Photo Credit: Ashley Duke, Faith Photography
As first generation farmers, we take pride in doing what we love and loving what we do. We are that weird couple who DID NOT have a farm passed down to us and here we are – farmers. No, we didn’t inherit a grand fortune either. We’ve done all that we have from ground zero, through good old fashioned hard work, a lot of sacrifices, even more patience, and blood, sweat, & tears… literally, there were instances of all three happening at once.
We are the “grandparents” building the farm from the ground up. It’s a big undertaking but we are passionate about what we do and our faith has brought us through the ups and downs.
I (Jil, the Cattleman’s Wife) grew up on a small hobby farm with horses, goats, chickens, rabbits, and of course dogs. But, I was taught that animals were more or less pets. Not food. My husband, Brooks (the Cattleman), didn’t grow up on a farm at all. He simply had cats and dogs growing up. He was authentically born with the farmer gene.
So, how did a young couple with virtually no food farming upbringing come to have a passion for it? It was truly a call that the Lord put on our hearts. It was something God planted in our hearts despite the environment of our youth. There’s no answer for it other than that.
We have absolutely no obligation to “run the family farm”. We simply just want a family farm of our own to run.
Crazy, huh!?!?
Brooks studied agricultural business at Virginia Tech and I accounting & business at a local college. We were a match made in heaven not only for love but for our business as well. After our schooling and marriage, we started the farm planning process in 2006 and bought our first herd in Spring 2007. Since then, we’ve grown from 16 head of cattle to 150+ head, 50-75 sheep, and now Golden Retrievers… plus Annabelle + Sam. We would have kept growing but, land is hard to come by, as is the trouble with many of today’s farmers.
We’ve grown individually, as partners, as customer service providers, and as managers of these precious {albeit awry at times) livestock entrusted to us. We’ve had many failures. But, we’ve had even more triumphs. Our story is unique because, like I said, we are 1st generation. We love our story and are proud of it. This way of building a business has landed us a special appreciation for the fruits of our labor.
We love our cattle. We love our customers. We love our life, even when it’s hard. And we love the people who have worked along side us, prayed for us, and even helped deliver a calf or two.
We invite you to be a part of the ThorneBrook story along with the many others who have touched our lives and helped to make our dream a reality.
Blessings,
Brooks + Jil… The Cattleman + The Cattleman’s Wife… Foster Parents to SO MANY Golden Retrievers
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