Rounding up the flock…
Pull up a chair — the kettle’s on.
tap anywhere to enter
Joe and Tori Bell traded a city backyard for ten acres in Hempstead, Texas, and a whole lot of animals.
We always knew we wanted land to grow things. We just didn't know how fast that itch would catch up with us. What began as a backyard garden quickly outgrew our little subdivision plot, and before long it was clear this dream needed more room than city living could give it. We wanted space to breathe, room to stretch our arms, and a little peace and quiet to call our own.
In 2021, we packed up and moved to Hempstead, Texas, chasing something simpler and more honest, a healthier life for our family and our community. That search led us to ten acres of open pasture. The sunsets sold us the first time we saw the place. We fell in love with it on sight, knowing we would get to watch so many more of those evenings go gold in the years to come.
Animals have always been part of this place. Horses, cows, chickens, goats, bees, and our energetic farm dogs finally have the room to run and play. These days the pasture is full, the bees are humming, and we are still out there most nights watching the sky.
We farm with sustainability and regenerative practices at the heart of everything we do. No vaccines, hormones, or antibiotics on our animals. Our poultry is pastured and raised on soy-free, non-GMO feed, right through to processing day. The animals live well, and the food is honest.
We are called to be good stewards of this land, to care for it well and plant something good for the generations still to come. That is the why behind the regenerative practices and the patience.
A farm is better with people on it. We open the gates for visits, gather folks together for workshops, and stock the farm stand with whatever came in that week. What we have built is meant to be shared with our community.
We farm ten acres of open pasture about an hour outside Houston. There is room for the herd, a barn, a couple of ponds, the bee yard, and the kind of wide Texas sky that talked us into the place. Here is a look around.
More than 150 animals live here now, from the dogs we named the farm for to the bees in the back field. Most visits turn into an animal visit before long. Here are a few of the regulars.
Brush crew
Curious, opinionated, and convinced every gate is a suggestion. They keep the fencerows clear and the days interesting.
Pasture royalty
Big, calm, and always up for a scratch on the nose. Usually the first to wander over when someone new pulls in.
Grass-fed and unbothered
Slow movers with the best view on the farm. They graze the pasture down and keep the soil working.
Pasture guardians
Part lawn mower, part alarm system, and sweeter than they let on once they decide they like you.
Egg department
Pastured and raised on soy-free, non-GMO feed. They free-range the yard and lay the eggs that start a lot of mornings here.
Loud and proud
They strut the yard like they own it, and on most afternoons they basically do.
Pond patrol
Happiest in a puddle, noisiest at breakfast, and somehow always underfoot.
Four years and humming
Our smallest livestock and some of the hardest working. They pollinate the place and pay their rent in honey.
Four barn cats
On the clock day and night keeping the feed room in order. They will accept your admiration strictly on their own terms.
Joe is Tori's husband and her partner in all of it, from the first acre to the last fence post.
Tori is one half of the husband-and-wife team that traded a city backyard for ten acres in Hempstead, and the voice behind the story above.
“The LORD will send a blessing on your barns and on everything you put your hand to. The LORD your God will bless you in the land he is giving you.” Deuteronomy 28:8
Plan a visit, take a workshop, or stop by the farm stand for eggs and honey.
