"The most important work we will ever do will be within the four walls of our own homes."
-Barbara Bush

Lori Simpson
Chief Farm Girl

Get to Know Me in Under a Minute

something i cant live without...

My love language is...

Music

Coffee

I have a thing for...

Vintage Dishes

i currently work in...

Corporate America

I am FASCINATED by...

Chickens

i am passionate about...

Wellness & Health

Our Story

Bryan and I have been married for 26 years and together have raised 4 amazing souls. In the height of the Covid lockdown we realized that we would never be able to easily accommodate our children and their families in our tiny, 1230 Sq ft house. We also realized that the world was changing. Food and supplies were becoming difficult to get, so we felt it was a good time to get back to our roots. I wanted to remind our kids how we used to live before the rat race of corporate America took over our lives. How we used to build, grow and cook everything from scratch because we lived on one very modest income. 
After many failed attempts at finding about an acre of property with a bit bigger house in our same area of town, we gave up. A couple of days later, a small horse property on the opposite side of town, actually found us! I knew the minute I saw it that it would be the place where I lived out my next chapter, so we packed up 22 years of our life and traded in 1/4 of an acre in the city for nearly 3 acres of farmland in the ‘country’! 
We jumped in with both feet after inheriting 5 ducks (the 5 sisters), we acquired chickens, cows, geese, quail, more ducks, bunnies… and the rest is history!

Why we started Hummingbird Rancho

I wanted to remind my children how we used to grow and build all the things before the hustle of corporate America craziness took over our lives. I personally wanted to reconnect with the Earth and to understand how it is related to my food. Initially I thought that just meant planting flowers and veggies in a garden, then I realized the importance of soil health and how it can affect the quality and nutritional value of the food. This can really only truly be accomplished with diversity, so it only made sense to begin adding animals to our little farm. The way they live and move on the land is a valuable tool that can be leveraged to maximize soil health. We currently have cows, chickens, quail, ducks, geese who eat and poop and work the land the way it was meant to be worked. 

Once I introduced animals into the equation, the realization of their value and sacredness really turned what I was doing into something much bigger. The back breaking yet gratifying work we are doing and the emotional toll we are experiencing through the circle of life has stepped in and clarified my purpose and my mission. 

We are at a critical moment in which we all need to wake up and take action. I vow to do my part by sharing this message. All humans must take accountability for the deterioration of this planet and strive to reverse the damage we have done. It is our duty to do everything we can to protect what is left of Mother Earth. The quality of our soil, the quality of our food, and the quality of the mental and physical health of ourselves and the people we care about depends on it. 

Now, alongside many other small farms, ranches and homesteads, I want to share my message. I not only want to teach my future grandchildren, but I want to teach the world where their food comes from and why knowing this is critical to living a more balanced, healthful and fulfilling life. I will illustrate how it can lead to making more informed and mindful purchasing decisions while helping to nourish them in a way that is nutritionally better for the body, but also meaningful for the soul. 

I believe in the Butterfly Effect; small things matter and we are all connected to a bigger system and purpose.