The homestead

A garden scene with green tomatoes on the vine, with a small snail crawling on one of the tomatoes, surrounded by green leaves and water droplets.
A smiling man with a beard and a bald head taking a selfie outdoors near a river and trees, with a partly cloudy sky.

Hi there,

Did you know that our founding 🐌 colony was sourced from Texas backyards? Cornu aspersa has lived in Texas soil for well over a century — in gardens, along fence lines, beneath limestone outcroppings across Hood County. No imports.

That hyperlocal principle runs through everything we do. We began formalizing our commitment to organic standards in 2023. Organic practice demands naturally hardy animals (no synthetic inputs, no reliance on antibiotics) such that every breed selected for this system was deliberate. Our founding animals reflect that logic: 32 Cornu aspersa snails, 100 Coturnix quail, 65 MKH Heritage Chickens (Exchequer Leghorn × Egyptian Fayoumi, F1 breeding program), and 40 Silver Appleyard ducks.

Whether through animal husbandry, creative practice, or somatic movement, our work is a disciplined approach to restoration, one that honors biological integrity and human wellness as a single goal.

All our best,

Brian and Ozi Manning

A weathered black wooden park bench on grass with trees and a fence in the background, illuminated by sunlight.
A large outdoor fire with bright flames at the bottom and fireworks exploding in the night sky above.
A clear blue sky with some clouds, green leafy plants growing along a barbed wire fence, with a large wooden beam at the top left corner and a grassy field and trees in the background.
A woman taking a selfie outdoors wearing large blue sunglasses and a black shirt, with goats standing on dry grass behind her and trees in the background.
A man wearing orange and black work pants, a gray t-shirt, and sunglasses standing outdoors on green grass, with a lawnmower nearby. Behind him, there is a large tree with many branches, some with leaves and some without, and a fence in the backgroun
A person practicing yoga in a partially constructed wooden room with two windows, a yoga mat, pink towels, and a water bottle.
A large, thick tree with sprawling branches and textured bark in a forested area with green foliage and on the ground, dry leaves and grass. A dirt path runs through the scene, with a red painted wood post on the right side.
A close-up view of a tree trunk and branches with textured bark, situated outdoors with a background of other trees, grass, and a house roof.
A rural scene with a wooden building surrounded by trees and dry grass, under a clear blue sky.
Three smiling people, two women and one man, taking a selfie outdoors with green trees in the background. They are wearing casual clothes and hats.
A woman wearing a large straw hat and a blue cycling jersey standing outdoors near a trailer, holding a rooster, with trees, fencing, and a clear blue sky in the background.
A black and white cat walking through tall grass and weeds in a field with trees in the background, sunlight shining through the plants.
A backyard scene with tall green grass, multiple large trees with abundant leaves, a winding pathway, a house with a porch on the right, and a small blue ball with white stars on the ground near the pathway.
A rural scene with green grass, trees, a small weathered barn, and a rusty fence, under a partly cloudy sky.
Open field with tall grass and wild plants, a small barn or shed in the distance, surrounded by trees under a bright blue sky with scattered clouds.
A grassy backyard with trees, a fence, and a house in the distance under a bright overcast sky.
Footwear on wet grass and small plants, seen from above.
Part of a wooden structure with sunlight coming through gaps in the wood.
The inside view of a wooden shed with walls made of vertical wooden planks and an unfinished wooden floor.
An old, weathered wooden shed with a damaged roof, partially obscured by overgrown plants and trees. The shed has a small window and appears to be in a rural setting.
A black and white cat sitting on a fallen tree branch amidst green grass and dry leaves, with fencing and a small black object in the background.
Two white puppies playing outdoors in a grassy area with some plants and soil. One puppy is laying on its back, and the other is sitting upright, partially obscured by a person's boot.
A grassy yard with three goats, trees in the background, a building, and some outdoor equipment.
Person in white shirt and black skirt painting outdoors on an easel in a grassy field with wildflowers, surrounded by trees under a cloudy sky.
A person walking on a grassy field surrounded by trees with a fence in the background under cloudy sky.
A black plastic basket filled with cut and trimmed bamboo stalks with small green leaves sprouting from some of the stalks, outdoors on a patch of grass.
A man wearing an orange hard hat and orange work pants is outdoors, holding a chainsaw, surrounded by green grass and trees.
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