Our Story
We used to be a family basically living the “dream life” that lots of American families were also after. Decent jobs, a great house at a convenient distance to supermarkets, and was part of a wonderful school district.
During COVID our family found a new hobby; we started raising backyard chickens and growing vegetables as an “edible landscaping” in a backyard that was less than 2000 square feet. Even as the heat of the pandemic faded away, we found ourselves actually enjoying having our own farm-fresh eggs and organic produce from our own backyard.
Yet whenever our family considered moving to a rural property, we always hesitated to give up the great schools, the great neighborhood, among other urban conveniences. These things have continuously held us back.
Until the Marshall Fire hit on December 30, 2021.
It was a devastating day for many in Boulder county, Colorado. The fire took away everything we had. After wandering around aimlessly at the Disaster Assistance Center for over a week, we decided to choose an alternative route away from the unaffordable path to rebuild in the city.
Following a series of events, many of which almost felt like miracles to us, we found ourselves on 70+ acres in the high plains of central Colorado, where we began to lay the foundation for our dream farm.
We often joke about being “modern pioneers.” Despite having electricity, satellite internet, and a one-click coffee machine, we still chop firewood, feed the chickens, cook on the wood stove, and hand milk our dairy sheep every morning.
At first, this lifestyle was harsh for city people like ourselves, especially during the winter since we live at an elevation of about 9500 feet. With storms creating 4-foot snow drifts, 60 mile-per-hour winds, and blizzards that just never seemed to end.
Yet when we first tasted the fresh and vivid flavors of our home-raised food, everything felt worthwhile. By knowing what the animal ate, where it lived, and the general quality of its life from start to finish, it gives us a peace of mind as to the quality and nutrition of our food. Especially after learning about many shocking modern commercial ranching and farming practices that we think are nonsensical and potentially dangerous, we feel very glad that we can produce our own food.
We invite you to join us and learn through our adventures, our highs and lows, our successes and failures, and find out about all the ways you can enjoy our farm products and support Colorado local agriculture!
This, is the story of The Dancing Yak Ranch.
