Ranch Newsletter | January 2026

Originally sent to subscribers on January 30th, 2026

Farm Update

January has been a sucker punch for us.

I don't really like to share the unpleasant stuff, but when I started this business, one of my non-negotiables was that I wanted to be authentic and real, not hide behind perfectly curated photos and stories. But even after six years, it's still hard to share the hard stuff without feeling like I'm just complaining. So I try to pair it with all the good stuff that's happening too. This is also good for me, because sometimes when we're in the valleys of life it can be hard to see the good.

The first punch came when we were almost ready to submit a building permit for our barn when the new city council enacted the building moratorium. It took us by surprise and we were disappointed that we would have to wait, but we do understand the reasoning behind the moratorium and know that our city council is working hard.

Then round two came. About two weeks ago, we received a packet in the mail letting us know our irrigation company and another irrigation company had reached an agreement to dissolve our water company and merge us into the other one. But as shareholders we had to vote on this to make it move forward. Craig and I had a lot of concerns because of our pond, the many, many cottonwood trees (aka trash trees) on our property that line that ditch, and the system we installed a few years ago that waters our field.

We went to the meeting and the vote passed. Now, so far this might not seem like bad news, especially if you're familiar with pressurized irrigation water. And we recognize that there are benefits of pressurized water over the open ditch. However, because of where our property is located in relation to the beginning of the piped system, we will have really low water pressure. Which means we can't run our current system off of it. Also, we will be tapping into their current line, they won't be putting new line in - this means we have to find a new way to fill our pond, or get rid of the pond. If we can find a way to fill the pond, then we can continue to run our current system, but we haven't yet figured out if that's possible. Another factor is we are the only property along the open ditch that has a gazillion trash trees growing along it, that will no longer have any water, so we have to figure that out. And lastly, because of the construction they need to do, we won't have water after August so we can't replant our field in the fall as we planned.

We're both still reeling from this, but we will figure out what to do. It just feels like we're starting from scratch again and right now that feels pretty heavy and overwhelming.

And luckily, none of the unpleasant stuff involves the animals. Honey has been successfully bred. Today is day 44 post breeding and we'll be expecting more goat babies the week after Mother's Day.

Daisy's boy went to his new home a couple weeks ago and I know he's going to be spoiled because the same family took one of Honey's boys last year and he's thriving. Her little girl is still available. The chickens are starting to lay eggs again, the ducks aren't happy about the pond being frozen over, but they're making due with their water bucket and the boy goats water bucket. And the alpacas are great as well. They only want to be petted and cuddled when they get treats for their efforts but they have been a lot of fun.

I have started planning the garden, but have yet to start any seeds. I really need to get on that in the next week or so.

My next soap making classes are:

February 6th 6:30-8:00pm

March 6th 6:30 - 8:00pm

Both of these classes will be held here on the Ranch.

Cost: $55/person

https://www.julbudranch.com/events-1

I've made some minor changes for how I organize my soap classes and I think they will be better than ever!

Class Agenda

• Welcome & class overview

• Soap-making safety and working with lye

• The science of soap: oils, lye, saponification, and how additives affect the final bar

• Instructor-led demonstration of the full soap-making process, allowing you to observe before beginning your own batch

• Hands-on soap-making: create your own 1-lb batch with instructor guidance available throughout

• Cutting, curing, and storage instructions

• Questions, troubleshooting, and next steps

Safety Information

This class requires the use of safety gear, including gloves, safety glasses, and an apron, as we will be working with lye. Please wear clothing that can get dirty or stained, as occasional splashes of oil or lye water may occur.

Lye can cause stinging or irritation if it comes into contact with skin. Safety gear is required to minimize this risk. In the event of skin contact, a soap-and-water wash station will be available to rinse the area promptly.

Age Requirements

• Suitable for ages 14 and up

• Children ages 10–13 may attend if accompanied by an adult who can actively assist them

• Supervising adults do not need to purchase a ticket unless they wish to make their own batch of soap

• Children 9 and under are not permitted for safety reasons

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