Welcome to The Essex Ranch: Building Our Dream, One Step at a Time
Hello, and welcome to our very first blog post! If you're here, you're likely a fan of fresh air, wide-open spaces, or maybe just curious about what’s happening at Essex Ranch. Whatever brought you here, we're thrilled to have you join us on this exciting journey!
Why Essex Ranch?
Well, it all started with a dream—a dream to reconnect with nature, spend more meaningful time together, and build something beautiful from the ground up. You see, Shon and I are a blended family of seven. There’s my wonderful husband, Shon, his three children—Austin, Kayla, and Megan—and my two, Hunter and Hannah. All of our children are adults now, carving out their own paths in the world. As they’ve grown, we realized how precious it is to have a place where we can all come together, away from the daily grind, and enjoy some quality family time.
We envisioned a place where we could not only escape the city and unplug but also get back to the basics. You know, a place where you can walk barefoot in the grass, watch the sunset with a cold drink in hand, and appreciate the simple things in life—like homegrown veggies and the sight of baby deer frolicking in the fields.
Where Are We Now?
We’re in the early stages of turning that dream into a reality. The slab for the ranch house has been poured and is currently curing (a fancy way of saying it’s drying and setting). The framing should start in a week or two, and we’re so excited to see the bones of our new home start to take shape!
Until then, we’re splitting our time between the city and the countryside on weekends. We've set up a couple of RVs on the property, making our visits feel like a mini getaway. It's been a refreshing change of pace—cooking meals over a campfire, stargazing at night, and just enjoying the simplicity of it all. Plus, it’s a great excuse to work on our campfire cooking skills, which are... well, let’s just say we’re improving!
A Few New Neighbors
We’ve also had the pleasure of meeting some adorable new neighbors—baby deer! They’re everywhere, and watching them explore their new world has been one of the highlights of our time here. It’s a gentle reminder that life is all around us, even in this stage of dirt and development.
Looking Ahead: Planting Roots and Growing Dreams
Looking ahead, we have big plans for Essex Ranch. Once the house is complete, we’re excited to create a cutting garden and a greenhouse where we can grow our own food—everything from fresh vegetables to vibrant flowers. We look forward to adding a few animals to the mix: a couple of horses, some mini Highland cows, and, of course, chickens. Nothing says “back to basics” like fresh eggs in the morning and a friendly cow or two grazing in the field.
So, that’s where we’re at! We’re just getting started, but we’re already loving every minute of this journey. We hope you’ll follow along as we share more about the development of Essex Ranch. There will be plenty of updates, stories, and maybe a few surprises along the way!
Until next time, take care, enjoy the simple moments, and maybe come visit us sometime soon to experience a little piece of the ranch life for yourself.
Warm regards,
The Essex Ranch Family
