Badger The Calendar Farm Hero

Well, I had a little fun this week - I entered, and won, (3rd) a /Great Pyrenees/photo/calendar contest! 

I'm not so sure it was as much about the photographs as it was the stories of the dogs, so I'm lucky to have struck a chord with some very generous folks who voted Badger into 3rd place with their donations to the TGPR. But if I do say so myself, it's not a bad shot of our resident farm hero, proudly standing guard over his Gulf Coast sheep flock. OK, so there's only 4 of them, but hey, it's his flock. Plus, of course, there's Smoke, our aging Icelandic, and our ever changing flocks of chickens, shop cats, horses and, me - none pictured. 

It was all for a very admirable cause. The Texas Great Pyrenees Rescue organization uses an annual calendar contest as a way to raise money that pays for typical vet bills like spaying and neutering, as well as the quickly escalating medical bills that can come with many of these sweet fluff balls who come in sick, injured and sometimes, close to death. Every dog can't be saved, but by golly, they're going to save the ones they can! 

Many of the dogs that come in end up as cushy, spoiled couch dogs - which is just fine. Sadly, many of the dogs rescued out of shelters or found abandoned and roaming, are guardian dog failures. Not every dog bred and born to be a livestock guardian, has the right temperament to do so. Some chase their charges - which can lead to injury or worse, especially if the charges are fowl. It takes a very special temperament for a dog - who's instinct is to give chase to feathery, flighty things that squawk when you squeeze them  - to overpower that instinct and remain calm.  

But just because a dog wants to do what comes naturally to it, doesn't mean it shouldn't be loved. We've still got some old-fashioned minded folks out there who don't give those dogs a chance to become an excellent family dog. Which is a shame, because as the hundreds - maybe thousands - of rescue families would tell you - they can make excellent family dogs! They are usually low energy, laid back and sweet. Their bark may sound formidable, but they're what is often called, a gentle giant with their family. 

They adapt to new family members well, often get along just fine with feline siblings and do not require the same kind of high energy exercise that many more high-strung breeds often do.  They don't eat as much as you might think - they are a LOT of fluff, and even though they are a large breed, you don't want them to become too heavy or joints and bones could become an issue. Badger eats about 4 cups of dry kibble a day. And sometimes, he skips a meal! Usually, that's because he's found a new hiding spot for eggs.... ahem. 

Badger, as you know if you've followed the farm over the years, came here several months after I had to put down Bear, my first LGD. Bear, and his former partner, Molly, both came through the TGPR family. One of their volunteers did excellent matching 2 dogs to my needs for protection on the farm. Susie, being a homesteader herself, knew the temperament I needed and while we had one dog on visitation that didn't work out, as soon as Bear lumbered out of the back seat of her car, I knew he was going to be great - and he was. (Well, till he hit the tyrannosaurus x phase - AKA the terrible twos till 3 or that light flips on, phase.)

Molly, already 3, had been fostered on a working farm, too, the former FFA dog to a youngster, she had been trained to sheep and exposed to chickens, also. They made a great team and had some wonderful adventures together. Bear retired to the house, eventually, after Molly passed on.

Badger's story allowed him to skip the whole foster home period. I happened to see his momma's plea to rehome him due to his sire being a big ol' bully to her sweet natured year old pup. Truly, it is not unusual for there to be family squabbles in litters, and often the pups are sent off to avoid fighting. 

Badger hit the jackpot with his relocation because he eats in his own stall, so there is no one here to steal his food or push him around. He eased into his new role as top dog LGD very well and lords over the 3 acres he has access to like he was born here. He despises it when I limit his kingdom on farm share pick up days - or when a repair crew is coming. But there's not a squirrel, rabbit, skunk or raccoon of whom he doesn't have their number, and he has become buddies with the shop cats, (well, more or less), and he keeps the younger sheep from stealing Smoke's kibbles. The horses are pretty much forbidden territory - Off Limits! He was kicked as a youngster back at his first home, by a mini-horse he likely mistook for a playmate. The horses here are much bigger and while curious, he usually keeps his distance and is not allowed in the horse barn. I don't need that vet bill!  

 

He is also very photogenic. I love taking his picture - when he sits still for one. Usually I get his back end or a side shot as he's moving into or away from the lens. But I mean, just look at that face! How can I resist?  He's not a big licker, thankfully, so I'm not setting myself up for a face cleaning every time I stoop down to get a shot, but he does like to come be near me, so close ups are not common. He gets too close, too fast! 

But, I thought I had a few good shots to choose from and enter 1 and, well, we picked a winner! I used the one our FB fans chose and he took 3rd place - and that won him a month featured in the calendar! We picked June, since that's his birthday month. I'll find out later if he gets it. (The 1st place winner gets to choose first, etc.) But his gotcha day is in October, so we used that as our back up month if June isn't available. Either way, Badger will be smiling at ya from his page on the Texas Great Pyrenees 2026 Calendar! 

Thank you to all of his fans, fans of the farm, friends and family who donated and gave votes to Badger. He never would have won on my farmer's only salary, that's for sure. All of the proceeds from his entry fee, to every vote, go towards the rescue group. 

And I hope I was able to raise some new awareness for them, along the way. They're an entirely volunteer group, no 6 digit CEO, and there's no bricks and mortar home office. Everyone volunteers time, space and love. Fosters often drive hours to rescue and vet these dogs, before taking them into their homes, while they await the all clear and a furever home of their own. I felt great about beating the drum of this fine group of folks - and I hope you'll check them out if you're ever in the market for a new fluff ball friend, an LGD (they do have some that are fostered and vetted for this), as well as a place to support. A bona fide 501C3, your donations are tax deductible, and you can feel good about your money going to a good cause.

Marie 

Eat Your Food - Naturally!

A Tale Too Sad to Tell

Someone asked me if I'm writing a book about all of this. It would have to be a comedy, it's so unbelievable. 

 

How else could you explain that a farmer, who is looking to retire, yet doesn't want to just sell out their land to the highest bidder, offers of which have been pretty promising (well, before all of the tariff nonsense and now, potentially war), but instead pulled together a lovely, mixed use, sustainable development of small, quality starter homes sharing the land with an existing working farm and a redevelopment of the commercial area into a vibrant, artisanal small/micro business hub - only to have some bitter, former colleagues and opponents from prior political times - sabotage the application needed to rezone to a different 

use. 

It's the stuff tragedies are made of. 

Instead of the farmer retiring in peace, knowing her years of dedicated land stewardship will go on into perpetuity, she could be forced to sell to some stodgy commercial developer - 

 

who will bulldoze down the century old farmhouse, that just needed some TLC to restore her to her original beauty, flatten over centuries old native trees and prairies, pour concrete culverts over creeks and streams and shorelines of the pond and erect tilt-wall concrete warehouses - where 18-wheelers full of freight containers can pull in and out at all and any hours of the day and night. 

 

I mean what's the point? Who really wins here? The citizens of the community get more torn up streets. The neighbors adjacent to the once, serene, quiet and picturesque farm get noise, pollution and runoff. 

 

oh, I guess the mean girls win b/c as they see it, the farmer loses - as she takes the money from the sale and moves away to a place not much unlike that of which she helped design for her own community. 

Sure, she's sad that the land she loved was wasted, and that the town she embraced, served and was welcomed by gets ignored by their elected officials. But I can see a comic tragedy written out of the nonsense spewed in council meetings by people who have forgotten their jobs, and instead ridiculed, disrespected and accused people of impossible crimes and made up lies and BS scenarios that do not apply. 

Can't you? If it weren't so sad - it could be funny.  

This would not have happened if mature, responsible adults were in the room, but I digress. They WERE elected. 

 To be continued.....

 

Marie 

Eat Your Food - Naturally!

Next Steps for Pioneer Grove

We knew our project wasn't going to be everyone's cup of tea. But it was going to bring more quality, yet affordable starter homes to our community, reignite the commercial use by reinvigorating the Market Days with on site artisanal pop-up shops and the refurbishment of the century old farm house and nearly as old, barn. We'd expand the parking, improve the entrance, and create a real hub for the community as a whole. 

It was equally as important to me, to preserve as much of the land as possible; the old growth trees that the project would be named for, Pioneer Grove, and restoring the native prairie with its wild grasses, wildflowers, native trees & perennials. In the process, this meant cleaning up the invasive intruders and weeds that come with over-grazing and, quite honestly, a lack of grazing by bio-diverse species.  Horses will eat a lot, but there's a lot they will not eat, too. 

Over all this project is a win for everyone. The community, the city's tax base, the neighbors, the DFW area and future farmers and generations, would all see benefits from Pioneer Grove - from job creation to environmental beautification, and parkland expansion. I, would get to retire with dignity and knowing I'm leaving this place better than I found it - a Girl Scout oath I took a long time ago: an oath by which I still try my best to live. 

The team I assembled came in with pencils blazing and brains buzzing to put this idea on paper. Between the urban planning expertise, the development experience and the vision - it was bound to be cool. And, Pioneer Grove is. But it's still just on paper. 

We all really hope that changes. 

The community as a whole has come together and shown their support of this project and its founder in many ways. I'm honestly blown away by the passion shared by all of you. I seem to have hit a good nerve and it feels good. 

Many spoke passionately in support of Pioneer Grove to Council at meetings, sent notes of support, stopped by and applauded the plans during one of several on-farm tours at public meetings. There's been no one who has not thought this was going to be a good thing. Even, initially, Council seemed in favor. During conversations in meetings without objections, the lack of questions during briefings, and the full support of the Planning & Zoning Board - as well as the recommendation for the project and its mixed use zoning by staff. 

What changed? 

Who knows? 

But the community and beyond has come together to support the project's legal fund to defend the rejection by Council. The sabotage of our dream for a better future for this place, can not stand. The community has spoken and Council has given no solid reason to say no to this mixed use project when it has said yes to so many others - with much less, if ANY, scrutiny.  

I should be able to re-zone this land to make the best use of it - even the comp plan said mixed use was recommended. 

Details like driveway entries, circulation and even the negative, hypothetical issues that people dream up, are all worked out once the engineers do their detailed work - AFTER zoning, platting, surveying, etc. The engineers, and those familiar with the ordinances of the city, pull all of the details together and create lasting neighborhoods that leave a footprint of progress in a community. I may be new to all of this, but my team is not. They have done it dozens of times all across the country. I have no doubt in their abilities. They've got contacts with builders, contractors and lawyers - suppliers and everyone needed along the way for an undertaking like this. It's no small potatoes, but I've seen their work, they're recommendations and I know they can do this!  And Balch Springs deserves this. 

Pioneer Grove is a unique, but sensible approach that would address many issues facing our society today; Lack of starter housing, too many automobiles, need to travel for necessities/sundries and lack of green space. 

But the land has to be zoned mixed use to allow any of this to happen. Mixed use just makes sense. 

Today, I'll take an important step forward to help secure this dream of ours. I should have a better idea of the upfront costs, too. I never dreamed it would come to all this. But I'm honored to have so many behind me in this struggle.

Thank you all for every dollar that you've contributed thus far. I feel so much more empowered knowing my friends, neighbors, customers, and strangers alike, believe this is the right thing to do! 

 If you'd like to kick in a few bucks to help us get Pioneer Grove off the paper and into reality - here's the GoFundMe link. Or you can always Zelle the farm at our number - 2143483336 Thanks! 

 

Now, go Eat Your Food - Naturally!

 Farmer Marie