Sometimes you think you’ve got the perfect plan: wrap up the day, pour a cup of coffee, and take five quiet minutes to yourself. But if you’ve got ducks, your plan is irrelevant.

That’s how it went here at the Holler the other night. The Tactical Redneck had just sat down when our ducks marched up to the porch, quacking their opinion on bedtime. Apparently, they weren’t going to bed alone.

So instead of coffee, it was boots on, call out “All ducks go to bed!” and the nightly parade down the hill. They waddled like little feathered soldiers, got their evening feed, and the door closed behind them. Just like that — the “quiet coffee moment” turned into another moment in the Holler.

That’s our way here: you can plan for peace and quiet, but the animals sometimes run the schedule. And honestly? That’s part of the fun. You never know when a quiet moment will turn into a story worth telling.

Speaking of stories worth telling: Our Curds & Connections class on August 23 is one of those rare, can’t-repeat experiences. Yes, there’s cheese, but not just any cheese. We’re talking flavors you can’t pick up at the grocery store, paired in a special tasting lunch by Chef Kenny Daniels. You can also walk to our spring house on the hill – newly freed from brambles and soon to be “regenerativeized.” It’s the kind of day you’ll talk about long after you head home.