Oh my gosh… it’s been a hot minute since we posted a blog!! Like… SEVEN MONTHS!! 
We have SO MUCH to catch you up on!
I won’t bore you with all the details, but you guys… it’s been a year full of changes, work, more work, and MORE WORK! 
The biggest news? We moved back into the house this spring!!!
We were delayed from our original move-back-in date, but we were absolutely THRILLED to finally be home! I think Luke and I both agree that we are never, ever, EVER moving again!
The house is PERFECT, and several months later, we’re still in awe of what our builder was able to accomplish in such a short amount of time. After living here for a while, there is honestly not a single thing I would change. From the big design decisions—like expanding the kitchen—to the little details, like the under-cabinet lighting, we are completely in love with our “new-ish” home.
Even though it looks like a brand-new house, there are little reminders throughout that the bones of this 100+ year-old home are still completely intact. It still feels like Grammie’s house, and I hope it always will.
Pretty much everyone we run into is just as excited to see it finished as we are! Because it’s on a main road through town, I think people have kind of adopted this old house as their own and have been cheering for its transformation right along with us. I truly love that. In fact, I’ve extended an open invitation—if you’re ever driving by, stop in and check it out! I can’t promise it’ll be clean , but we absolutely love showing it off.
This year has also brought some pretty exciting family milestones.
Our oldest, Grady, graduated from high school and started a new job with a regional company! He’s still farming too—he’s definitely not giving up his Farm Manager title just because he has an off-farm job. 
Farming is simply in his blood.
At the end of the school year, Ty headed to Nashville for the Business Professionals of America National Competition. His software engineering team finished in the Top 10 in the nation… what a nerd. 
Of course, we couldn’t miss that! We are incredibly proud of him.
Kate played JO volleyball all winter, which kept us VERY busy for three months since her club was an hour away. We made it work, she improved so much, and she made a lot of wonderful new friends along the way.
Now all three of them are soaking up summer and living their very best lives.
As for the farm… wow… a LOT has happened!
We had our very first direct beef sales this spring and, you guys… the feedback has been incredible! Can I just say… YAYYYYY!!! 
This is exactly why we do what we do.
We get to put food on the tables of our friends and neighbors. Um… hello… how cool is that?! It is such an incredible honor and blessing. Honestly, I get chills thinking about the community we’re working so hard to build.
As our food system continues to change, building relationships with the people who buy their food directly from us has truly been a dream come true.
If you haven’t already, go check out the reviews on our Google Business page. Just search Allen Farms Sidney Ohio and they’ll pop right up.
The boys have already finished first cutting and knocked out two fields of second cutting… including today… in 90+ degree heat. Let me tell you… thank the Good Lord above that these boys have some absolutely AMAZING friends. They’ve officially put me into retirement from unloading hay. Not even kidding—it was hard standing there today watching them nearly melt in the heat, but I loved being able to keep everyone hydrated and then fill their bellies afterward.
In a small way, it felt like carrying on Grammie’s tradition of “feeding the men” after unloading hay. I didn’t serve fried green tomatoes or vinegar cucumbers, but I think she would’ve been pretty happy seeing everyone gathered around the table after a long day’s work.
Luke spent the entire day on the tractor, and everything went smoothly.
Thank You, Jesus. 
The herd has been happily grazing in the pastures for a couple of months now. I know it’s constant work for Luke hauling manure in the fall and spring, and Ohio weather certainly doesn’t make anything easy. But this is the payoff. The pastures are lush and green, the cows are happy, and every bit of the hard work is worth it. We’ll be preg-checking the ladies next week, so hopefully we’ll have some baby announcements to share soon!
I’ve also been working on a few new ideas for the farm business. As our world continues to change, I really believe local resources are becoming more important than ever—not just beef and vegetables, but things like tallow products, soaps, lotions, and other natural, locally made products.
I’d love to create a place where people can easily find and support these amazing local businesses. I’m really excited to see where that idea leads!
Well… I think we’re finally all caught up!
Now tell me…
What do you think about the house renovation reveal? Do you want to see more before-and-after pictures? Or would you rather hear more about upcoming beef shares and what’s happening around the farm?
As always, thank you for following along on this crazy adventure with our family. We appreciate every one of you more than you know.
Talk soon, take care, and God bless you all!
Kristin, Luke & the Kids