Blog Posts

Solstice Women's Camp June 21

5/30/2018

Registration is open for our first ever Women's Camp --grab a girlfriend and join us on the farm!

Open yourself up to the skies and community on the eve of the Summer Solstice. This is an opportunity to soak up the sun’s brightest day of the year by surrounding yourself with women who yearn for a camp to call their own! Get away from your *To DO* list, the caregiving of others and pressures from work by joining our gathering of women to share in the communion of farm and nature together. We have such a lovely treat of treasures planned for the evening including, critter connections, horseback riding, culinary creations, art journey, and finishing up with drumming and singing around the bonfire. Feed your soul and listen to the whispers of your heart. You deserve this!

Details:
Solstice Women's Camp June 21
with FarmHers Rosemary, Shirley, Dawn, Christine, and Andi
Thursday June 21, 5PM - 9PM
(room for 5 tents if anyone wants to stay the night)
$50 includes drinks, shared nibbles, art and culinary creations.

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From Pony Lessons to High School Internship -- Allison's Story

5/24/2018

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Allison is like part of the family here at Laughing Buck Farm and we wanted to capture some of her essence to honor who she is to us! Our farm blogger Dawn wrote this beautiful post and at the end you'll find a video interview by Jasper. Allison, I am so proud of the strong, knowledgeable and passionate cowgirl you are and cherish the connections you have made with the horses and the community. Congratulations girl, and I wish you all the best as you graduate next week. Can't wait to see where life takes you! ~FarmHer Rosemary

I am writing today about a blossom that has been growing in our families’ gardens. Her name is Allison. This young lady first made her appearance as a sprite sprout that bounced around with her bright smile and has cast her light like sunshine everywhere she went.

Today, she is still doing so, though this time her light is more like a flickering fire that warms you as she shares her heart’s desires about life.

Allison’s passions revolve around horses and helping others. Ever since Allison was little, she’s loved animals. I’ve never seen her without a critter in her arms, her face against the fur of a four-legged friend or a squeal of joy coming out of this girl’s mouth from the cuteness of what she’s witnessing from a fluffy creature. Allison’s sweetness permeates from her cells and animals trust her.

Focusing on what she loves, which is mainly horses, Allison has created a daily life that keeps her surrounded by equines! In the beginning, she started her journey by taking riding lessons and leasing a pony / best friend named Ginger. As she grew and as her horse skills grew, she has continued her learning by getting involved with 4H, which she has now proudly earned the title role of President. She also joined FFA, Future Farmers of America which helped her to attain the knowledge and respect that it takes to be successful in the farming industry which ranges from the monetary demands, as well as the labor involved and how technology has played a role. That path naturally took her straight into the loving arms of Laughing Buck Farm where she asked to be trained as an intern. She worked at LBF every week, rain or shine, learning horse care, helping with injured horses, teaching the horses tricks and helping with desensitizing and training. I asked Allison what her favorite chore at LBF was and she whole-heartedly without pause announced, “MUCKING! I love having manure on my boots! It means that the horses are happy, healthy and I’ve got a job.” Her words: “Horses are my spirit animal. I understand them. I look into their eyes and we connect. They trust me and know that they have me. They have me as a friend and an ally. I can hear what they are thinking and they can hear what I am thinking. I know that sounds weird. I don’t care. The horses need me and I need them. That’s all that counts when we are together.”

Connection. Allison has an innate ability to connect, not only to animals but also to humans! She’s like a magnet. Curious kiddos are drawn to her, intrigued teachers are lured to her and parents of those curious kiddos gravitate towards her because of her authentic personality. She has a positive attitude and energy that doesn't cease. Allison is dedicated to learning, to guiding and to finding answers. I asked her what has been her greatest aspirations in life. Here they are:

"Meeting Temple Grand, in person. She’s amazing and I want to be like her."

"My grandmother. She always believed in me and always calmed me. When I am with the animals, I can hear her talking to me. I feel her. The horses know and sense that calm in me because of my grandmother."

"My mother, Rose Lew-Poff. That woman is why I am here today. She has been there during my roughest times and we have made it together, through my dramas, my insecurities. She never stops loving me. She never stops pushing me to be my best. My mother is my hero. It doesn't matter what she is enduring, this woman has a kind of strength that I want to have. She made it through cancer and the death of her own mother while continuing to be strong enough to take care of our family. She's my hero and the strongest person that I know."

Allison graduates this year. She’s leaving us. She is on somewhat of a rite of passage. These roads of experience take her to the next phase of learning, wherever and whatever that may be…to something grand and enriching. Her emotions about her future are sprinkled with anxiety, trepidation and excitement of what's to come. She’s choosing to make a difference in her life by seeking to continue her education that will always involve some form of nurturing others, both animals and humans. This world is a better place by having her in it, showering her environments with delight!

Allison's smile and joie de vivre is contagious, it’s something that you want to take with you and hold it in your hands. We will. She’ll always be imprinted in our hearts and we’ll embrace our sweet girl each time we get to wrap our arms around her when she visits. Thank you, Allison…we love you. xoxo ~Dawn

Want to hear about Allison's internship experience? Check out the video below.

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Rainy Day Poems

5/13/2018

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We've had a stretch of misty, rainy days... the kind of days that inspire one to settle in with a poem as the drops pitter-patter on the panes and petals. Enjoy this collection by guest blogger, Dawn.

There Will Come Soft Rain
by Sara Teasdale

There will come soft rain and the smell of the ground,
And swallows circling with their shimmering sound;

And frogs in the pools singing at night,
And wild plum trees in tremulous white;

Robins will wear their feathery fire,
Whistling their whims on a low fence-wire;

And not one will know of the war, not one
Will care at last when it is done.

Not one would mind, neither bird nor tree,
If mankind perished utterly;

And Spring herself, when she woke at dawn
Would scarcely know that we were gone.

April Rain Song
by Langston Hughes

Let the rain kiss you
Let the rain beat upon your head with silver liquid drops
Let the rain sing you a lullaby
The rain makes still pools on the sidewalk
The rain makes running pools in the gutter
The rain plays a little sleep song on our roof at night
And I love the rain.

The Rain
by William Henry Davies

I hear leaves drinking rain;
I hear rich leaves on top
Giving the poor beneath
Drop after drop;
'Tis a sweet noise to hear
These green leaves drinking near.

And when the Sun comes out,
After this Rain shall stop,
A wondrous Light will fill
Each dark, round drop;
I hope the Sun shines bright;
'Twill be a lovely sight.

Rain...Rain...Rain...!
by Indira Babbellapati

Rain on tinned roof
Rain on concrete
Rain soaking into sands
Rain on soft earth
Rain on metal road
Rain on windscreen

Rain falling into the sea
Rain in the river

Rain on flowers
Rain on leaves
Rain under trees
Rain on hills

Rain on my skin…

Each with its own unique raga
Reverberates across the sky
On to the earth…

Morning Rain
by Du Fu

A slight rain comes, bathed in dawn light.
I hear it among treetop leaves before mist
Arrives. Soon it sprinkles the soil and,
Windblown, follows clouds away. Deepened

Colors grace thatch homes for a moment.
Flocks and herds of things wild glisten
Faintly. Then the scent of musk opens across
Half a mountain -- and lingers on past noon.

Dawn Renée Markley-Webster writes about the savory and sweet spices of life by finding beauty amidst the chaos of our world. She's a visionary of Possibility. Seeing challenges as opportunities to discover strengths, she seeks resources for turning yearnings into realities. Dawn is a soul whisperer who engages in listening to the voices of our hearts, encouraging us to nourish our souls with enriching bites of whatever makes us sigh blissfully or squeal with excitement. Reclaim what brings you contentment. A mother of 3 whose passions run deep for community, cooking, culture, teaching and rhythm making. You can follow along in her meanderings, where she dwells and within her own abode by going to:

www.sassafraselements.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sassafraselements/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sassafraselements/
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/sassafraselements/

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Charlie: Colorful Cowgirl

5/3/2018

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The Many Facets of Charlie, Laughing Buck Farm's Colorful Cowgirl

Charlie identifies herself as an Artist & Horseback Rider.

Charlie also identifies herself as a Craiglist Addict, her motto, “Find the gold in the trash.” At the time of finding her GOLDEN employment opportunity at Laughing Buck Farm, she was currently cleaning her way through school as Maid Service when she came home one day to check her email and found the gem that she had been looking for. There, on Craigslist, was a position for: “Farmhand @ Laughing Buck Farm!” It was the prime example of finding a piece of gold in a pile of rubbish and she just *knew* that she had to act QUICKLY to capture her dream.

What is Charlie’s dream? Charlie has been daydreaming since she was 7 years old about riding horses. This woman was “horse crazy” since about 7-15 years of her sweet childhood! She has had experience with horses, Blaze & Born, her thoroughbreds with this undying love.

Her family is known as ‘city folk’ without any farm or livestock experience. Being able to have this opportunity at L.B.F. has been surreal and left her flabbergasted! Charlie truly feels that working with the Jedel-Graff family has been a gift for not only her future employment but also for her soul. Rosemary has been a teacher, a role model, to living life to its fullest. After spending six months on the Laughing Buck Farm, she is still in a state of shock at the beautiful opportunity that she has had with living on the farm. Not only has she had the experience of being in the presence of livestock and learning how to manage it, she’s also had the gift of having a person who mentors her be completely nonjudgmental about her own personal needs and desires!

As iterated earlier in this post, Charlie identifies herself as an Artist. Rosemary has embraced this creative side of her farmhand by allowing Charlie the space to CREATE. This colorful farmhand has also expressed a need to heal…Charlie needed to heal with treatment from a lifelong emotional/physical debilitating disorder of depression & anxiety. She allowed her the time and space to heal on the farm as well as support her with achieving her G.E.D.

One thing that Charlie wanted me to make clear to the community who reads this:
“Everyone says how lucky this family is to be able to live on a farm and work on it. Well, it’s hard. There is no getting away from the work. Just because they go inside to spend time with their family, it doesn’t mean that their work is done and that they can turn off being owners of a company. They are still *working* even when they go indoors. They have livestock to raise, gardens to till and hens to fetch eggs from, let alone emails to return on their computers. They don’t have downtime. They have a passion for the life that they live, the hard work and also having a family of humans to raise.”

Why is Charlie leaving your ask? Well, she has the opportunity to pursue her education in Arizona and pursue her love of time spent with horses! Charlie is moving forward with moving out of state to extend her learning by continuing her education in Equine Assisted Therapy.

When is her last day at Laughing Buck Farm? It is May 5th, Cinco de Mayo! Let’s celebrate Charlie and the colorful personality that she has brought to the community. We will miss her vibrant personality!

This describes Charlie and what our wishes are for her future:
Sassafras Elements: “Charlie, what are your aspirations for your future?”
Charlie: “Well, what I see right now in front of me. I yearn for a 1:30 p.m. full dressage gear on, my horse ready to go and having a relaxing afternoon stroll without a care in the world. That is happiness to me."

www.sassafraselements.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sassafraselements/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sassafraselements/
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/sassafraselements/

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Welcome Alexandra, PATH Certified Adaptive Riding Instructor

4/21/2018

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Earlier this year I shared the vision of working with a more diverse population, and expressed the intention of embracing farmers and riders of ALL ABILITIES. Well, here we go. Laughing Buck Farm now has a certified PATH (Professional Association of Therapeutic Horsemanship) instructor on site. Alex is teaching private riding lessons and helping with our Integrated Summer Camps and I couldn't be more happy to welcome her to the LBF community. If you know someone who might benefit from adaptive riding lessons, let us know.
~ FarmHer Rosemary

From Alexandra,
"I am a New York City native and started riding at the age of five and rode until 22, taking lessons, competing in hunter/jumper and cross-country and training unsuccessful racehorses to jump. I took a 20-year break from riding until six years ago when I became involved with adaptive riding, initially as a parent of a rider. Currently, I am a PATH Advanced Instructor, Equine Specialist in Mental Health and Learning and I am pursuing becoming involved in the therapeutic certification process. I have become extremely fond of English dressage as a riding discipline but love any kind of riding. I especially cherish ride time on my Princess Pony Calypso, a 16.1hh sassy Selle Francais paint mare who has taught me so much. I am a passionate lifelong learner and I love to help people succeed and grow. I love challenges and to travel and should be given a personal GPS tracking device."

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What's it to ya?!?

4/18/2018

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What's it to ya?!? A Farm that is.... What is a farm to you?
To me, personally, a farm is reality, its life, its spiritual, its grounding. A farm is a teacher, a school, a playground, a discovery museum. A farm is cultural diversity, hard work, PLAY, and a place for awe and wonder, a place to let your imagination take flight. Laughing Buck Farm is the essence of what is possible on a farm. Memories built, lessons learned, greatness discovered, passion ignited!

In March, 2018 I was able to partner with two of my favorite local organizations, The Matthews House (TMH) and Laughing Buck Farm (LBF). Both of these establishments have a heart for discovery, serving others, and uniting community through common human experiences. Before I get tooo far ahead of myself I suppose I should also introduce myself....

Hi! My name is Emma Englesby, and I am the founder of Expanding Horizons Farm (EHF). This day, partnering with LBF and TMH, was a DREAM COME TRUE! When I started EHF, my mission was to teach kids about sustainable living and finding their sustenance in God. As I have pioneered this mission, I have had the opportunity to rub shoulders with some AMAZING people who have similar visions. One of the goals of EHF is to get kiddos out in nature so that they have an opportunity to encounter something different, something outside their normal, and allow them space to expand their horizons.

This wonder-filled time playing with the animals and learning more about each species we met on LBF was the essence of what I LOVE and LIVE FOR!

I was amazed at how much the kiddos just love to be around the animals. They knew a LOT and we enjoyed constructive conversations! The discussions were dynamic and I loved watching the wheels turn as they thought of questions pertaining to each animal.

Some of the best moments though flourish in the hay barn!!!! LBF has THE BEST hay barn in Fort Collins! With the climbing wall, the swings and the playful environment that FarmHer Rosemary cultivates,... its pretty much HEAVEN on Earth!

Overwintering is a beautiful thing! The garden team had a blast digging up worms and getting messy while they dug up the old plants. And the horse grooming team enjoyed taking some of the winter fluff off of the horses!

But by far, the best part of our visit is the relationships established. Respect, Love, Care. One of the kiddos drew a picture of the Piggy (Bean) and one of the goats (Rocket) and he wanted to show his new friends his drawings and tell them that he would come back to see them! My heart was so full! Animals are such an important part of this life and they are here to bless us! And that is just what ALL of the animals on LBF did. The chickens, rabbits, goats, horses, piggy, and worms! They ALL inspired wonder and awe! A HUGE thank you to Rosemary and Wendy for allowing me to bring my friends from The Matthews House Homework Helpers out to Laughing Buck Farm!!!!

We will have to come back soon!!!! ~ FarmHer Emma

You can learn more about Expanding Horizons Nonprofit here:
http://emmaenglesby22.wixsite.com/expandinghorizonfarm
https://www.facebook.com/expandinghorizonsfarm

You can learn more about The Matthews House here:
https://www.facebook.com/thematthewshouse/
www.thematthewshouse.org

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Celebrating Spring on the Farm

4/12/2018

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Ah, isn't Spring grand? We feel the warmth in the air, the sun on our skin and the world around shows us it's noticing too, with fresh green buds and tender shoots, new baby animals, and of course shedding critters! In our farm classes and extra Eggs-travaganza family farm events we enjoyed celebrating the seasonal transition by making natural dyes, coloring eggs, going on spring scavenger adventures, egg hunts, making art and hugging chickens and baby goats. Happy Spring, everyone! I hope you are keeping your eyes and heart open to the signs of the new season. ~FarmHer Rosemary

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Goodbye Winter...

4/12/2018

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I'm always a bit sad to say goodbye to Winter as it's filled with such adventure. Join me for a final walk through Winter Farm School Memories. ~FarmHer Rosemary

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Meet our new Garden Manager, Wendy!

2/26/2018

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Wow, I am so excited to have Wendy join the teaching team here at Laughing Buck Farm. She will team up with me in the garden as the manager this season, creating opportunities for our current classes to get their hands in the dirt and to experience the satisfaction of growing seed to harvest. She will also coordinate our interns and other garden work crews. Not only that, she is going to be adding some new (and old favorite) classes to the schedule so stay tuned! ~ FarmHer Rosemary

From Wendy,
"Whether in the forest, fields, or farms, my passion has always been nature. Since childhood, spending hours in fields full of long grasses or in the forest, has been full of magic and imagination. Farms were always an extra special treat for me, with all of their critters and the smell of fresh hay! It is this same spirit of adventure and fun that I bring to my programs. As a former Special Education Teacher, Naturalist, Outdoor Educator, Farmer, and History Educator, I have spent many golden hours teaching children about the wonders right under their feet and around them! I love to inspire compassion, kindness, and creativity, in the children and adults I work with. I like to have a lot of movement, music, stories and games in my programs so that learning happens along with the fun! I am thrilled to be joining Laughing Buck Farm and creating new opportunities for many children and adults to experience the fun and adventure at Laughing Buck Farm as well as helping out with the fabulous existing programs, already here. I am excited to get to know the community here and to learn and explore with all of you!"

You can read about all of our teachers on our Meet the Teacher Page:
https://www.laughingbuckfarm.com/meet-our-teachers.html

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Haybarn Interviews with FarmHer Rosemary

2/21/2018

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Have I mentioned how much I love our interns?! In 2017, Julia came on as a Laughing Buck Farm garden intern and also turned her journalism and marketing skills toward the farm. She conducted several interviews with me, mixed them with farm images and videos and created this series of interview videos that I hope will answer some questions you might have about our programs, our philosophy and how we got here. If you have any further topic ideas, just let us know. :)

You can find Juila on Facebook, Instagram and her website with portfolio lives here:
https://juliadawn96.wixsite.com/jcportfolio/resume

Enjoy the show! And thank you, Julia!
~FarmHer Rosemary