The AK Ranch at Shingle Branch Farm

Couldn’t not borrow this one! 🤣😂🤣😂🤣

We’re beyond excited to announce our newest residents!!
Everyone please say “hello” to Novio, Luke, Pal, and Stormy!
Our barn family is growing rapidly and nothing makes us happier than seeing horses and their people parents enjoying the beauty of the land and peace of mind being an AK client brings!

Had an early morning visitor who was kind enough to pose just long enough for a photo before flying away, and we got this breathtaking scene across the North pastures as the moon said “hello” to the rising sun across the misty fields.

(Hint: look on the white fence post for our guest)

Couldn’t ask for a more perfect day here at the Ranch. 🥰

The day ended more beautifully than it began.

A beautiful misty morning rapidly giving way to the breaking daylight.
Gonna be another day in paradise!

WE LOVE MEETING NEW CLIENTS!!

We’re happy and proud to welcome our newest resident, SunBean, aka Mr. Bean.
This thoroughbred has TONS of personality and is making himsef right at home.

Finally starting to look like Fall around here!

One of many spectacular webs glowing from the rising sun and morning dew.

A frustrating afternoon of severe thunderstorms and flash flooding is so easily erased with a sunset like this at turn in.

Shavings day here at the Ranch!
Thank you to Mattox Trucking for the great and reliable service!

It was a beautiful morning for some riding lessons!

Need a place to house your horse? We’ve got you covered.
Want to learn horsemanship? We know people that can make it happen!

We’ve gotten a few questions lately as to how we clean our stalls each day, so here’s a breakdown of how we complete our daily “Field Strip”.
Each photo is a step in the process with a description.

Another beautiful evening here at the ranch.

A clean barn is a happy barn!

Too much funny!!

So we haven’t been posting much this past month on our progress and improvements, but that was on purpose. We wanted to surprise everyone that showed up last weekend with what we’d done and the name of the game was clear the underbrush.

These photos are just a glimpse of what we cleared, but the biggest was cutting all the pines out of the sand trap.

Every day is another day closer to perfect.

Everybody is patiently waiting to turn in for dinner and we’re all using our good manners on this beautiful crisp evening.

Today marks the one year anniversary of us starting our journey here at this amazing place we were so unbelievably lucky to stumble across.

It certainly hasn’t been all roses and rainbows, but nothing worth having ever is. We knew we were almost getting in over our heads with this property and all the work it needed, but only almost.

We’ve been incredibly lucky to have met some amazing people and have pretty awesome neighbors as well!

We wake up every day and pinch ourselves as we gaze out over the barn and pastures from our bedroom while the sun rises; we are blessed beyond measure.

FOUND DOG:
Had an escaped pup hanging out at the barn this morning when we opened up to feed the horses.

The dog has a collar but no ID tag.

No description will be provided. The owners must describe the dog and collar to claim.

Please share so we can get this one back home.

Folks, I present the tractor that’s a factor. The mean green farmin machine. The John Deere my grass fears....”NESSIE”!!!!!

With all the rain lately I put in work under the barn roof and finally got a chance to tear the Ol girl open and bring her back to life.

At some point the #4 piston was replaced but I don’t think the head was put on or torqued correctly which is why the oil was half fuel.
I replaced the head gasket, reworked the injection pump, and (using everything I learned from military aviation maintenance) cannibalized some parts from the small tractor to get her going.

After sitting dead for over a decade, she is now alive and kickin! No leaks, fluids holding steady, and even the gauges still work perfectly.

What a damn fine feeling!
And if you’re wondering why she’s named Nessie, it’s cause she’s a 2350. And Tree-Fiddy is exactly what that gol damned Loch Ness Monster is always tryna borrow.

Blossoms are in full effect on this beautiful spring day!

This morning while turning the horses out I noticed our neighbor’s driveway was blocked from a giant old oak that fell last night. We made a quick shift of daily plans and got to work clearing her road cause that’s how we roll.

Dang tree makes the Excursion look small!

We’re all loving this spring weather!