A Dream Realized in Lucketts, VA

By Aprille Hunter

Amidst all of the turmoil and uncertainty present in the world today, we wanted to share a heart-warming story. We hope it will leave you feeling inspired and hopeful, just as it did us at Donegan’s Tree Service.

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Have you ever dreamed of leaving the city in search of the perfect country farmhouse? Do you have visions of raised garden beds overflowing with bountiful vegetables for you and your family? Have you ever pictured yourself rising in the early morning with the summer sun to gather brown and white farm-fresh eggs from the chicken coop in your own backyard?

For the Henderson’s, that dream became a reality when Kathleen and her husband, Greg, decided that they had to be more conscientious of their eating habits. They began by swapping their typical processed foods and gluten products for in-season, farm fresh, nutrient-dense foods to help her overcome health issues that had slowly crept up over several years. Ordering vegetables, meat, raw milk and eggs from local farmers led them to wonder what it would take to supply these items for themselves. Their journey began with a vegetable and flower garden at their suburban home in Texas, and evolved to include a chicken coup with three laying hens when they first moved to a 3-acre lot in Northern Virginia. After finding a rhythm in caring for vegetables, chickens and three young boys, they moved onto a sprawling 20-acre property with a 360-degree view of Virginia’s Piedmont and Blue Ridge Mountains.

Their farm is now home to a raised bed kitchen garden, a “far away” garden plot, an orchard, berry bushes, three barns, farm animals, and plenty of pasture. It wasn’t long before the children developed their own interest in learning to care for the various animals and now share the responsibility of looking after the livestock. At the Henderson’s farm all of the animals are unique: heritage Polish hens in gold, silver, and black with beautiful feather crests on their heads, another breed of hen that lays green eggs, a rare breed of hog that is highly prized for its flavor, a grey rabbit and her kits, and two adorably spotted baby goats with their mother. When Jim, Patty and I visited the property, it was the last few days of spring, and all of the animals were surrounded by their young offspring.

Kathleen’s middle child received an incubator for his birthday and explained the regulations pertaining to entering his beloved Polish hens into a poultry competition and the high standards he upholds while raising them from hatchlings. The oldest son has an affinity for cooking and enjoys helping out in the kitchen, including serving breakfast each morning. He is also in charge of milking the goat, which is not an easy task when she kicks and fights. He shares this without a tone of defeat, but rather an air of perseverance. Another difficult challenge this season has been learning how to care for meat rabbits, which are more fragile and high maintenance than expected. Kathleen shares with us that life on the farm is a work in progress with many projects yet to be accomplished. But to us, that progress looks like leaps and bounds from the systems they have in place for caring for their various species of animals; to the manicured garden plot with rows of carrots, onions and tomatoes; and the well-polished quality of Kathleen’s blog.

Kathleen spends her days with her three boys, homeschooling in the slower seasons of the agricultural-calendar and otherwise teaching them lifelong lessons of responsibility, problem solving, goal setting, and nurturing a desire to continue exploring and trying new things. Her lessons don’t stop with her household; she generously shares her tips, successes and failures on her blog, Roots & Boots, and her Youtube channel, you can also follow her on Instagram. Check out the links for more about the Henderson’s story and learn more about what you can do to start leading a healthier lifestyle. Cheers to your good health!