our comfrey may have finally given it up for the year, but it hung in way longer than I anticipated! Now we have springtime temps on the way. On Friday its supposed to be almost 80°F!!! I worry plants will wake up and then go through winter temps. Not great for fruiting trees and plants.