Category Archives: Shamblen Farms

Welcome to Shamblen Farms — a raw, unfiltered glimpse into the year I spent living and working on my family’s farm in West Virginia from February 2020 to March 2021. While the world locked down for COVID, I locked into nature — building, rucking, farming, and filming across roughly 140 rugged, Appalachian-view acres.

This wasn’t a weekend retreat or hobby garden. I lived in a cabin built by my uncle and his father-in-law, down a private road that led deep into hills and steep terrain. I ran sheep and cattle, planted a massive garden entirely from seed, and installed plumbing to carry well water across nearly a mile of trenching to keep livestock hydrated — not a figure of speech. Actual trenching with a ditch witch. Actual pipes. Across actual land.

Armed with a John Deere 4×4 Gator and a GoPro, I spent that year fixing and building fences, chopping wood, transporting hay by tractor, and cooking endless steaks. I filmed sky timelapses — Milky Way starfields, sunsets, moonrises, cloud breaks — all captured from wide-open, unobstructed ridges. I rucked daily, often making steep treks from one barn to the furthest one and back to cut weight. Every trip was functional, every mile earned.

This farm had it all: two ponds, multiple barns, deep hills, and constant projects. Our family dog Nico was there every step of the way — joined by Jerry, a massive Kangal sheepdog bred for protection. Across the road lived Amish neighbors with their own sawmill. We had one too, though ours sat quiet.

I also filmed a lot: crossbow shooting, rifle practice, 4-wheeling, hauling hay — all real footage, no filler. What you’ll see in this section of the site is documentation of that time. No filters. No fluff. Just honest labor, open sky, and the kind of work most people don’t get to do anymore.

This is Shamblen Farms — not a fantasy homestead, but the real, often gritty year I spent reclaiming strength, solitude, and skill one day at a time.