House Addition And Barn Raising!

Join in the fun and help raise the roof before the first Minnesota snow!

We are embarking on a new journey and stepping out in faith.

Life has swirled like the churning ocean, and now those raging seas have calmed and our little boat is once again being navigated on the waterways of life.

The plan envisioned is taking on flesh and the next step is to breathe life into it.

Hours and days and years have passed as Healing Hooves Family Farm LLC has been knit together in my heart and mind.  The energy invested in sculpting this farm and this ministry is finally sparking and I look forward to seeing the flames ignite and burst upward.

I have seen this farm and this ministry from afar.  Only now am I surrounded by it and do I actually feel the peace in the fields and among the trees.  I smell the fresh air and hear the orchestra each night.

God is faithful and good and I pray that Healing Hooves would touch the body, mind and spirit of many people.  Our goal is to Inspire, Challenge, Encourage and Empower.

Please check out this link and get to know us a little better and see how you can put a few logs in the fire that we are lighting.

We are hoping and planning to add on to the existing cabin, bringing the refrigerator inside before winter, and putting up a barn, if God is willing.  This is a huge endeavor and His provision and strength are essential. 

It is exciting to see the hand of God at work and how, at times, He shows His presence and provision through other people.

We all get weary with life and work and I look forward to the day that I can have guests stay with us and experience a little healing and restoration of the body, mind and spirit through our horses and God's incredible creation.

I desire that souls be refreshed and encouraged, and that each person would leave our farm with fond memories, a warm heart, and a big smile! (Not to mention, a satisfied tummy!)

Enjoy a smile!

For more information on our journey and how you can come along, click here.

3 Reasons Why Your Next Birthday Party Should Be A Pony Party

There are many reasons why you would want to have our pony, Amigo, and one of his mini friends celebrate with you at your next party.

Today we are going to focus on just three reasons why your next birthday party should be a Pony Party.

1. Not only are horses fun, but our Pony Parties are educational.

Most children enjoy riding a pony.  But that is not the only benefit of having a Pony Party. 

Children learn about horses, horse care and horse handling.  They have the opportunity to lead the minis and go through obstacle courses.

Equine assisted activities make learning fun. 

We have games and friendly competitions that make the party even more memorable.

You can even dress the horses up and have photo sessions.

2. Having a Pony Party is very memorable.

As a parent you know how important it is to make memories that will last a lifetime, memories that your children will look back on fondly and say, “I remember when…”

If you are hosting a special event for a family function, a church or a business, having Healing Hooves Horses visit will definitely leave an impression on your visitors, and you will be giving them a personal gift of special memories.

3. Ages 1-10 Can Enjoy A Personalized Pony Party And Any Age Can Enjoy A Mini Party.

Children of different ages can enjoy the fun of having a Pony Party.  The age restriction is just for the pony rides. 

Imagine having a few miniature horses at your graduation party or fundraising event.

The key to the memories and the fun is not only in the horses, but in personalizing the party for your special occasion.  Different themes can make the party or event more memorable.

When something is personalized, if means all the more.  We want each birthday person to know someone cared so very much for them and gave them the gift of live horses and Pony Party fun.

Do they like cowboys?  Black Beauty?  Unicorns?  Maybe they just like horses in general.

If you would like more information on how you could have personalized Pony Party in your “neigh”borhood” and create memories to last a lifetime, fill out the info to the right and we will be in touch. 

If you mention this blog, your child will get a special birthday surprise.  (Must be in a 50 mile radius of St. Cloud, MN or the Twin Cities.)

Photo Journal Of A Monarch Butterfly

These are two of the four chrysalises we enjoyed watching.  The top green one was a few days behind the other.

This was pretty amazing to see.  For a day or so we enjoyed watching the beautiful wing color through the chrysalis wall.

As it got closer to emerging, the chrysalis became more transparent.

Once it emerged, it hung around for a while before trying its wings.  It usually ended up on the floor.

 

 

 

 

You can see how strong the threads are that attach the chrysalis to its anchor.  This one got bumped when we took it out of the jar, but held tight through the whole process.

This is a female.  We had one female and three males.  The males have thinner lines and two spots at the bottom of the wing.

 

Male monarch drying his wings.  Notice the two spots.

 

 

 

They spent quite a bit of time walking around strengthening their wings.  They all came out in the evening and were ready to take flight the next morning.

 

 

 

 

 

These are two of the empty chrysalises.

 

 

 

This is the last butterfly.  He perched in the window sill before taking flight and leaving the house.

 

 

The adventure begins...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The month of September marks the beginning of a 3-month, 3,000-mile migration for the monarch butterfly from Healing Hooves Family Farm down to Mexico.

 

"The annual journey this September is especially notable in light of serious population declines.

 

Since 1997, the estimated monarch population has decreased from one billion to 56.6 million.

 

The monarchs’ only habitat and food supply, the milkweed plant, is quickly being eradicated through the use of glyphosate, the primary ingredient in Monsanto's popular weed-killing herbicide Roundup."

 

Click here for more information.

 

 

Check out this pretty cool link.  Amazing!

 

 

"The fourth generation of monarch butterflies is a little bit different than the first three generations. The fourth generation is born in September and October and goes through exactly the same process as the first, second and third generations except for one part.

 

The fourth generation of monarch butterflies does not die after two to six weeks. Instead, this generation of monarch butterflies migrates to warmer climates like Mexico and California and will live for six to eight months until it is time to start the whole process over again.

 

It is amazing how the four generations of monarch butterflies works out so that the monarch population can continue to live on throughout the years, but not become overpopulated."  Continue reading here.

 

 

Crawling up...

 And up...

 And up...

 And up!

 

 

Can't wait until next September!

 

 

Homesteading Firsts

“Put your outdoor work in order and get your fields ready; after that, build your house."  Proverbs 24:27

Even though I have planned and envisioned Healing Hooves Family Farm for about a decade, it is even more exciting as we experience all the “firsts” here on the farm.

-    First Fence posts for the paddocks are in and the horse shelters are up.
-    Chicken coop is built and first chicks maturing.
-    First round of butchering is done.
-    We are still waiting for the first eggs from the young hens.
-    First grass mowed and hay baled – 12 big rolls.
-    First straw bale garden loosely attempted – first few tomatoes and peppers.
-    First apples picked from the apple tree - first apple pie and first apple crisp.

We have enjoyed our first winter, spring and summer.  Now we are looking forward to our first fall on the farm.

Soon our first year here will be behind us.

Winter was mild, praise the Lord, and we only had to shovel a few times.  Spring came and went quickly and now summer is almost over. 

Each season has its own beauty to be enjoyed.  

What a blessing to enjoy all these firsts on the homestead, on Healing Hooves Family Farm LLC!