Welcome to Coal Creek Farm! My name is April, I’m a chicken doctor, I specialize in therapeutic treatments such as spoinking and cluckectomies. I just earned my wings and am ready to teach my patients how to fly.
Oh, come on…it’s a little funny, right?
Okay here’s the real deal. My parents named me April Dawn because I was born early in the morning in…..you guessed it, April. I have heard every comment you could ever think of about my name. I’m 6 feet tall, taller than both my parents and my sister. The hair color truly is my real hair, sometimes my hair dressers don’t believe me and it’s much, much, much darker than the freaky white color it was when I was younger. Combine all these things; the name, the height, the hair…oh, and the freckles and you get one messed up chick.
Then along came Clay.
Clay the Architect is my husband. Guess what? His parents gave him a name that kids made fun of too! He’s a freakish 6’5″ tall and he used to have auburn hair and big giant freckles. If ever two people were made to be together it was us two weirdos.
We have no problem laughing at each other or making fun of other people or being horribly sarcastic. Please accept my apologies now.
Clay is featured pretty heavily in my blog, most of my readers like him more than me which makes him unbearably hard to live with. We have four children, one girl and three boys. My children are weird, that’s all I can really say about them. You will experience them off and on here and I will most likely do my fair share of complaining about their filthy trails and smelly smells.
We live on a micro-farm, if there is such a thing. It has always been our dream to live in the country and have animals and grow lots of things. In September of 2007 that dream came true when we moved to Kansas and bought a century old American Foursquare home. We have a small orchard and a garden that we are making larger every year. We have one dog, Preacher, an assortment of cats, pigs, chickens, turkeys and one turken. Life is sweet on this little place.
Several months after we bought our little dream spot Clay was prematurely made a partner in his firm. This wonderful opportunity came at a huge cost, the cost of buying a portion of the business. We found ourselves just recovering from moving and setting up house and then basically buying what we like to refer to as ‘The Luxury Villa’ that we never get to enjoy. We found ourselves steeped in debt and were very uncomfortable with that fact.
In February 2008 we read Dave Ramsey’s books and decided we were going to live like the cheapest people in the world and get our family out of debt. It’s been a rewarding journey, but hard. I write a lot about this journey and the comments I receive from readers is one of the biggest reasons we have been able to stay focused.
Other things I should warn you about:
This blog contains a lot of dancing. The dancing may not be technically correct, but it’s good for the soul and a belly laugh.
I say the word Damn when referring to Dave Ramsey, it’s entirely appropriate.
I like using biblical words such as ass, damn, hell and jumpin’ Jehoshaphat, because I’m a Christian and those words are in the Bible. If any of those things bother you, then we might have a problem.
If you ever fill the need to contact me I now have an email address dedicated to Coal Creek Farm at april@coalcreekfarm.com. I would love to hear from any of you.
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Girl….You ROCK!!!
Hi April,
I’ve just discovered your site and let’s just say, you have a new fan. I enjoyed it immensely. Keep it up, I’ll be back.
Blessings,
Lucy
Enjoyed reading your blog….keep it up! I’ll be back
!!
You and your sister have a great sense of humor. First time “visitor” to your site. Will definitely be a regular from now on. Soooooooooo envious of your family visiting PW!
Thank you for the much needed laughs. I appreciate every single one! I’m new to the site, but I’m here to stay!
Wow! What a neat blog. I’m new to your blog and live in Kansas (Western KS aka middle of nowhere) so I need all the humor I can get!
I just started perusing your site – clicked over from PW’s. Loving what I see on your site – can’t wait to read more – I’m a young farmer’s wife in Tennessee, but my husband grew up in Wichita. I need ladies like you and Ree – I’m dying for camaraderie and mentoring over here. Few really understand the mayhem – delightful, delicious, infuriating, addictive mayhem – of farm life.
I discovered your blog from Thepioneerwoman.com I bookmark you now! Now I have 2 favorite blogs in the world!
I’m also new to your blog site and I love your humor. I look forward to reading more about you and life in Kansas.
Found you via your trip to “The Ranch” and put you in my Reader.
As one who’s known for “living cheap”… it’s really not that hard, except I’m not a fan of gardening nor canning…. but…. It’s cheap.
S.
You crack me up. I put in my “favorites” – next to PW of course!
Just discovered your blog and am hooked! If we ever get our house sold, we will be moving to a 40 acre spread in NE Arizona, 84 miles from the nearest Walmart. I hope you can teach me a lot about living in the middle of nowhere. I can hardly wait!
Hey, seeing your dance videos made me want to lighten up! Think I’ll find some time to dance this weekend.
Always fun to find someone interesting, your blog is well done.
Count me in too, as part of your merry little band of followers, but I can to you via ThePioneerWoman (Dee cracks me up). Was raised my entire “under legal age” life on a farm, a real “Midwest Farmer’s Daughter,” and miss the life so much. Due to husband’s past health problems, resulting in financial woes, we now live in a townhome in a suburb, but I still try to live country as much as possible… I am scrounging and tilling every “legal” inch to intensively plant my little garden. Have helped with pigs, cattle, chickens, and love to hunt and fish…and hard as it is to believe, I won’t cook it unless I have cleaned it…I am very picky.
OOPS…I typo’d Ree’s name at The PioneerWoman…not Dee, make it Ree…..eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!
I’m hooked! Ree had a link to your site so here I am. I absolutely love your site (as well as The Pioneer Woman). I live in OH on a “micro” farm as well. We have 2 kids, a couple horses, kitties, a dog (Josie) and a new flock of chicks…stupid raccoon ate the last flock. Your blog is amazing…how are you able to add so many different aspects? My blog is so confined by the blogspot layout. Thank you for supplying such a great break in the day!
I was very pleased to find your site via Pioneer Woman. Hope you have a great time over at her place. I’m a bit envious!!
I live on an island in Ontario on the channel between two great lakes – Erie and Superior.
So I know all about being out in the middle of NOWHERE and surrounded by farms and their animals.
We have the wandering animals-deer, moose, foxes, black bears, and the occasional lynx.
Your site is really fun and I’ll return frequently.
Thanks alot – keep it up!!!
I am only a “wannabe” farmer who lives in town on a lot the size of a postage stamp. I walk around barefoot and plop flowers in the ground wherever I can fit them. I love your site and will be visiting regularly!
You are a hoot! Found you as did many ahead of me thru The Pioneer Woman….will enjoy reading of your adventures and
family…Very nice site! gotta get some chickens……
Ok, you make me laugh about as much as reading PW’s site. We live on a 20 acre ranch and have dogs, cats, horses, and chickens. Got a veggie garden and planting fruit trees this summer. So nice to see more women who live this lifestyle have such a great sense of humor.
Yours has to be one of THE best blogs I’m going to look forward to following. I just found it and I’ve had some of the best laughs I’ve had all day.
Pioneer Woman recommended your blog on her site and I just had to read it. Once again she picked a good one. Your blog is wonderful and I have enjoyed reading it! You made me laugh!
I just found you from PW’s site. And I am ever so glad I did! In fact, I just shared your Capturing a Swarm post at my blog this morning. Considering my enormous following of 2-3 people, you may even gain one more reader besides me.
You’re a riot. Definitely adding you to my list of “must-read blog!”
Blessings,
Dianne
I like your chicken!!
April! What a joy your website has been! I’m up much later than I should be reading.
WE bought a century old farmhouse in IN, WE read Dave Ramsey’s books and got out of debt! WE have chickens! LOL Too fun. I’m a chicken doctor too. One of my baby chicks fell and broke (?) it’s leg. I splinted it with toothpicks and carried around in my hoodie for one entire day. Even slept with it. It’s ALL better now. I’ll have to send you pics.
Your blog will be a daily read now.
Thanks for your fun spirit!
I can’t believe what serendipity! A few weeks back I took that EXACT same picture of a dozen eggs I got from the neighbor who sells me eggs! I thought it was a beautiful sight–all 12 eggs in different sizes and shapes and colors! I live in a very rural Wisconsin farm with fruit trees and gardens and berry bushes and asparagus rows—it’s such at GOOD LIFE!
HI! I love reading about people living the same lifestyle as us. I live on a 40 acre farm near Pittsburgh, PA. We raise Boer/meat goats and have a menagerie of farmyard critters in addition to our 60+ goat herd. We just had 8 baby ducks hatch Monday! I find it so fun to read about other folks like us, having the same mishaps and adventures. It is awesome that across the country there are women just like me – how inspiring. Thanks for making us laugh and reminding us that we are all connected, one farm at a time!
I stumbled upon your blog for the first time tonight. I will be back. I love it! Great writing! Thank you!!!!
You are HILARIOUS! And I am SOOOO glad to find someone else that is STRUGGLING through Dave Ramsey! But you know in the end it will be worth every dag on penny!!
April,
My sister embarked on a grow your own food journey, and had your site posted on her blog. When I found it, I have been hooked ever since. You somehow capture all of the things I think about, but never say. 3 cheers for being yourself, and reminding others to enjoy life! Our dream is to retire to our recently purchased 20 acres in MO and sustain ourselves. My blog is by invite only, and so boring compared to yours, but it details our work to build an outhouse and clear a cabin site — oh — and plant TREES in the FOREST! If you’d like an invite, please let me know. – Dawn
Hoping to live on a farmette in TN sometime…soon. But for now…I live in San Diego. Just want some land to spread out on, grow a big garden and room to breathe and let my grandkids spend their summers the way I remember mine.
found your blog. looks like a great time. i have a dozen baby chicks right now, my 3rd batch. i also live in kansas.little town called stilwell. my daughter is moving to whitewater, 30 minutes out of newton, ks. am excited to read through your blog!
I found your blog from the Pioneer Woman also. And you make me laugh too! So I have also bookmarked your site. I also live on a farm, and enjoy reading about your exploits. Keep it up! Thanks April!
you’re a hoot!
i’ll be checkin’ you out, especially when i need a laugh.
April:
What a great site, you are truly a sister!
Lisa
This bio is hysterical. I love it! It makes me want to go back and read all of your posts about getting out of debt. I also like Dave Ramsey, but it’s not easy being cheap.
-FringeGirl
I live in KS and I live in a foursquare. I know nothing about chickens, but I have read Dave Ramsey. I will add you to my blog list.
Hi April,
Just discovered your website from PW…very cute and well done. I also survived 3 boys and 1 girl (all grown now), we live on a 40-acre “farm” in Indiana, we raise chickens and peacocks, sometimes turkeys (I talked my hubby out of it this year! Yay!)
I’ll be checking back…
Love to read about your fun times. Your sister is also a hoot. Maybe I need to spend a little more time in Kansas other then driving I-70 through the state to get to my home state…Colorado. You know the place all you guys go to when you want to see Mountains : ).
My dad was born and raised in Kansas, so guess it is in my “roots”.
April,
I’m Autumn…seriously…you sound like a kindred spirit…I’m adding you to my blogroll…sounds like we have a lot in common..including a dream of a “mircro-farm” 4 kids (I have 1 boy 3 girls). The dave ramsey thing. etc..freakish hair that hair dressers make comments about…(mines red)freckles…etc…I’m looking forward to getting to know you.–
I have a cousin whose name is April Dawn… and she was born in May.
Enjoying the new site/design!
I love your outlook on life and am also in KS…have been all my life. I always feel “old” when reading most of these sites..that I get to from my daughter’s site..I am the “Gwandma” that lives too far away, educator no longer working,breast cancer survivor of 5 years and wife of husband who found out 2 years ago that the “family” business was really not his after 27 years or that retirement was no where…so he started a new business at 57. Whew! got a load off! ha!
Hi April. Just came across your site. Beautiful! I’m in stitches. Stay focused with Damn Ramsey…it’s worth it. We just stopped by his studio last month to yell, “we’re debt free”-house & all! Just a week after that, we bought a small farm at auction…we’re hoping to sell our house & build with cash. Godspeed you on your journey to FREEDOM!
Hello great site nice “meeting” you
Great to see what you’re doing!
We have a lot in common–the architect husband, tallness–and country living.
Be back soon!
April: My daughter sent me a link to your site. She says we have a lot in common. But after reading about you my path is similar to yours and we have a similar sense of humor, but you are so much braver. Congratulations for your success. If you can think of some positive things to say about chickens in the city so I convince my husband it’s agood thing let me know. Hope your future is bright! Jackie
Hi April:
I found your site through Miz Booshay. I saw a couple of your dance vids on her site a while ago, but never got to your actual site. You have a great deal of information on the lifestyle that I would love to live. Thanks for sharing your life. I have much to learn and will be checking out many of your previous posts.
Hi!
I also came over from PW and I’m here to stay. Love your site and especially enjoy Clay’s additions. You guys look like you really enjoy being together and having fun as a family. That’s refreshing.
Sandy
Dear April – you rock! I just found this site via the Pioneer Woman way – and your statement “I like using biblical words such as ass, damn, hell and jumpin’ Jehoshaphat, because I’m a Christian and those words are in the Bible.” is all it took for me to become a fan! Thanks for sharing!
PS – love the chickne pictures!
Tatyana McCormick
Found your site recently and have been reading back through the archives. I can totally relate to the being a tall woman thing. I hated being taller than everyone else as a kid (especially all the boys), but I’m finally getting used to it and becoming more comfortable in my own skin. I was also homeschooled and probably not properly socialized LOL.
I love reading your blog. It’s so entertaining and fun. Keep up the great work!