Ranch Newsletter | March 2026

Originally sent to subscribers on March 31st, 2026

Farm Update

March was non-stop busy and I have a feeling that things won’t slow down before fall. Part of me is eager to be outside working and busy and another, smaller, part of me is still grieving the winter we didn’t have. The rest that wasn’t quite enough, quite complete. I find myself wondering if I’ll have the energy to make it through this busy season when I feel I didn’t get the mental rest I was expecting to get during the winter. Of course, then I think I simply need to let go of the idea that I can’t function as well without specific requirements being met. Welcome to my brain. It’s messy here.

I’ve come to the conclusion that 2026 is going to be the year God teaches me how to be better at dealing with change. Already, in these first three months, we’ve experienced so much change that it’s left me feeling a bit unsteady on my feet. However, in the past two weeks I’ve done a lot of thinking, soul searching, and praying on the topic and I’ve been left speechless. I’m still trying to figure out how to talk about it, but when I do, it won’t be here. It will be on my personal blog. Sometimes it’s hard to figure out where to share things when farm life and things that are more personal intertwine. Suffice it to say, I’m now feeling surer footed, despite the changes.  

The irrigation water saga is complete. At least on paper. We've turned our shares over to the new water company so they can issue us new certificates. We'll use our open ditch this summer, and come fall, the water company will begin hooking us up to the pressurized system.

We have a loose plan in place in regard to the trees along the ditch, which started with Craig taking a chainsaw to several trees along the back part of the ditch so we can safely place the electric fence. We’re hoping the goats will help us clear out all the small stuff, so we have some room to get in there and get a good look at the trees and figure out how healthy or unhealthy they are. They’re all cottonwood trees (aka trash trees) so we lose a few every year as it is.

So far, the goats have avoided going into the tree line. They seem nervous about going in there and I can’t quite figure out why. I have a few guesses though. There are probably 2-3 inches of dried leaves on the ground and since they are prey animals, I think the rustling of the leaves when they walk through them freaks them out. They are also not familiar with that part of the yard, so they may just be cautious until they get more familiar with it. I also wonder if it’s because they’ve seen dogs, cats, strange humans, and other critters in and along the ditch and that makes them nervous. Or a combination of all the above.

The first week of March was cold and stormy outside, which was perfect for me because I wanted to get the upstairs hallway painted. It was the last space upstairs that needed a fresh coat of paint, and we decided to replace all the outdated and stained 90’s era carpet upstairs as well. It seemed like a good idea to get the painting done before the carpet was installed. That will most likely be the last indoor project we do until next winter.

Once it warmed up, I was outside every day, almost all day. I cleaned out all the animal enclosures – duck, chicken, alpaca, and goats x2. Our compost pile looks really impressive right now.

I also raked up all the fenced areas and got all the wasted hay cleaned up from around all the hay feeders. Cleaned and maintained the chicken tractor and got it back out into the field. I decided the chickens that would go into the tractor this year were the ones that chose to jump over the fence so my garden would safe. This ended up being half the chickens, which worked out well. Especially since the coop and tractor each have a rooster to keep the ladies safe.

Craig has been working on getting all the tractor implements maintained and in good working order from their winter slumber and harrowed the part of the field where we’re going to plant wheat this year.

About mid-March I attended an organic farming conference and learned that corn does really well in a field that has recently had alfalfa plowed under, so we’re going to take a small section of our field and try that out. If it goes well we should have plenty of sweet corn for the farmstand this year.

The garden has been a slow work in progress. I forgot I abandoned it in September and the mallow weed took over. So I’m having to clear the ground old roots and new before I’m able to plant and it’s slow going. Mallow and goats heads and bindweed are the bane of my existence. I did get brassicas and seed potatoes in the ground as well as beet, parsnip, and turnip seeds. I’m hoping the rain we’re supposed to get week will help soften up the soil again so I get peas, lettuce and spinach seeds started.

This week, I decided to finally figure out how to train alpacas, so I’ve been watching some YouTube videos on that. Craig and I are worried that if they escape, they will be hard to catch, so we want to make our lives a little easier on that front. To that end, I created a ‘round pen’ (it’s not very round) so I can start working with them.

A few other highlights to wrap up this soliloquy on the month of March and then I’ll get to some exciting announcements! First, Craig and I celebrated our 13th wedding anniversary! We splurged and went to dinner at the Purple Sky Winery in Farr West. It was fantastic.

Second, Honey is due to kid in 7 weeks! We’re so close now I can hardly believe it! She’ll be getting her CD/T shot in a couple of weeks and a couple weeks after that I’ll be setting up the birthing pen and before you know it we’ll have bouncing baby goats again.

Okay, now for announcements. There are quite a few, so I’m going to organize them in way that will, hopefully, let you skim to the ones that interest you.

Easter Baskets

I introduced these baskets last year, and they’re back for a limited time! Celebrate this Easter with our luxurious collection of themed baskets, each designed and thoughtfully curated with all-natural skincare products to nourish both body and soul.

Farm Tours – Available to Book Now!

Our ranch tours offer a glimpse into everyday life at Julbud Ranch. Walk the property, meet and interact with our goats and alpacas, and hear the stories behind how we care for our animals and land. Along the way, you’ll learn what daily life looks like on a small working ranch, with plenty of opportunities for photos and hands-on moments. Each visit ends with time to browse our farmstand, featuring handmade soaps, natural products, and fresh organically grown produce made and grown right here on the ranch.

We’ll be offering one public tour and one private tour each month from May – September. You can learn more here.

Newsletter Archive

Curious to go back and read our whole adventure? I’ve added every email newsletter I’ve sent since 2023 to our Homestead Blog. You can find all of them here.

My next soap making class:

April 17th 6:30 - 8:00pm

Held here on the Ranch.

Cost: $55/person

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

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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