Like many others, we find that the end of the year is a good time to reflect on what's happened over the past 12 months and also set some goals for the year to come. Today, I'm taking a break to look back and see what 2021 brought for AKH.
We started the year excited about a few new additions to our breeding program. RGR Boondock Saint is our new Gypsy Vanner herd sire and pretty much my dream Gypsy. Two mares also arrived on the farm from Tolman Farms in Utah, solid additions to our Brabant herd.
The winter logging season was strong and the horses worked hard, moved a lot of logs, and brought many smiles to those who watched them at work.
Foaling season was a challenge this year. Our first foal, Thumper, arrived early and made a miraculous effort to overcome the odds and conquer some preemie hurdles. Sadly, despite his early successes we had to put him down later in the summer due to a pasture injury. Many foals arrived uneventfully and brought us a lot of joy as we watched them grow and develop. However we finished on a tough note as well with Thunder, a gorgeous blue roan, 100% Brabant stud colt, who also survived some early life complications only to be found dead in the field later in life. The ups and the downs are very much a part of farming but they sure can be hard on the heart at times. In the end, we had 12 foals weaned in 2021 and are thankful for those wins.
Throughout the summer, we stayed incredibly busy with breeding for 2022 foals, making hay, managing pastures/forage, and caring for the herd. In addition, we made some strides in improving our stallion collection and shipping process which has been a long-time goal. We're not quite where we want to be yet, but we are moving in the right direction.
Marketing our youngsters is always an adventure and we love having the chance to interact with their new owners. This year we retained 3 fillies and found homes for the other 9 foals. Our 2021 crop headed out to South Carolina, Connecticut, Ohio, Virginia, and Pennsylvania. Hearing from their new owners about their excitement in owning their dream horse and building relationships with a youngster is one of the most rewarding parts of our job!
The fall brought another exciting addition to the herd, with the import of stud colt Kyro van de Fossa Eugenia. He's only a weanling at the moment but will mature into our future herd sire. We've spent time working with him on ground manners, attending trail challenges, and generally just socializing him with other horses and people in a variety of environments to help establish a solid foundation to build on as he grows.
Recently, things have been relatively slow on the farm. Dehan is finished with his summer tree trimming work but it's too wet for logging so we've been knocking out some farm projects. We also took a huge step in closing on our first farmland purchase at the very end of the year. To date, we've farmed primarily family land or leased fields. This addition of 100 acres of tillable land will allow us to invest in hay production in one location, both to feed our herd and hopefully to market extra hay to others, and maximize the use of our other locations for pasture. Taking out the required loan for such a large purchase is definitely a bit stressful, but we are confident that it's a solid investment and will pay off with benefits for our program moving forward.
As always, the year has included both wins and losses. We're thankful for where we are ending the year and optimistic about what 2022 has in store. Our hearts go out to those to whom 2021 has not been as kind, and we wish all the best for our friends and families in the year to come.
