IronSide Homestead

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IronSide Homestead “I am happy out here. Messy hair, dirty feet and wild water on my skin. Out here with the wild things; this is where I belong.” -Brooke Hampton

"Our deep respect for the land and its harvest is the legacy of generations of farmers who put food on our tables, preserved our landscape, and inspired us with a powerful work ethic."James H. Douglas

Iron Side Home Stead is a small urban homestead focusing on getting back to our routes and living off the land to the best of our ability. We pride ourselves on growing and raising our own food and producing sourdough products with the freshest ingredients. We are also passionate about raising and showing Californian and Ch*****ne d'Argent rabbits and focus on continueslly enhancing the breed.

Copied and pasted but totally spot on about RAW MILK consumption. This is my goat 🐐 AND her delicious milk 🥛 I was doing...
10/17/2026

Copied and pasted but totally spot on about RAW MILK consumption. This is my goat 🐐 AND her delicious milk 🥛

I was doing some research about fresh RAW milk last night because I’ve heard a lot of negativity about it recently. I wanted to dig deeper and find out which numbers were correct… because again, I’m not looking to fit a narrative in my head. I am looking for the objective truth and I would rather actually be right then just think I am.❤️ and if I’m genuinely wrong, I want to know that too, so I can revise my views to align with what is actually true. 

Here are just a few things I found interesting…

In the United States around 10-17 MILLION people drink RAW milk each year.

Did you know that RAW milk killed 250,000 people this year in the United States alone?!?

Oh wait hold up… that was prescription drugs.. my bad (between 7000 - 9000 of those deaths tied directly to medication errors).

36,000 deaths a year?
Nope, my bad that was car accidents.

160 deaths a year?
Nope, that was au******ic asphyxiation🫣

Was it 75 deaths last year?
Nope, that was lawnmower accidents.

Was it 30 deaths year?
Nope, that was dog attacks resulting in death.

Was it 20-30 deaths per year?
Nope, that was getting struck to death by lightning.

Surely it’s gotta be at least 2 deaths per year, right?…

Nope, that was being crushed by vending machines.
🤷🏼‍♀️

So….what is the actual statistic for how many people RAW milk has killed??…

Well, according to the CDC and the FDA …
It’s less than 5 people in the last 75 years in the United States!!! 😮

My flabbers were gasted !

(And yes I understand the difference between relative risk and absolute risk.)

But still, those numbers are pretty shocking because they are not at all as high as the media has made it out to be.. in fact… Reported deaths linked to RAW milk in the U.S. are extremely rare, with many years having none.❤️🤷🏼‍♀️

The real danger isn’t RAW milk.
It’s the raw real truth❤️

I'm not telling you what to drink.

I'm asking why we're encouraged to fear some things while barely talking about others.

-Question EVERYTHING
-Read beyond the headlines.
-Think critically.
-Do your own research and look at multiple sources. 
-Question things that don’t sound or feel right.
-What God created is ALWAYS BETTER than what man has messed with.

Per usual, I believe freedom starts with an INFORMED choice.❤️

Not a choice made out of fear or coercion.

Over 140,000 people die from alcohol every year in the U.S. and over 480,000 from to***co. Yet you can buy both at just about any gas station. Passed about 20 stores selling alcohol and to***co just to get to the closest place that sells raw milk. But sure.. tell me again how it's for our "health”.

To the person that puts the "home" in our homestead, we would like to take a moment to celebrate your special day.From m...
09/18/2026

To the person that puts the "home" in our homestead, we would like to take a moment to celebrate your special day.

From milking goats, to pulling sheep.
From feeding, to watering, to medicating.
From trimming hooves to shearing for a show.
For planning breedings, to selling babies.
From cleaning pens, to stacking hay.
You do it all!

We hope that today is less chaos, the pigs dont nibble the fingers, the rooster stays quiet, and nobody makes a mess. We hope you can enjoy your birthday, because you deserve it!

🐑🐐 LAST ANIMALS AVAILABLE UNTIL SPRING! 🐐🐑We are down to our last few animals available before we close sales for the se...
09/15/2026

🐑🐐 LAST ANIMALS AVAILABLE UNTIL SPRING! 🐐🐑

We are down to our last few animals available before we close sales for the season and focus on winter and our spring lambing/kidding season!

🐐 REGISTERED NIGERIAN DWARF BUCK — $350

✨ Gorgeous white buck with blue eyes
✨ Polled
✨ Friendly and easy to handle

🐑 SHEEP FLOCK

Our Schropshire/Hampshire crosses are a great meat cross and have wonderful temperaments. They are all friendly, easy to handle, and accustomed to being worked with.

🐏 Proven Ram — $450 -SOLD
• Born December 2024
• Proven breeder
• Shown the past 2 years
• Halter broke
• Very easy to handle and work with

🐑 Tag 2515 — Proven Ewe — $400
• Born December 2024
• Proven breeder
• Had twins in December 2025
• Great mom

🐑 Tag 2512 — Proven Ewe — $400
• Born December 2024
• Proven breeder
• Had twins in January 2026
• Super attentive mother

🐑 Tag 0111 — Proven Ewe — $400-SOLD
• Born December 2024
• Proven breeder
• Had twins in January 2026
• Great mom
• Easy to handle

🐑 Tag 2608 — Ewe Lamb — $350 -SOLD
• Born January 2026
• Shown in 4-H this year
• Halter broke
• Easy to handle

📍 Located near Morris, IL

These will be the last animals we have available until our spring lambing/kidding season, so if you’ve been considering adding to your flock or starting your own breeding program, now is the time!

Message us with questions or to arrange a time to meet the animals. 🐑❤️

Nothing wakes you up faster than looking out the window and seeing one of your rams standing in the driveway! 😂🐏Lucky fo...
08/25/2026

Nothing wakes you up faster than looking out the window and seeing one of your rams standing in the driveway! 😂🐏

Lucky for us, Jeffrey is a good boy and walked nicely right back to the pasture. It looks like he somehow jumped the fence—we have no idea what caused him to make his great escape!

Just thankful he didn’t wander off and that he was safe.

Raising your own food is hard. ❤️You get attached. You love these animals. You spend countless hours caring for them, wo...
08/20/2026

Raising your own food is hard. ❤️

You get attached. You love these animals. You spend countless hours caring for them, working with them, and getting to know their personalities. And then comes the part that never gets easier.

We have to remind ourselves why we chose this lifestyle in the first place.

We raise these animals so we know where our food comes from. We know they were raised right. We know they had a good life. We know they were cared for, handled with kindness, and, most importantly, that they knew love. We know exactly what is going into our bodies and into the food we put on our family’s table.

This part is especially tough on Michael. He has spent so much time working with these lambs, preparing them for 4-H, and building a bond with them. But he also understands their purpose and understands the lifestyle we have chosen. That doesn’t make saying goodbye easy—it just means he understands why we do it.

I’m sure tomorrow will be hard when he walks his lambs into the pen at the locker and says that final goodbye. There will probably be some tears, and that’s okay. ❤️

We are incredibly grateful for Lisbon Locker for taking such good care of our animals and for making this part as quick, humane, and painless as possible.

This is the hard side of raising your own food. It isn’t always easy, but for our family, it is worth it

💙 A HUGE THANK YOU ! 💙We want to take a moment to say THANK YOU to everyone who purchased one of Michael’s 2026 Market A...
08/03/2026

💙 A HUGE THANK YOU ! 💙

We want to take a moment to say THANK YOU to everyone who purchased one of Michael’s 2026 Market Animals! We are so incredibly grateful for each and every person who supported Michael and his project this year. 🐥🐰🐑

Your support means so much more than just the purchase of an animal. It helps Michael continue to raise market animals, learn about agriculture, gain valuable experience, and continue doing what he truly loves—farming! 🌾

We are incredibly proud of Michael and all the hard work, time, and dedication he puts into raising his animals. We are so thankful for everyone who continues to encourage and support him along the way.

This year's buyers included:

🏆 Grand Champion Duck Meat Pen – Centennial Farm on the Ridge
🏆 Grand Champion Rabbit Meat Pen – Steiner Farms
🥈 Reserve Grand Champion Rabbit Meat Pen – Mike Lowery
🏆 Grand Champion Single Fryer Rabbit – Cardinal Transport
🥈 Reserve Grand Champion Single Fryer Rabbit – Clearview Pork Farm
🐑 Market Lamb – Brooke & Andre Katcher

To ALL of our buyers, supporters, friends, and family, thank you from the bottom of our hearts! Your support allows Michael to continue learning, growing, and pursuing his passion for agriculture. We appreciate each and every one of you more than you know! ❤️🌾

What a great way to wrap up the goat show! 🐐💙Ethal was awarded Reserve Champion Dairy Doe, and Michael earned Reserve Ch...
07/26/2026

What a great way to wrap up the goat show! 🐐💙

Ethal was awarded Reserve Champion Dairy Doe, and Michael earned Reserve Champion Showmanship!

We couldn’t be prouder of the hard work, dedication, and countless hours Michael has put into preparing his animals. Watching that hard work pay off is such a rewarding feeling.

Next up is Michael’s Shooting Sports demonstration, and then we finally get to relax a little before tonight’s livestock auction.

It’s been a wonderful fair, and we’re soaking up every moment!

There are ribbons, banners, and buckles… and then there are moments like this.I am so incredibly proud of this young lad...
07/26/2026

There are ribbons, banners, and buckles… and then there are moments like this.

I am so incredibly proud of this young lady. She wanted the opportunity to show a lamb, so all summer long she came out to our barn, worked chores to earn her lamb, and spent countless hours learning.

She ended up with one of the most rambunctious lambs in the barn—the one with the biggest attitude! But instead of giving up, she put in the work. She patiently halter broke her lamb, built trust, and grew more confident every week.

Even though she was nervous, she walked into that show ring with confidence, competed in her class, and even participated in showmanship. Watching her growth has been one of the highlights of our summer.

One of my favorite parts has been watching the friendship she and Michael built. The two of them have already decided they’ll be working lambs together again next year and are making plans over the winter to improve for the 2027 show season.

To everyone involved in agriculture: if you have the opportunity to help a child who doesn’t have access to livestock, consider opening your gate. Share your knowledge, your animals, and your love for agriculture. It may seem like a small act to you, but it can change a child’s life in ways you’ll never fully realize. ❤️🐑

What a way to kick off 4H fair week! 🐇❤️ We are so proud of Michael and all of the hard work he has put into his 4-H pro...
07/26/2026

What a way to kick off 4H fair week! 🐇❤️ We are so proud of Michael and all of the hard work he has put into his 4-H projects this year.

Rabbit Awards
🏆 Californian Sr. Doe “Lily” – Class Champion
🏆 Californian Sr. Doe “Mulan” – Class Reserve Champion
🏆 Mini Rex Sr. Doe “Muffin” – Class Champion & Best of Show Grand Champion
🏆 Ch*****ne Sr. Buck “Sirus” – Class Reserve Champion

Waterfowl
🦆 Reserve Champion Waterfowl

Market Animals
🦆 Grand Champion Duck Meat Pen
🐇 Grand Champion Rabbit Meat Pen
🐇 Reserve Grand Champion Rabbit Meat Pen
🐇 Champion Single Fryer
🐇 Reserve Grand Champion Single Fryer
🐑 Bonus Lamb Wether

Michael has spent countless hours feeding, caring for, and working with his animals, and it is so rewarding to see that hard work pay off. More than the banners and ribbons, we’re proud of the dedication, responsibility, and sportsmanship he continues to show through 4-H.

Tomorrow is goat show day! 🐐 Please wish Michael and his goats good luck as they head into the ring. No matter what happens, we’re already so proud of everything he has accomplished this week! ❤️

07/20/2026

As a family we have always had a goal of self sufficient living. Each year we take another step towards that goal.

Yesterday we brought home 7 beautiful Alpine goats to increase our milk production as well as give our son some very nice show animals who have already done wonderful in the show ring.

They are coming from a loving home and are so well trained already it will help our son to continue to learn how to show goats with confidence

We are so excited for the future

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Morris, IL

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