At the beginning of 2022, Martin, my now late husband, and I made the difficult decision to cut our losses and sell and rehome our animals.  We had 45 head of cattle, 60 pigs, and 99 hens.  We were pioneers in our own community, and we researched every nook and cranny leaving no stone unturned where grassfed beef, pastured pork and regenerative farming was concerned.    Martin led us down our paths with his research, determination, hardwork and love for his family and his community.   After 10 years, there was no way to make this type of farming profitable and sustainable in our area as we were losing $50-$70k per year.  I couldn't let Martin continue as he would have bankrupt us to find a way as he was that determined to make things work.  Sometimes you just have to let things go to let them sort themselves out naturally.  We were dealing with a lot of variables that made it not possible.  It took 10 years and $600,000 in losses to see that land and public education were among the variables that tanked our farming equation.   

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Unfortunately 8 months after we pivoted, Martin Van Den Hurk passed away suddenly from a heart attack December 30, 2022.  I can't tell you how unfair this was.  My heart was blind-sided to lose my best friend, the father of our kids and my soulmate.  And to think of how it has affected our 4 kids that he left  behind.  More bad news came as our special needs child Angus, who this Farm was started for, died 10 months after his dad, November 6, 2023 from complications of mitochondrial dysfunction. 

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The Farm now grows a modest vegetable garden and raises limited number of pastured eggs.  The rest of my land is being left to regenerate the soil further while propagating seeds and plants by nature.  In 2026 I saw 87 plants of which 42 were new plants on our land transmitted by animals and the wind.  I also saw appromixately 20 new signs of life and wildlife on my land.

 

I needed a source of main income on the Farm, so I turned to my education, experience and passions and began Business Consulting.   I work with Business Owners and primarily focus on privately owned Canadian Incorporated Manufacturing Businesses from start ups to $50 million.

 

Bless these New Beginnings for me, my family and my land.