Welcome to Shepherd’s Gate Farm.

Have you ever had one of those vague, fuzzy, “oh, wouldn’t it be nice if…” dreams that you didn’t think could ever really come true – but then, miracles happen, fuzzy comes into focus – and there it is!!! Your “dream” is a reality!

That is our Shepherd’s Gate Farm story – but the story is still unfolding and you are joining us at the beginning. So welcome to our story….

Introduction

I (Deborah) grew up on the East Coast in the 70’s and 80’s long before computers or technology ruled our time and attention; before social media announced our opinions and set our standards. There were no cell phones, no internet, no Facebook or video games. My fondest childhood memories were of time spent outdoors: ice skating on frozen ponds, sledding, and building snowmen in the Winter; caring for baby bunnies and abandoned birds, catching salamanders and splashing in mud puddles in the Spring; decorating clubhouses under trees, playing kickball in the street, and chasing fireflies in the Summer; riding my banana-seat bicycle, flipping baseball cards and crafting with “itchy balls” and acorns in the Fall. It was all so simple compared to today.

When my husband and I met, we talked about our goals and dreams…how we hoped to spend time, focus our attentions and share our resources. We both said that we would love to live on a farm one day, to care for a plot of land and a herd of animals, and to be more self-sufficient. We envisioned quiet evenings spent sitting together on the porch enjoying the sunset with a glass of good wine and dogs at our feet.

A peaceful farm was a nice idea, but our real life was consumed by children who were busy with school, homework, projects, friends, birthday parties, sports, practices, games, tournaments, travel, theater and recitals. Three children moving (quickly!) in three different directions needed our time and focus. So we packed the farm dream away on the shelf with other “maybe-later’s” and “what-if’s”, while our family of 5 lived in a tiny ranch house (with one bathroom!) in town. We were driven by the day-to-day demands and obligations of providing for a family – and embracing the blessings and opportunities of our present joy while the dream of a farm gradually faded far from view.

Chapter One

Our children grew up. They moved out to attend college and to start their own families. The rhythm of our life changed – and so did our opportunities. The economy was in a recession and the housing market a mess when a couple selling their 24-acre farm dropped their asking price enough to inspire my husband to take a look.

The farm had been on the market for 2 years without a serious offer. The lowered asking price was still unaffordable for us, so I agreed to visit the farm but without the eagerness of my husband. We loved the house and the farm and the potential new life. In November 2010, we made a financial offer to the sellers based on the absolute most we could possibly afford, but not near their asking price. Our offer was declined. Not a surprise.

The surprise came next…a stream of flowing surprises, a bundle of blessings, an outpouring of the unexpected! The sellers changed their minds. They agreed to sell us the farm at the price we could (barely) afford. Our farm contract was contingent on us being able to sell our own house. Houses were just not moving. The market was completely stalled. The real estate agent warned us that it could be months before we had an offer on our house. Except that it didn’t happen that way. We had two offers to buy the house at asking price the day it was listed.

My husband and I agreed, that God had plans for us…for this farm, as He cleared the path for the purchase and opened the doors to Shepherd’s Gate.

Chapter Two

Managing the farm required both of our salaries and all of our free time. We experienced the beautiful sunsets through sweaty brows and a state of exhaustion rather than from rocking chairs on a porch! Critical learning often involved back-breaking or heart-breaking lessons born out of failure.

We slowly added barn repair, fencing and animal shelters to the farm. We replaced an oil burning furnace with an efficient geothermal system. We removed ornamental flower gardens and replaced them with functional vegetable gardens. We entered into a bartering agreement with a local farmer to manage the 15 acres of orchard grass hay.

We came to the farm with two dogs and a rabbit from the Humane Society and Mr. Arthur Whiskers (a rescued rat, yes, really). Our first official farm animals were a set of three old hens that were retrieved by a friend from a pet shop owner who wanted to use them for snake food. I don’t think it was a typical farm start!

All the while, I am asking God, “What do you want us to do with this farm?” A gift from God is meant to be shared. How do I use this farm for His Glory?

Chapter Three

We are (mostly successfully) managing a small dairy goat farm! We have 12 beautiful, healthy Nigerian Dwarf goat does and 2 sweet, adorable ND bucks. We breed and milk the goats. I have learned how to make goat cheese, yogurt and ice cream. I continue to practice with recipes for the best cheesecakes and truffles. We have a flock of Runner Ducks, a variety of chickens and rabbits. Our vegetable garden yields enough for us to eat, can, freeze and share.

This year, I left my career of 30 years (in speech therapy) to begin a new career in full time farming, writing and teaching. I am doing exactly what I love and what I believe God is asking me to do with my time and resources.

Life on this farm has not been exactly what I dreamt it would be – but it is also so much more.

The lessons continue to come daily as God teaches me about who He is, who I am, and who I am becoming through this farm journey. He has shown me that I am not a good “farmer”. I have the soul of a shepherd.as I love and invest in these animals and the earth He has entrusted to my care.

I have experienced unbelievable joy in seasons of births and new beginnings. I have also experienced the devastation of loss, frustration and discouragement through the deaths of beloved creatures and acceptance of my own limitations. My heart yearns to share what He is teaching me and His spirit tugs at my own insecure will to, “just teach”.

The “Love Notes from Shepherd Gate” devotionals were born out of all God is doing with me and through me. Thank you for reading and sharing devotions with me. What a privilege it is to follow His story to the end, together.