A Letter from the Founder

The last six months have been, well—bananas.

We’ve met incredible new partners, started feasibility studies in Tulare County to prepare for next year’s launch, and applied for some truly life-changing grants that—if awarded—will create high-quality, year-round jobs that support healthy families, strong individuals, and connected communities.

It’s been emotional, to say the least.

April, Founder, Carrying 50lb Lay Feed To the Hungry Girls

There have been moments of deep doubt—those “why bother, we’re just small-town folks” kinds of thoughts. There have been rejections that stung. But there have also been moments that took my breath away, watching things fall into place, watching the future take shape.

And one thing became very clear:

When we stopped knocking on the wrong doors, the right ones started opening—fast.

We had a shed donated that we converted into a stable for the goats. We helped rescue an injured goat who needed medicine by calling our network of ranchers and driving to get antibiotics and delivering it to a local family. We secured milk goats through a wild,

generous offer. Our four original hens started laying nearly 20 eggs a week. We gained seven more chickens ontop of the other gaggle of em. It might sound simple, but to us—it’s everything.

People are reaching out. Clients are giving positive feedback. We’ve had zero complaints submitted, and that’s no small thing.

The Saturday Night Market and our advocacy work have lit a fire in this community, and I mean it when I say—people are showing up out of nowhere. Professionals are asking how to join us. We’re receiving applications. It’s overwhelming, new, wild—and beautiful.

Personally, I’ve been learning how to respond by being present. I’m learning how to feel joy without ripping it away from myself. I’m learning to be proud of this work. To believe that it wasn’t a delusional gamble—it was needed. It’s wanted. And it’s good enough.

I want to take a moment to shout out some of the incredible people walking beside me in this:

Adam Graham—our Programs Director and lead case manager—has been nothing short of extraordinary. His dedication, compassion, and consistency make the whole operation stronger. He has learned new skills rapidly and effectively.

Adam at hs Monthly Fishing Catch Up with Sasquatch, our newest Rottie [mix].

To our four anonymous volunteers—thank you for creating graphics, managing social media (which, let’s be honest, I freakin’ hated doing), working on the website, and helping coordinate logistics. Your quiet brilliance is all over everything we do.

And to our property volunteer, who spends three full 8-hour days every week weeding, cleaning the coop, and quality-assuring the whole space—thank you. Your labor has transformed our land into a space that feels sacred.

It’s just...incredibly special to be back home. And to have each of you carrying part of this load to help build something better, something rural, something real.

I also want to thank hopefully everyone this is meant for will read it, but to each person who is tellign us to keep going and sharing how this is motivating you personally, thank you. FOr every single person who has told me to stop and see that I made it, that I am doing it... goodness gracious, thank you so very much!

Even if we do nt get those grants, I am just so happy that we all tried it and ended it one night by watching a movie together and eating tamales. I am so glad that I can hear people who have known me close to a decade or more remind me that I have come from the nothing lands and made something beautiful with life...and it is with each of you [big freaking hugs and strong high fives friends!]

Thank you. From the bottom of my heart.

— April TurnerFounder, River Sage Revival