There’s something about leaving the homestead for even a few days that makes you realize just how alive it really is. Life doesn’t pause. It grows, hatches, shifts, and surprises you when you return.
This past weekend, I headed to Pittsburgh for the Pittsburgh Marathon—and while I was focused on miles, pacing, and just crossing that finish line, back at home… everything was changing.
Thankfully, Jason held down the fort. And when I say held it down, I mean he managed a full-on homestead explosion of growth, new life, and big transitions. I came home to a place that somehow felt both familiar and completely new.
The Hatch That Started It All
Before I even hit the road, I was lucky enough to witness the first crack in one of our incubating eggs. That tiny pip… that quiet determination… it never gets old.
By the time I got back?
Fifteen out of sixteen eggs had hatched.
Fifteen.
If you’ve ever hatched your own chicks, you know how incredible that is—not just the success rate, but the magic of it. These are our barnyard mixes, which makes it even more exciting. Every single chick is a mystery. You don’t quite know what colors, patterns, or personalities you’re going to get.
And somehow, every single one is cuter than the last.
Watching life begin like that—it grounds you. It reminds you why we do this.
Meat Birds: A One-Week Difference That Feels Like a Month
While I was out running 26.2 miles, our Cornish Cross chicken chicks were doing what they do best… growing. Fast.
We currently have two batches, only one week apart in age. You’d think a week wouldn’t make much of a difference, right?
It does.
It really, really does.
The older group looks massive compared to the younger one. It’s one of those things that never stops surprising me—how quickly these birds develop. One week is the difference between “tiny chick” and “oh wow, you’re turning into a full-grown bird.”
It’s a constant reminder that with meat birds, time matters. Every day counts, and growth doesn’t wait.
Tommy the Turkey Finally Joins the Flock
This one has been a long time coming.
When we first introduced Tommy—our male turkey—to the hens, it didn’t exactly go smoothly. They made it very clear that he was not part of the group yet.
So we adapted.
We gave them time. Space. A chicken wire barrier where they could see each other, interact safely, and slowly adjust. And over the past month and a half, something shifted.
Tommy grew—both in size and confidence. At 8 months old, he’s no longer the “new guy” trying to figure things out.
And this weekend, Jason made the call to fully integrate him.
And it worked.
No chaos. No drama. Just a calm, natural transition into the flock.
If you’ve ever introduced new birds, you know that’s not always how it goes. This one felt like a win.
The Garden Doesn’t Wait Either
While animals tend to steal the spotlight, the garden quietly keeps moving forward too.
Jason got all of our tomatoes and peppers set into their cages—a huge milestone for the season. There’s something about seeing those plants supported and in place that makes it all feel real.
And then there were the potatoes…
Just barely breaking through the soil.
That first glimpse of green? It never gets old. It’s a promise of what’s coming.
In just four days, the garden moved forward in a way that felt like weeks.
A Weekend That Said Everything About This Life
When I left, the homestead was in one state.
When I came back, it had grown—literally and figuratively.
New chicks.
Bigger birds.
A fully integrated turkey.
A garden pushing upward.
All of it happened while I was away chasing a completely different kind of goal.
And maybe that’s one of the most beautiful things about this life. You can step away for a moment—and when you come back, it reminds you that growth is always happening, whether you’re there to see it or not.
And the Marathon?
It went really well.
There’s something powerful about setting a goal like running the Pittsburgh Marathon and seeing it through. The energy of Pittsburgh, the crowds, the bridges—it all came together in the best way.
And yes… I’m already looking forward to running it again.
Gratitude for the One Who Held It All Together
None of this would have been possible without Jason.
He managed the chicks, the meat birds, the turkey introductions, and the garden—all while I was away. That’s no small thing on a homestead.
This life we’ve built? It takes both of us.
And this weekend was a perfect reminder of that.
Leave a Reply