From the outside, Angel and Mark Cole seemed to be living out their dreams as successful systems engineers climbing the ladder in the Washington, D.C., area. But life in the city never really suited the up-and-coming couple. Angel, who grew up in a farming community in rural Pennsylvania, longed for the days when she was pitching hay and riding her prized horses.
“Living in an urban environment and having to work all day in an office just wasn’t what I wanted to do,” says Angel. “Even the act of going to the grocery store was discouraging, with all the processed and pre-packaged food. I knew that I didn’t want to raise my children that way. That’s when we decided to leave our city life.”
Moving out to the country and starting a family farm didn’t happen overnight. The Coles started out small, purchasing what Angel called a “farmette” in Stafford, VA.
“Our place was located in a suburban area,” says Angel. “It was five acres, really only big enough to have a few horses. Besides the house the property had a two-stall barn and fencing. It was actually in a neighborhood.”
Mark continued to work and Angel managed the farm and children. On the weekends, Mark rolled up his sleeves and caught up with farm chores on nights and weekends.
But within two years, the family outgrew the small farm and decided to quadruple the size of their property. They purchased Bannerfield Farm, a 20-acre farm in Boydton, Virginia, which included a four stall barn, an outbuilding, a hay barn, a guest cabin and a house. Finally, the family had room to do as they wished, raising horses, then adding a herd of 30 Nigerian dairy goats, chickens, pigs and cows to their farm. The whole family became immersed in farm life, and Angel at last felt like she was providing her children with the life lessons she valued so much from her own upbringing.
Angel and Mark have five children, including Bradyn, 18, Declan, 10, Liam, 6, Landon, 5, and Lillian, 3. Homeschooling the children year round, Angel believes that living on a farm is a great learning experience that can’t be matched by a traditional school.
“The children learn so much every day about science, biology, math, and about the cycles of life and death,” says Angel. “We have set hours of traditional study, just like school, but we learn about so much more here on the farm.”
Music is an integral part of the family’s life; in fact, Bradyn is studying violin performance for his undergraduate degree. He also plays cello, viola, and piano. Declan also plays cello, and Liam and Landon take violin lessons from Bradyn.
Because Angel is so passionate about her farm and animals, she studied to become a Licensed Veterinary Technician. Her training included two years of classes as well as emergency, primate, exotic, and large animal medicine rotations and a semester-long internship.
The Cole family has learned many new skills since purchasing their farm: Everything from soap-making to hide-tanning.
“Our country is in turmoil,” says Angel. “We have lost our skills and have become dependent on large corporations. I didn’t want to raise my children in that world. My kids have room to run and explore and experience nature’s beauty. I love my animals, and I love the land. I can’t imagine doing anything else.”
Visit Bannerfield Farm’s web site at: www.bannerfieldfarm.net
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