Auglaize Edge Farm

07/21/2026

I will never not recommend 4H or getting youngsters involved in caring for livestock in some way shape or form. The growth you see is such a privilege to witness.

For context this wether would rather have died than be handled or touched a few weeks ago. He was scared and unsure. A couple days lead training, some desensitization sessions and a clip job and he’s a puppy dog now. He runs to jump up on the gate to get scritches and loves to be loved on.

Watching her evolve and grow with them… ugh be still my heart. She’s 16 almost 17 and I’m just trying to soak it in. These moments won’t be here for much longer and I want to remember this.

I will never tell you it’s not worth it to have livestock or to push the kiddos out to go feed, muck stalls, refill water buckets and take their wild animals for walks until they’re both transformed into something rare and worthy. The sense of connection and fulfillment is beautiful to witness and be a part of.

I also won’t tell you, that as a parent of a farm kid, that you don’t butt heads and question your life’s decisions. It’s not always a feel good scenario and plenty of sweat, heated words and light threats were exchanged to get here… but when you get here it’s beautiful and amazing.

07/20/2026

David J. C. Austin
Chairman, David Austin Roses
1958-2026

It is with great sadness that we announce that David J. C. Austin has died at his Shropshire home, surrounded by his family. He had been diagnosed with Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD), a rare and incurable neurological condition.

David joined the family business in Albrighton, Shropshire, in 1990, as his father, the late David C. H. Austin, was gaining wider recognition for his work in breeding English Roses. He went on to lead the business for more than three decades, driving its growth and transformation from a specialist nursery into a globally recognised name among rose lovers. Throughout his leadership, the creation of beautiful, fragrant roses was always central to the business he built.

David’s children, Richard, James and Olivia, said:

“First and foremost, Dad was a gardener. That was at the heart of who he was. He carried our grandfather’s vision with humility and an unwavering sense of responsibility, always putting the roses, the family business and its people before himself. He was kind and modest, with a playful spirit, a sense of adventure and a real enjoyment of life. He faced his illness with the same courage and dignity that he brought to life. Above all, he was our Dad, and words cannot express how much we will miss him. We couldn’t be more proud of him.”

The Austin family would like to thank everyone who cared for David and supported them during his illness.

David Austin Roses continues under its experienced leadership team, working closely with the next generation of the Austin family, and we are as committed as ever to serving our partners and rose lovers around the world.

07/16/2026

07/15/2026

07/12/2026

Dear goats…. Mom’s plant hobby is not for your consumption…. Especially the rose bush I’ve worked very hard to bring back to life the past few weeks.
Signed- the one who pays your feed bill.

07/10/2026

Someone let me go to the greenhouse without supervision today…. So Vanilla Strawberry Hydrangeas have entered the chat 😬 🤷🏼‍♀️

07/09/2026

☘️Dairy kids are often overlooked when it comes to 4H. These kids milk twice a day all summer- spend late winter nights breaking up ice from waterers and delivering kids in the middle of the night in below 0 temps and still on the bus by sunrise, they spend fall stocking the barn and executing breeding plans. Spring is time for a barn reset and marketing and selling their babies. All while balancing school, sports, jobs and their hobbies. It’s a year-round commitment.☘️

☘️ As our local county fairs start popping up- make that stop in the dairy goat aisle. Ask the kids about their year. Ask them what their challenges and successes were this year. Watch their faces light up as they tell you about their herd. The tough cuts that led to improvements, the bottle babies that they saved during the cold snap running around the house, the first time they watched their home bred doe kid and the time they milked the most ever just to have the bucket knocked over when they were headed out the door. This is what makes the fair so big for them. Their one week showcase to the outside world of what those other 358 days entailed. 💜 Dairy is a unique world- You can’t “fit” a dairy animal to the top of the scorecard. That 10 blade shows all, just like their show whites. ☘️

07/08/2026

Question of the day: The goat statue needs a facelift…. To bedazzle or not bedazzle… 😬