Diversity & Resilience
Our story
We have always had the dream of self-sufficiency but the spark of our homestead began in 2012 with 5 chickens, a deep-litter chicken run, lots of books and a garden — all of this at a rental in downtown Athens, GA.
In 2015, we made the decision to stay in Athens for keeps. We are now a family of 4 and we live in the woods in a little holler, just north of downtown Athens.
Both of us work full time off the homestead so it seems we never stop. Our backgrounds and education range from horticulture and landscape design to ecology and evolutionary biology. Over the years of raising goats, chickens, ducks, turkeys and rabbits, we have basically become vet techs! We love soft fiber and use our cashmere and angora rabbit fiber to spin, knit and weave. All of the farm structures on our property were built by us with help from friends. What meat we don’t grow on the homestead, we find in the woods and streams nearby. Between the 2 of us adults, a lot gets done on the daily.
Our goats and rabbits provide constant entertainment, milk and fiber and the rabbits, chickens and ducks help turn plants and poo into beautiful dark soil while making food and fertilizer. Our garden provides lots of veg, herbs and fruit for fresh eating and canning, we just wish the weeds didn’t take over every summer! The growing season is fantastic in this area and with a little attention to detail, you can grow food all year long!
Adventurous Food
We do our best to feed ourselves from our land. That ranges from chanterelle mushrooms to squirrel, from venison to wild boar from garden veg to fresh fish. Our garden excels at growing garlic, strawberries, lettuce, onions, elderberries, okra, and hot peppers! We also have many fruit trees that are beginning to produce along side blueberry bushes.
The Dogs
We LOVE our dogs - both the farm dogs and the Livestock Guardians.
Oberon (Obi) came from a local backyard breeder but never the less he has shown remarkable aplomb when managing goats, rabbits, and birds of all sorts. He has never harassed anything but the unwelcome wildlife and we thank him for his daily duty to the cause! He is, however, unsatisfied with living with the goats 24/7 and has managed to dig out of the barn many times. He does stick around the house so we are often graced with his sudden appearance. He is the BigDogBoss of the farm so there is some tension between him and our boy house dog but Gareth is the Farm Boss so she keeps them in line when they are together.
Buttercup was found frolicking in a ditch down the road from the homestead in 2021. She was probably about 9 weeks old when we found her. We suspect she is your garden variety Pit Bull. She is a loving dog and is safe with her humans and animals on the property! She tells us when anything is amiss or strange around the homestead. She is our sweet tiger pup.
Beorn (BeeBee) is a stellar Turkish Shepherd Livestock Guardian Dog from Farei Kennels, in Greenfield, Maine in 2025. From day 1 he has been an ideal livestock guardian. He has never touched a bird, rabbit or goat with anything other than concern and love. He gets along with all the animals and people on the homestead and has the best fluffy ears. He never digs or jumps out and plays nice with our other LGD and our house dogs. He is ON IT if there is anything remotely weird happening on the farm so if we ever hear him bark bark barking away - something is up - we have found him harassing rat snakes and armadillos and he is definitely good at telling the neighborhood coyotes to stay away!
Roco is one of the house dogs. He was adopted in 2025. He is a real ham bone and has learned to play ball with himself when we are all busy. We named him Roco before knowing he also likes to push rocks around and throw them in the air. If you even visit and think gee - why are all these rocks and stick on the porch just waiting to trip someone, that from Roco.
In Memoriam
To all those we have loved and lost too soon.
Equinox was our very first farm dog. He loved all animals and people and was a superior animal. He moved from Maine to Georgia and then to 3 different homes in the Athens area before we settled at the homestead. He passed in October 2022 and he will always be missed.
Super Hero was our first Livestock Guardian Dog from Farei Kennels, Greenfield, Maine. She was with us for only 3 years before mysteriously passing away. She was devoted and patient, the best dog on a leash ever! She kept the homestead safe from predators day and night and we were devastated to loose her at such a young age.
Peregrine was our tiny pound puppy. We rescued her in 2010 from Athens animal control. In her prime, she was an expert roach killer! Peregrine passed away at the good old age of 17 in December 2024. RIP sweet weasel.
Farm Personalities
