Five years ago this week, May 2017, we moved our bunnies into a 6 acre farm in the southwest metro area of the Minneapolis - Saint Paul metro area in Minnesota that we call the Peacebunny Cottage.
We are so grateful to the Williams family ("Farm Lady Yeah!") who graciously allowed us to rent the farm, care for our rabbits here and grow up. The owners needed time to figure out what to do with the property, a historic dairy farm with a large main barn, outbuildings and pasture land. And this week, finally, we have an answer for what's next... It feels like we're starting a whole new book not just a new chapter. A glorious re-start.
The farm has been for sale for almost all of those 5 years, with quite the roller coaster ride for us, not knowing for sure where we would be 2 months later. Most of the time we've been here we've always needed to be looking for options "just in case." The emotions and stress levels also kept fluctuating and we've been through the wringer at times. The bunnies need a year round home -- they don't live on the island!
We have witnessed the stream of prospective buyers, each getting close to purchase, then for a variety of reasons the sale has fallen through. Over and over and over...and over. We have chosen to not publicly share the details along the way... and looking back at the ups and downs and sideways steps, I'm glad we waited until the ink dried and the sale was formally complete.
We are excited to have a mini-announcement at this time. Our longtime friend, advocate and volunteer Dr. Bonnie Laabs and her husband Jason have purchased the farm. Yep. The sale is complete and we get to keep the bunnies here. And with the timing of our normal spring transitioni, it's been a huge push with a LOT of physical work to get the farmhouse ready for them to move in and adjustments to where we store things. Now they are moved in and unpacking continues.
We will hold off on sharing anything else for now.
More details to follow of course, but there are sooooo many things in the works and much to decide.
But please share our joy:
1) the farm is staying a farm!!! 2) we know the owners and we are excited to see how we work together 3) we don't need to find a new site for the rabbits.
RELIEF and GIDDYUP:
To be transparent, the main emotion we are feeling is relief.
Big celebrations will come later when we get to slow down, sit down and really enjoy. Right now, we simply bow in gratitude and toast to the next major chapter while it unfolds.
Right now we're busy with our normal seasonal transition time with lots of physical labor: Barn cleaning, biosecurity plan shift to spring, Angora grooming, prep for summer programs.
We're busy with all the glorious hard work join-the-gym type workouts.
But this year it feels completely different -- the projects are about sustainability, intentionality, not renting short term. This is home for the bunnies and it's about making long term plans. We've held off on excitement for so long that now that it's here, it feels surreal.
Join us in taking a deep breath in ---and letting it out slowly.
For right now, my heart is full. My brain feels a little numb but I also have a sense of peace.
We helped saved this farm AND the bunnies have a permanent home here.
I had hoped for both but still feels a tad unreal that this really happened.
More details to come later, but for right now, just know that we are so grateful that we don't need to move, that we can remain close to our partner sites, that Bonnie and Jason are on site, and I'm just so grateful. Perhaps because it's taken five years to get to this point...I appreciate the outcome even more. With incredible opportunities for the future incredible relief.
The Lord is my shepherd. I have everything that I need.
He makes me lie down in green pastures.
He restores my soul.
