Winter rolled in early this year, creeping in on a Monday morning with heavy snow and that deep, bone-cold air that makes the whole world move slower. Something about that first real winter week always hits different. The days get quieter. The land settles. And you’re left with your own thoughts a little more than usual.

This week wasn’t loud or dramatic on the surface… but it sure was loud in the heart.

Losing Chicks, Watching Life Grow, and the Weight of a Homestead

We lost two chicks this week—one of the new babies, and one of our older ones we were trying to integrate. Most people don’t talk about those losses because they’re “just chickens,” but when you raise them from the start, you feel it.

At the same time, the pigs are thriving. Growing steady. Our boar is doing exactly what a good boar should do—humping and bumping and building our future herd one good decision at a time. It’s funny how life and loss sit side-by-side out here. That’s homesteading. That’s real life.

And then there was the barn.

Israel and I built a wall this week—our first wall ever. Neither of us had ever framed one, raised one, squared one, nothing. But we learned. We figured it out. We stood that thing up like two men with more grit than experience, and we did it with materials that came from last week’s garage cleanout. Turning waste into structure. Turning junk into a future space that’s slowly taking shape.

A small win to anyone else… but it meant something to us.

The $1,000 Hit We Didn’t See Coming

And then—life reminded us that winter doesn’t come alone.

The thermostat in Maci’s truck failed. I spent the time diagnosing it, doing the checks, even pulled from everything I know from past experience, from the shops, from the tools I’ve spent years learning. But the repair ended up being one of those “dealer-only bleed” situations. No way around it. No shortcut. No better option.

That bill?

A little over $1,000.

Money we didn’t want to spend. Money we really didn’t have to comfortably throw around.

And still… we paid it.

We didn’t argue about it.

We didn’t spiral.

We didn’t fall apart.

We just did what needed to be done.

That’s partnership. That’s maturity. That’s faith.

It reminded me why Maci and I built our financial plan the way we did. Years ago, I went through Dave Ramsey’s Financial Peace program. Not because he’s some magic solution, but because the principles made sense—budget together, be honest about money, save with purpose, don’t run from hard conversations. We leaned into those ideas from the start.

And when this hit came? We were shaken, but not broken.

That’s why we plan.

That’s why we prepare.

And that’s why we move as a team.

A Winter Market, New Friends, and God’s Quiet Signs

Saturday came with something lighter.

I went with my buddy Ernie owner of Grilliant Foods to my first winter market. I’ve never been to one. Never seen small business owners in that environment, showing their work with pride, shaking hands, telling stories, laughing in the cold.

And man… it hit me.

Some of them were first-generation farmers, just like us.

Some of them were building something from nothing, just like us.

Some of them were hustling on pure faith, just like us.

Talking to them, sharing space with them, hearing their journey—it felt like looking at the possible future of DaleWood Farms.

And right there, standing between booths filled with handmade soaps and homegrown produce, I felt this in my chest:

Sometimes God shows you the next step through other people’s grind.

It stuck to me.

Still does.

This farm, this business, this dream—it isn’t just dirt and animals. It’s community. It’s resilience. It’s following the quiet signs God leaves on our path.

A Week of Small Wins While Winter Pressed Down

In between the cold and the stress, we made whipped body butter for the first time—one of those homestead projects that felt surprisingly good. We made tinctures. We connected with new people. Maci got to enjoy a birthday spa day. We shared laughs, good conversation, even tried some new IPAs.

It wasn’t a flashy week.

But it was a full one.

And honestly? Sometimes those are the best ones.

You’re Not Alone. And Whether It’s Easy or Not… Still We Rise.

Here’s the truth I’ve been sitting with this week:

Everybody gets hit with something.

Some people get five surprise bills a year.

Some get one every blue moon.

Some are fighting just to breathe financially.

Some look like they’re fine but are drowning quietly.

What I want people to know—what I want you to know—is this:

You’re not alone.

These problems don’t mean you’re failing.

Winter hits everyone.

Stress hits every family.

Life throws a punch at all of us eventually.

But if you take a breath, lean on your people, hold your faith, and keep moving—

there’s a way through it.

We got hit this week.

We felt the sting.

But we handled it.

We moved forward.

We kept loving each other.

We kept building this farm.

We kept rising.

And with God’s guidance, with community around us, with our hands still working in the cold…

we’re going to make it.

Winter comes slow… but it doesn’t stop us. Not here. Not now. Not ever.

Still we rise.

Always.

— Brian

DaleWood Farms