From a Dream to Whuka Farm: Where We Started and Where We Are Today 🌿
Every homestead has a beginning, and ours started with a dream.
Back in 2024, we knew one thing for sure: we wanted land. We wanted space for a garden, room for animals, and a place where our family could grow together. We wanted somewhere we could put down roots, build something of our own, and create a little piece of heaven to call home.
We had a vision of what we wanted our future to look like, but we knew we'd have to put in the work to make it happen. We weren't looking for perfection. We were looking for potential.
And eventually, we found it.
Finding Our Little Piece of Heaven 🏡
In 2025, we found our property in Calhoun and signed the papers. The land was right. The house, on the other hand, was outdated and needed some love. But we could picture ourselves here. We could see the possibilities, and we knew we could make it our own.
Sometimes, you don't fall in love with a place because of what it already is. You fall in love with what you can imagine it becoming.
I actually moved in a few months before my parents did, and after moving in, we began remodeling the house and making it feel like home. There was a lot ahead of us, but this was the beginning of something bigger than just finding a place to live. We were creating a foundation for the life we'd been dreaming about.
We didn't have every detail figured out, and we certainly didn't know everything homesteading would bring our way. But we had the land, the vision, and the willingness to get started.
From One Coop to Our Growing Homestead 🐔
Every journey starts somewhere, and ours started with one chicken coop.
Just one!
Now, we're in the process of putting together our fourth coop. 😂 It's funny to look back and see how quickly one little project turned into another. As our animal family grew, so did our need for space, better setups, and new projects to keep everything running.
We've welcomed chickens, ducks, guinea fowl, and eventually our first cows. We've built coops, worked on fencing, made improvements, and learned plenty along the way.
Not every project has gone perfectly, and not every plan has worked out the way we imagined. But that's part of building a homestead. You learn as you go, figure out what works for your farm, and keep moving forward.
And speaking of learning as we go, our first cows wasted absolutely no time giving us a story to remember!
The Day Our Cows Went Missing 🐄🌲
When we brought home our first cows, Nora and Nash, we were beyond excited. But the very next morning, we couldn't find them anywhere!
It's a story we still look back on, and one that deserves a little more telling all on its own.
So, we'll save the full adventure of the great cow disappearance for another day!
Let's just say Nora an
d Nash made a memorable first impression.
Building More Than a Farm 🌱
As the animals and projects multiplied, Whuka Farm began to grow into something bigger than we first imagined.
Mom is our gardener and baker, Dad is our builder, and I spend plenty of time helping with the animals, gardening, and everything else that comes with farm life. The kids are part of the adventure, too, and we're creating memories together along the way.
We've planted gardens, built coops, cared for our animals, experimented in the kitchen, and started dreaming about sharing more of what we grow and make with our community.
We've celebrated exciting firsts, learned from unexpected challenges, and discovered that homesteading is just as much about patience and problem-solving as it is about the finished product.
There's always something to do, something to fix, something to learn, or another idea waiting to become the next project. Our to-do list never seems to get shorter, but somehow, that's part of the fun.
A New Chapter for the Barn 🔨
One of our biggest projects right now is our new barn.
It was hard to say goodbye to the old barn, especially knowing the history and memories tied to it. But sometimes, making room for the future means letting go of something from the past.
Now, we're watching a new barn take shape, board by board and piece by piece. Seeing it come together is a reminder of how far we've come and how much we're still building.
It's more than just another structure on the property. It's another step toward the homestead we've been working so hard to create.
And we can't wait to see what it becomes.
Where We Are Today 🤎
When we look back at where we started, it's amazing to see how much has changed.
We started with a desire for land and a vision for our family's future. Today, we have animals to care for, gardens to grow, projects underway, a new barn taking shape, and plans for our farm stand and website.
Whuka Farm is still a work in progress. We're still learning, still growing, and still figuring things out as we go.
But that's what makes this journey ours.
Not every day is picture-perfect. There are long days, muddy boots, unexpected problems, and moments when things don't go according to plan. There are also little victories, fresh eggs, growing gardens, happy animals, family memories, and those moments when we stop and realize just how much we've accomplished.
We're learning to appreciate all of it.
We're Just Getting Started 🌿
Whuka Farm has become more than a piece of property. It's a family effort, a place to learn and grow, and a dream we're bringing to life together.
Our motto, Grown With Intention, means more to us than what we plant in the ground. It's about being thoughtful with what we build, what we grow, the memories we make, and the life we're creating as a family.
We still have plenty of dreams to chase, projects to finish, and adventures ahead of us. And if our journey so far has taught us anything, it's that there will always be a surprise around the corner!
We're excited to share more of our story here on the blog, from everyday farm life to the bigger projects and the little moments in between.
Whether you've been following along since the beginning or you're just discovering Whuka Farm, we're glad you're here.
Thank you for being part of our journey and watching our little piece of heaven grow.
This is our story. This is our homestead. And we're just getting started. 🤎
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