E&K's Blue Haven Ranch

The Beginning

We are making one of our dreams come true with our Ranch. We purchased it at the end of 2021 and spent the next three years building barns, coops, installing solar panels, planting gardens, pruning trees, incorporating aquaponics into Tilapia and Catfish tanks, and growing our flock. It was challenging and grueling at times, and it seemed that the work would never end.

A year of growth

We knew we wanted to raise chicken and domestic quail but we were not sure what else we wanted to raise. The first year we raised a few Heritage turkeys and they provided us and our families a couple very bountiful holiday meals, along with ducks and goats. We also raised and processed some Tilapia and catfish. The latest addition to the flock are a couple of peacocks, who are taking over guarding the ranch well.

Finding our niche

By far, the chicken and quail are our niche. We have successfully incubated several generations, and we let a few of our broody hens hatch some chicks.

Chasing Rainbows....

Everyday we are blessed with the beauty of our ranch. Everything has a purpose and nothing goes to waste. We experience birth, and death, and the circle of life. We are purposeful with the things we plant and grow, and grow food for ourselves as well as our flock. Learning to work with the natural elements and to repurpose, we have created a space for our flock that is as natural as possible.

There is definitely a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow!

Blue Haven Ranch 2.0

Downsizing the Ranch

In December 2024 we sold our ranch in Tonto Basin, downsizing but creating Blue Haven Ranch 2.0 in Fountain Hills.

We downsized our acres and our flock, our gardens and trees but we brought the best from our large ranch with us.

We started with a blank slate for a yard and built our chicken coop and garden beds. Installed the water cisterns and hooked up the irrigation. Filled the stock tanks and got the pumps running on the solar and wind power.

We transported or now small flock, which consists of a few or our original hens, and a few others that were our favorites. All of which have some relation to our first rooster Simba, who was brave, gentle and majestic.

The tilapia endured the move and have recently laid eggs, which we are anxiously awaiting to hatch.