The Road To Magnalia
Snapshots of a Homesteader’s LifeSnapshots
Neighbors Helping Neighbors
Mar 24, 2025 | PEOPLE, REFLECTIONS
When life gets hard, community matters. A LOT. Just yesterday, our longtime farmer friend Rodney Hardy delivered some special feed to us that Rosie...
Rosie Birthed a Stillborn Calf
Mar 23, 2025 | PLANTS & ANIMALS, REFLECTIONS
Farm life can be HARD. Our beloved Jersey cow named Rosie birthed a stillborn calf late yesterday. Its hooves presented but it moved no further....
Feast of St. Patrick & The Ulster Scots
Mar 18, 2025 | EVENTS, REFLECTIONS
At this year's Feast of St. Patrick & The Ulster Scots last Saturday night, these guys represented, and showed up in family colors! Epic people...
The Engine Room
Mar 17, 2025 | EVENTS, REFLECTIONS
Behind the scenes at every community meal here there are many helpers, sometimes just gathering up and washing dishes, who bring joy to it all....
Narnia House Guests
Mar 16, 2025 | PLACES, REFLECTIONS
Tonight we keep the Feast of St. Patrick and the Ulster Scots at the Homestead! ☘️ As we also prepare to receive our first guests at Narnia House...
USMC at Magnalia Homestead
Mar 1, 2025 | EVENTS, REFLECTIONS
What an HONOR it was to have LtCol USMC (Ret) Mike West, SgMaj USMC (Ret) Mark Byrd, and LtCol USMC (Ret) Tony Mitchell at Magnalia Homestead for...
Lambs Morning Milk Shakes
Feb 17, 2025 | PLANTS & ANIMALS, REFLECTIONS
Lambs looking for their morning milk shakes from their mommas! I love it when they get a taste, and flit their tails with excitement. 😉 Ahhh....
The Sheep Barn Hosts Some Kids
Jan 13, 2025 | PLANTS & ANIMALS, REFLECTIONS
In the cold Homestead Sheep Barn tonight... are three kids birthed by our prolific dwarf Nigerian goat that we named, with admiration, "The Momma."...
The Feast Of St. Nicholas Is A Feast of Gratitude
Jan 6, 2025 | EVENTS, REFLECTIONS
A week ago we marked the waning days of Christmastide with our annual Feast of St. Nicholas, which specially celebrates children who've been...
A New Year Dawning: Further Up and Further In!
Jan 1, 2025 | PLACES, REFLECTIONS
Dear Family and Friends, How grateful we are to step into a New Year knowing that the Lord is good, even in hardship and suffering, and sovereign...
Narnian Magic In The Making
Dec 31, 2024 | PLACES, REFLECTIONS
Narnia Cottage is just weeks from opening for guests like you! ❤️ 🙏 Reepicheep arrived just yesterday, thanks to the felt artistry of Joel...
Christmas Greetings From The Homestead
Dec 25, 2024 | EVENTS, REFLECTIONS
Thanks to all of you who've warmed this humble place with life, and light, and love. Merry Christmastide (it's a season, not a day!), and God's...
An Independence Day Eve to Remember
May 31, 2024 | EVENTS, REFLECTIONS
As every patriot (young and old) remembers, and as Memorial Day reminds us: FREEDOM IS NOT FREE! So mark your calendars to celebrate that truth with...
A Maundy Thursday Rainbow
Mar 28, 2024 | EVENTS, REFLECTIONS
Rachel met with a friend about a month ago who encouraged her to pray for God's protection, for His provision, and for His multiplication of worthy...
About Daddy-Daughter Date Night
Feb 14, 2024 | EVENTS, REFLECTIONS
We're still in the afterglow of the first annual Daddy-Daughter Date Night here at the Homestead. It was a priceless celebration of the unique kind...
Celebrating Love in Grand Style
Feb 9, 2024 | EVENTS, REFLECTIONS
The Feast of Saint Valentine at the Homestead was a grand celebration of "all love's martyrdoms" for 16 couples in the context of a memorable,...
On Courage and Faith
Jan 31, 2024 | EVENTS, REFLECTIONS
As a new week in a New Year dawns may we all have courage and faith, like our three-year-old grandson John-Henry Pierson Van Eerden, who decided to...
On the Effort to Reclaim Community Tables (through Winter Feasts)
Jan 16, 2024 | EVENTS, REFLECTIONS
In the 17th century, the English diarist and naval leader Samuel Pepys wrote this: Strange to see how a good dinner and feasting reconciles...
On Creating Community, Together
Jan 8, 2024 | EVENTS, PEOPLE, PLACES, REFLECTIONS
A beacon is regarded by many people as a symbol. But it’s more. If it does its job, it’s also functional in the way it warns and welcomes travelers....
A Guest List Not Ordinary…and, a Christmas Auction!
Dec 21, 2023 | EVENTS, REFLECTIONS
A New Winter Feast We hosted a new Winter Feast In the spirit of the historic feasts of St. Nicholas of Myra (A.D. 270-343) this past week. The...
On the Power of Story
Sep 29, 2023 | EVENTS, PEOPLE, REFLECTIONS
In working to create a community at Magnalia that is a "Beacon of Hope," we’re trying to be intentional in creating spaces that prompt people to...
A Framed Letter from Maj. Gen. Purdy
Jul 19, 2023 | EVENTS, PEOPLE, PLACES, REFLECTIONS
Maj. Curan Clonch and Kristen Nance Clonch just delivered to Semper Fi Hall a framed letter from Maj. Gen. Purdy, US Space Force Commander, and an...
Not an Ordinary Cup of Tea
Jun 15, 2023 | EVENTS, PEOPLE, PLACES, REFLECTIONS
Epic Annie Talton from Alabama leaves the Homestead today for DC after a great run of weeks working in Magnalia's OnePull Community Garden under the...
Doors Open at Magnalia’s Smithy!
Dec 28, 2022 | EVENTS, PLACES, REFLECTIONS
On a crisp winter evening, with the stars near enough to grab, The Village Blacksmith Shoppe at Magnalia opened its doors for a gathering for the...
On the Power of Story
Sep 29, 2023 | EVENTS, PEOPLE, REFLECTIONS
In working to create a community at Magnalia that is a "Beacon of Hope," we’re trying to be intentional in creating spaces that prompt people to...
A Holy Hush
Aug 30, 2023 | PEOPLE, REFLECTIONS
Sometimes a holy hush is just what we need at the end of a week of bustle, to put us in a Sabbath state of mind. But the Lord is in His holy temple....
A Framed Letter from Maj. Gen. Purdy
Jul 19, 2023 | EVENTS, PEOPLE, PLACES, REFLECTIONS
Maj. Curan Clonch and Kristen Nance Clonch just delivered to Semper Fi Hall a framed letter from Maj. Gen. Purdy, US Space Force Commander, and an...
Not an Ordinary Cup of Tea
Jun 15, 2023 | EVENTS, PEOPLE, PLACES, REFLECTIONS
Epic Annie Talton from Alabama leaves the Homestead today for DC after a great run of weeks working in Magnalia's OnePull Community Garden under the...
A Place in Time
May 15, 2023 | PEOPLE, PLACES, REFLECTIONS
Sometimes when we travel we get to visit a Place that inspires us. A Place that gives us a vision of things Beautiful, Good and True. A Place...
On The Passing of Batons
Apr 3, 2023 | PEOPLE, REFLECTIONS
Every family marks those moments when there is a "changing of the guard" -- when a baton of responsibility passes from one child to the next, or...
Mahindra Tractor
Dec 31, 2022 | PEOPLE, REFLECTIONS
Definitely one of my favorite pictures from the holiday season, here's Eddie with his "best friend" and nephew, William James Wolfe. The smiling...
Magnalia Homestead Christmas Auction Now Live!
Dec 16, 2022 | PEOPLE, REFLECTIONS
We’re so very excited, thanks to the creativity and generosity of so many in our generous community, to announce perhaps the most…
USMC Birthday #247!
Nov 11, 2022 | EVENTS, PEOPLE, PLACES, REFLECTIONS
Semper Fi Hall was a fitting site for a gathering of Marines, their spouses, and special invited guests to commemorate the 247th Birthday of the...
Gramps Said “A Little Dirt Ain’t Hurt Nobody”
Jun 20, 2022 | PEOPLE, REFLECTIONS
Growing up as a boy, some of my favorite memories came from times with my Grandpa. Gramps VE was a hard-working, kind man. A proud Dutchman and a...
Holding on to Ancient Stones and Walking Ancient Paths
Jun 2, 2022 | PEOPLE, REFLECTIONS
One of our crazy sons Johnny Van Eerden was playing daredevil recently as the sun set at a local park. His mother did not like the photos. But it...
An Independence Day to Remember
May 27, 2022 | EVENTS, PEOPLE, REFLECTIONS
This Memorial Day Weekend, Make Plans for Independence Day! As every patriot knows, and as Memorial Day reminds us, FREEDOM IS NOT FREE. So mark...
On Creating Community, Together
Jan 8, 2024 | EVENTS, PEOPLE, PLACES, REFLECTIONS
A beacon is regarded by many people as a symbol. But it’s more. If it does its job, it’s also functional in the way it warns and welcomes travelers....
Setting a Table, For a Better World?
Oct 14, 2023 | PLACES, REFLECTIONS
People are made in the image of a trinitarian God and we are, therefore, designed to be in relationships. We become incomplete when we're in a state...
A Framed Letter from Maj. Gen. Purdy
Jul 19, 2023 | EVENTS, PEOPLE, PLACES, REFLECTIONS
Maj. Curan Clonch and Kristen Nance Clonch just delivered to Semper Fi Hall a framed letter from Maj. Gen. Purdy, US Space Force Commander, and an...
Not an Ordinary Cup of Tea
Jun 15, 2023 | EVENTS, PEOPLE, PLACES, REFLECTIONS
Epic Annie Talton from Alabama leaves the Homestead today for DC after a great run of weeks working in Magnalia's OnePull Community Garden under the...
A Place in Time
May 15, 2023 | PEOPLE, PLACES, REFLECTIONS
Sometimes when we travel we get to visit a Place that inspires us. A Place that gives us a vision of things Beautiful, Good and True. A Place...
Easter Sign Glory
Apr 4, 2023 | PLACES, PLANTS & ANIMALS, REFLECTIONS
Signs of Easter are everywhere! Resurrection glory: things dying to bring new life. The Dutch tulips were my favorite sight here, until we realized...
Doors Open at Magnalia’s Smithy!
Dec 28, 2022 | EVENTS, PLACES, REFLECTIONS
On a crisp winter evening, with the stars near enough to grab, The Village Blacksmith Shoppe at Magnalia opened its doors for a gathering for the...
Making Merriment
Dec 9, 2022 | EVENTS, PLACES, REFLECTIONS
As a change of pace, we thought we would offer you a peak into community life here at Magnalia homestead, leading with our first public event at the newly constructed…
USMC Birthday #247!
Nov 11, 2022 | EVENTS, PEOPLE, PLACES, REFLECTIONS
Semper Fi Hall was a fitting site for a gathering of Marines, their spouses, and special invited guests to commemorate the 247th Birthday of the...
A Creek Mist Rising
Nov 8, 2022 | PLACES, REFLECTIONS
After an autumn rain, the midst rises up from the Hogan's Creek valley and makes a simple pasture view seem epic, almost mystical. It draws me to...
We Are Like Sheep
Nov 5, 2022 | PLACES, PLANTS & ANIMALS, REFLECTIONS
Our four sheep at Magnalia Farm have made me more aware of the many facets of me being referred to in the Scriptures as A SHEEP. All we like sheep...
Resilient Cosmos
Sep 28, 2022 | PLACES, PLANTS & ANIMALS, REFLECTIONS
A friend of ours had the idea of planting a large bed of the Cosmos Bipinnatus flower seed (commonly called the garden cosmos or Mexican Aster) in...
On Listening to Cato
Sep 15, 2023 | CAT, PLANTS & ANIMALS, REFLECTIONS
Cato, the Roman legend who inspired our founding fathers in the quest toward liberty, wrote a famous treatise on farming and agriculture for his...
Easter Sign Glory
Apr 4, 2023 | PLACES, PLANTS & ANIMALS, REFLECTIONS
Signs of Easter are everywhere! Resurrection glory: things dying to bring new life. The Dutch tulips were my favorite sight here, until we realized...
A Festival of Firsts
Feb 27, 2023 | PLANTS & ANIMALS, REFLECTIONS
So this just happened at Magnalia Farm today: our first ewe lamb, and our first calf (endowed with a bull's paraphernalia), were born within hours...
The Magnalia Mark
Feb 16, 2023 | PLANTS & ANIMALS, REFLECTIONS
Magnalia's logo is a silhouette of a recurring moment with our playful black Labrador retriever named Bella June. She's ever the loyal companion for...
Feeling Loved
Jan 5, 2023 | PLANTS & ANIMALS, REFLECTIONS
Our affectionate new Neubian donkey named Davie has quite the personality. I'm not sure our Black Angus, named Scheffler, who once got all my...
When Farm Tough Met an Amateur Farmer…
Dec 28, 2022 | PLANTS & ANIMALS
Farm Tough met an Amateur Farmer, and left said Farmer full of wonder. 😮 What a marvel to witness Davie the Donkey and our other farm animals...
We Are Like Sheep
Nov 5, 2022 | PLACES, PLANTS & ANIMALS, REFLECTIONS
Our four sheep at Magnalia Farm have made me more aware of the many facets of me being referred to in the Scriptures as A SHEEP. All we like sheep...
Resilient Cosmos
Sep 28, 2022 | PLACES, PLANTS & ANIMALS, REFLECTIONS
A friend of ours had the idea of planting a large bed of the Cosmos Bipinnatus flower seed (commonly called the garden cosmos or Mexican Aster) in...
A Waystation for Majestic Monarchs
Sep 28, 2022 | PLANTS & ANIMALS, REFLECTIONS
Monarch butterflies have been a family favorite for years. When they were listed as endangered earlier this year, friends Tim and Cindy Wall helped...
Learning to Like Okra (and Why It Matters)
Sep 4, 2021 | PLANTS & ANIMALS, REFLECTIONS
There’s a lot happening in the news these days, and much of it has most thoughtful people feeling quite unsettled. It’s a time in history when we...
To Make a Better Pesto (or Cobbler)…
Aug 16, 2021 | PEOPLE, PLANTS & ANIMALS
We sometimes read leading lines like, "To Make a Better Pesto (or Cobbler)…" If you're like me, we often read on because we're looking for a...
A Swarm of Golden Wonder
Jun 26, 2021 | PLANTS & ANIMALS, REFLECTIONS
[A Blog Post from John Mark Van Eerden] This is a special report about a call for help from a friend. (And what happened afterwards.) My friend...
Neighbors Helping Neighbors
Mar 24, 2025 | PEOPLE, REFLECTIONS
When life gets hard, community matters. A LOT. Just yesterday, our longtime farmer friend Rodney Hardy delivered some special feed to us that Rosie...
Rosie Birthed a Stillborn Calf
Mar 23, 2025 | PLANTS & ANIMALS, REFLECTIONS
Farm life can be HARD. Our beloved Jersey cow named Rosie birthed a stillborn calf late yesterday. Its hooves presented but it moved no further....
Feast of St. Patrick & The Ulster Scots
Mar 18, 2025 | EVENTS, REFLECTIONS
At this year's Feast of St. Patrick & The Ulster Scots last Saturday night, these guys represented, and showed up in family colors! Epic people...
The Engine Room
Mar 17, 2025 | EVENTS, REFLECTIONS
Behind the scenes at every community meal here there are many helpers, sometimes just gathering up and washing dishes, who bring joy to it all....
Narnia House Guests
Mar 16, 2025 | PLACES, REFLECTIONS
Tonight we keep the Feast of St. Patrick and the Ulster Scots at the Homestead! ☘️ As we also prepare to receive our first guests at Narnia House...
USMC at Magnalia Homestead
Mar 1, 2025 | EVENTS, REFLECTIONS
What an HONOR it was to have LtCol USMC (Ret) Mike West, SgMaj USMC (Ret) Mark Byrd, and LtCol USMC (Ret) Tony Mitchell at Magnalia Homestead for...
Lambs Morning Milk Shakes
Feb 17, 2025 | PLANTS & ANIMALS, REFLECTIONS
Lambs looking for their morning milk shakes from their mommas! I love it when they get a taste, and flit their tails with excitement. 😉 Ahhh....
The Sheep Barn Hosts Some Kids
Jan 13, 2025 | PLANTS & ANIMALS, REFLECTIONS
In the cold Homestead Sheep Barn tonight... are three kids birthed by our prolific dwarf Nigerian goat that we named, with admiration, "The Momma."...
The Feast Of St. Nicholas Is A Feast of Gratitude
Jan 6, 2025 | EVENTS, REFLECTIONS
A week ago we marked the waning days of Christmastide with our annual Feast of St. Nicholas, which specially celebrates children who've been...
A New Year Dawning: Further Up and Further In!
Jan 1, 2025 | PLACES, REFLECTIONS
Dear Family and Friends, How grateful we are to step into a New Year knowing that the Lord is good, even in hardship and suffering, and sovereign...
Narnian Magic In The Making
Dec 31, 2024 | PLACES, REFLECTIONS
Narnia Cottage is just weeks from opening for guests like you! ❤️ 🙏 Reepicheep arrived just yesterday, thanks to the felt artistry of Joel...
Christmas Greetings From The Homestead
Dec 25, 2024 | EVENTS, REFLECTIONS
Thanks to all of you who've warmed this humble place with life, and light, and love. Merry Christmastide (it's a season, not a day!), and God's...
