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From Arkansas to the Farm — Meet Our Newest Guardian 🐾

written by

Kiley Morrison

posted on

July 15, 2025

A road trip, a family adventure, and a new protector for the farm

This past weekend, our family packed up the truck and headed west to Little Rock, Arkansas. What began as a simple trip to pick up a livestock guardian dog quickly became something more—an unexpected adventure, and a reminder of how God works in even the smallest details.

An Unexpected Email… and a Door Opens

A few weeks ago, after we shared about the predator trouble we’d been facing here on the farm, we got a message from Nick—an old connection from one of the APPPA conferences Josh attended years ago.

He told us:

“Don’t take offense to this, but I don’t usually read your emails. I’m just not your customer, being all the way out here in Arkansas. But for some reason, I read that one—and I knew I had a solution.”

Nick had just sold off his chicken flock and had a guardian dog—a seasoned protector with several years of experience. She needed a new home and a job doing what she was born to do. The catch? She was all the way in Arkansas.

Turning a Mission into a Memory

Originally, we planned a straight shot trip: leave Friday, pick her up Saturday morning, and head home. But as a family who works hard day in and day out, we decided to turn it into a short family getaway.

Saturday morning, we met Nick and his wife for breakfast and got to meet Murphy—the beautiful livestock guardian dog who would soon join our farm. The boys fell for her right away.

After breakfast, we set out to make the most of our day. We explored a bit of Arkansas history, rode the trolley through downtown Little Rock, and watched the boys turn a riverside rock tunnel park into their own World War II battleground. We wrapped it up with dinner at The Flying Fish, a few rounds of Game Show Network in the hotel, and a late-night ice cream run—because why not?

The Ride Home and a Visit Along the Way

Sunday morning came early, and we loaded up Murphy and began the drive back to Alabama. Along the way, we stopped by Riley Farms—another friend from that same APPPA conference—where Murphy got to stretch her legs and we got a chance to visit.

Now back home, she’s settling in well. She’s learning the rhythms of our land, getting to know our family, and already proving she’s right where she belongs.

Seeing God in the Details

The reason Nick happened to read that email?

Divine intervention.

Psalm 37:23–24 says:

“The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord: and he delighteth in his way. Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down: for the Lord upholdeth him with his hand.”

We’ve had our share of setbacks—on the farm and in life. But looking back, especially in moments like this, it’s so clear how God was already at work. He was moving pieces we couldn’t see, lining things up in a way we never could.

Romans 8:28 reminds us:

“And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.”

I’m thankful to serve a God who sees the big picture and has it all figured out—because I, friend, certainly do not.

Deuteronomy 31:8 says:

“And the LORD, he it is that doth go before thee; he will be with thee, he will not fail thee, neither forsake thee: fear not, neither be dismayed.”

More Than a Chicken Attack

You might be thinking, “All this over a little chicken attack?”

But here’s the thing—if I can see His hand in something as seemingly small as a predator wiping out most of our laying hens… if I can trace the way He worked it all out—from catching predators, to hatching new chicks, to a freed-up brooder (which never happens this time of year), to an open door for a guardian dog Josh has wanted for years—then I can learn to look for Him in the “big” things too.

The life-altering moments. The hard days. The ones that bring us to our knees.

Because He’s just as present there—maybe even more so.

Watch the Journey

We documented the whole trip—every bit of it—and we’d love for you to come along with us.

🎥 Watch the full video here on our YouTube channel

Thanks for walking this journey with us. We’re grateful for Murphy, for every lesson He teaches us through this farm, and for each of you who show up to follow along and support what we do.

With gratitude,

Kiley

More from the blog

That's a lot of pharma

That's a lot of pharma

Check this video out before proceeding. https://www.facebook.com/share... I remember seeing this show as a kid. It was very amusing. Today, knowing what all that is and seeing the results of it, not so amusing now. Was this a warning or comically desensitizing us? This got me thinking on this topic so bear with me for a moment this might get long connecting the dots. We have more pharma in our bodies than ever before. While also being the unhealthiest generation than ever before. Let’s just look at “The Greatest Generation” and back. Why is it that we have WW2 vets living to be 90 or 100+? Out living their kids and grandkids who die from cancers, heart diseases etc… in their 50’s, 60’s & 70’s. Then their great-grand kids onward are suffering from issues that didn’t even exist or weren’t as prevalent then like food allergies, asthma, autism, infertility, ADHD, cancers, diabetes…. etc. What is the cause of this decline in health? What variables have changed when comparing the differences in generations? What keeps standing out is less exposure to pharma from food consumption and less jabs in the arm as a child…. O man, this is about to hit some trigger points. Let’s start with food consumption: It’s got a lot of factors where pharma is present. Everything that the WW2 generations and back grew up on was natural, whole, single ingredient foods with no man made additives. They didn’t grow up with processed foods, food dyes, preservatives, MSGs, hydrogenated vegetable oils, added sugars, high fructose corn syrup, margarine …etc. Today a lot of the things they consumed or was exposed to are government agencies and PHD health experts tell us are bad. For example, raw milk, animal fats, salt, eggs and even the sun. Really??? Who’s living to be 90+. This is why the homesteading movement is growing so rapidly. We just don’t trust the food in the stores anymore nor the recommendations from the health “experts”. In 2020, when we saw how fragile our food system really is because of the collapse of the food chain. This really exploded the homesteading movement and a desire to re-learn from the past. Pharma in the animals we eat: After WW2 gave rise to industrial agriculture. The animals were taking out of natural environments and confined into feedlots and houses. This created an unhealthy and unsanitary living condition which compromises the immune system of the animals. We increased quantity but at what cost? Commercial chicken house growers fear goose turds dropping on their farm and infecting an entire house with avian flu. You can’t live in your toilet and expect to be healthy and clean. Before flushable toilets and sanitary sewer systems humans threw their poo buckets out in the city streets. Look at what all diseases and deaths came from that. The same concept applies to animals. So what’s the solution to deal with these sick, immune comprised animals? You guessed it, pharma. This is why 2/3 of all antibiotics use in world is in farm animals. We then consume those animals and those antibiotics. Speaking as someone who is, this is why there is a rise in antibiotic resistances. Pharma in the crops we eat. Since the 90’s for the first time in human history we are consuming foods whose genetic makeup has been altered in some way. I’m not talking about genetic modification through natural selection. Which has been done since the beginning of time. I’m talking about man playing God in a petri dish and taking genes from one plant or animal and inserting into another of a different species. Something that would not have occurred naturally. How has this effected our health? Could this be why food allergies are on a rise? Why are so many people becoming sensitive to foods and seeking soy free, gluten free & corn free options? Is it just coincidental that all three of these food items corn, soy and wheat are GMOs? None of these where issues generations ago. Did that WW2 vet have carry gluten free MREs storming the beach on D-Day? Since we have crossed the GMO line it has opened the door now to synthetic lab grown meats and produce. This fake food cannot possibly be good for us. Today our foods contain more synthetic and chemical fertilizers than they did generations ago - that’s more pharma. Since the 90’s crops have been genetically modified to be resistant to the weed killer glyphosate. According to the EPA in 2020, 280 million pounds of glyphosate was used on 298 million acres of crop land. It takes 3 years for the chemical compound to break down. It’s been used so much that it is everywhere. It’s in the food we eat, the water we drink and the cloths we wear. It doesn’t matter if you live on fast food chains and processed foods or a health conscience foodie going by the 80:20 rule watching what you eat at home but partaking in a burger & shake in town periodically, or you’re an all organic, grow your own food on an off grid homestead somewhere. We all regardless of life style choice have one thing in common if it’s not food than its water consumption. Everyone of us if we peed in a cup and got it tested would have glyphosate present in our urine. How is this effecting our health? There’s study out there linking high glyphosate exposure to cancers, kidney issues and disrupting gut health. O yea, lets not forget about forever chemicals and micro plastics present in our food and water. The jabs…. Just a little thought here since this one is so controversial. A child in the 1940’s would receive around 4 jabs. This increased over the generations. Todays, jab schedule is 50+. That’s a whole lot of pharma for those little bodies. Why so many? Whose lived to be 90+ again without any of the health issues effecting the generations of today. Why is it among Millennials this is a common question, what infertility specialist did you use? Who prescribes your Adderall? I conclude with this - is any these issues related to excessive pharma exposure? is it cause and effect or is it just coincidental? We shouldn’t be settling for this as normalcy. We need to be looking into what is causing these issues. Whether its what’s stated above or something else. However, I firmly believe the issues lies within our diet and what’s present in it. It’s the only variable that’s constant among us all and has changed generationally. Related video.

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