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About UsLyon Acres is a small family farm located in Brush Prairie, Washington, about 16 miles from Portland, Oregon. We breed Holland Lop rabbits, Babydoll sheep, Cormo sheep, and try to live a full life filled with family and real food. I enjoy growing as much food as possible for the family, (no we do not eat our pets), and I preserve the abundance for the months to come.
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Who I Am |
I am a wife of 19 years to my husband, Steve, and a mother our four girls. Yes, you read that correctly, FOUR GIRLS!!! And I love it!!! (No, I do not want a boy.) I am the daughter of a nut farmer, although I consider him fairly normal, and a granddaughter to a farmer too. I guess it's in my genes!
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My History |
I never really set out to have a farm. It just sort of evolved. I have loved plants since I was a child. At the age of 9 years, I asked my parents if I could take over the landscape of their yard. They agreed and gave me a yearly budget of $20. Well, even in 1989, $20 did not go that far, so I grew plants from seeds. Oh, how far I've come and what I've learned!
Fast forward 20 years. Ralph S. Moore, invited me to come visit him and his rose nursery during its last week. I took him up on the offer never considering that that decision would change the course of my life. I loved hanging out with Mr. Moore in his nursery. When the visit was over, he told me, "Come back soon," and I did. I came back nearly ever Saturday for the last 17 months of his life. In 2011, I decided to join the Visalia Farmers Market. For 6 years, in the spring and fall I enjoyed selling my plants to the local people and giving them advice on how to succeed in the garden. In the fall of 2016, I decided to give up the farmers market scene for many reasons. One of the main reasons is that I started teaching chemistry at the local junior college and I love it! Since I cannot do everything with the time given to me each day, something had to go. I had also started breeding Babydoll sheep and Holland Lop rabbits and wanted to continue down that road not only because I enjoy genetics, but also because I love these creatures. My girls enjoy them too. In fact, the girls are responsible for all of the daily chores involving the rabbits. Daily responsibly I believe is good for children, and taking care of animals is also good for teaching compassion. For the past couple of years, our family has been in the process of moving from Visalia, California, to Brush Prairie, Washington. Our motivation for the move has been to relocate to an area that has cleaner air and rain. Nearly all of the animals are now living in Washington except for a couple of spoiled rabbits who live in our kitchen in our California home and our fearless guard dog, Heidi, who spends most of her day napping. My journey through life has brought me through unexpected adventures. I am currently diving deep into the world of fiber thanks to my wooly friends who I initially recruited to help me organically control unwanted weeds in my fruit orchard. Now I look forward to spending time with them each day. In exchange for care and food, they literally give me the coats off their backs every spring. What's next? Where will I go from here? I have no idea. Stay tuned! |