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About the Owner |
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Hello! My name is Lisa and I live in Minnesota. I've always had a love for all kinds of animals for as long as I can remember.
I was in 4-H and showed pets, sheep, pigs and volunteered at the horse shows. I joined Future Farmers of America (FFA) and participated on the poultry and horse judging teams. In 2004, I worked several part-time jobs during college: farrowing technician at a sow farm, kennel staff at a vet clinic, and a nursery technician at a swine research barn. I also picked up pet/livestock-sitting jobs for a few of the veterinarians as well as referrals to clinic clients. In 2009, I graduated Minnesota State University with a bachelor's degree in biology and a chemistry minor. During school, I developed a special interest in genetics and reproduction. 
Hiking in the dense forests and tall trees of the Pacific Northwest.
Horseback riding in Washington state on a very sweet grey Percheron gelding.
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What does a Minnesotan do when there's snow around? Build a snowman of course! And that's Mt. Rainier in the background!
After graduation, I started working at a boar stud. Within 2 years, I was promoted to farm manager. I was able to attend several expos, trade shows, symposiums, and listen to several speakers from all over the world. I learned quite a bit on (swine) reproduction, artificial insemination, genetics, health, welfare, and more. However, I had spent the last 12 years in swine and the demand was beginning to take a physical toll in addition to other health issues. By November 2016, I left the swine industry.
In December, I was hired at a manufacturing plant and by the end of February, I was awarded their Environmental/Safety Coordinator job. That same month, I was contacted by the herd veterinarian of the boar stud that I had managed. He was starting up his own practice and wanted me to run his andrology lab. By January 1st of 2017, we opened for submissions and the business had grown enough that he hired on another veterinarian and I brought in two more people at the lab. I still work at both of these places today! Hobbies and interests .. In 2020, with the purchase of a hobby farm in the future, I began the inner workings to create a small horse breeding program called NorthWoods Friesians for purebred and crossbred Friesian horses, a breed that I have loved since I was around 11-12 years old. I had bought my first Friesian cross in 2017 and, finally, my first purebred in 2020 to join my gelding (and first horse) that I had bought several years earlier.
Other than my animals, I’m usually tending to my ever-expanding patches of raspberries, blueberries, strawberries, asparagus, flowers, and summer gardens, doing yardwork, fixing, building, or adding more projects to my endless to-do list. Outside of my farm, I’m an avid mountain hiker, horseback trail rider, wildlife observer, and have a love for all things of nature. In the spring of 2021, after many years on hiatus, I decided to start raising chickens again. I joined several poultry FB groups and began searching for birds outside of what large-scale hatcheries offered as I wanted something more unique. And thus my crazy chicken lady status was reborn! |
But after a couple years of back and forth, I found that I wasn’t keen on keeping up with so many different SOPs and having to source from so many places for each. I quickly realized that I didn’t want to make this too much technical work or I’d grow to hate it. I had to decide how I could integrate and overlap elements of my program to make things more streamlined and less complicated. I decided to focus on two rare landrace breeds (Svart Hona and Hedemora) to forgo the confinements of an SOP.
However, since 2021, I had fell for the stunning Silver Marans and have been steadily working on them since and commit to breeding them by to an SOP similar to that of the Black Copper. You can find this standard on my website.
And, of course, my lovely, quirky, nerdy birdies, the Silkies and Satins which I’m continually learning more about, these will be bred to SOP as well (Satins similar to that of the Silkie).
However, since 2021, I had fell for the stunning Silver Marans and have been steadily working on them since and commit to breeding them by to an SOP similar to that of the Black Copper. You can find this standard on my website.
And, of course, my lovely, quirky, nerdy birdies, the Silkies and Satins which I’m continually learning more about, these will be bred to SOP as well (Satins similar to that of the Silkie).
My sweet girl, Elsa. I wasn't sure about spending the money on a full blooded Friesian at the time so I bought a crossbred to start with - and she's amazing. So much so that I *did* end up getting one in 2020!
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It's become a tradition for me to leave a snowman along every trail we hike that we encounter snow on. This guy decided to bail on me at the last minute and fall over. At least let me take a picture, dude!
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I also love to garden for tons of flowers as well as fruits and veggies. I try to plant or grow pollinator friendly plant species to attract as many of those little busy bodies as possible, especially bees. I mean, who in their right mind doesn't enjoy bees - they make honey!
I enjoy being in the kitchen when I can. I don’t usually get to cook big meals or make a lot of sweets so it’s always a pleasure to be able to share it with friends and family.
Reading and research is also one of my favorite things. I’m a curious person by nature. I’m not much of a story reader but you will almost always find me reading or watching videos about a topic on human/animal-health, horse-related (bits, horsemanship, training, etc.), or the history of horse breeds or back in the old-world and medieval times. From ancient Egyptians to Teutonic Knights, to Vikings and everything in between.
I've found that in order to understand the present, we must learn from the past to ensure a better future. I’m always treading along on the continuous path of knowledge and education.
I enjoy being in the kitchen when I can. I don’t usually get to cook big meals or make a lot of sweets so it’s always a pleasure to be able to share it with friends and family.
Reading and research is also one of my favorite things. I’m a curious person by nature. I’m not much of a story reader but you will almost always find me reading or watching videos about a topic on human/animal-health, horse-related (bits, horsemanship, training, etc.), or the history of horse breeds or back in the old-world and medieval times. From ancient Egyptians to Teutonic Knights, to Vikings and everything in between.
I've found that in order to understand the present, we must learn from the past to ensure a better future. I’m always treading along on the continuous path of knowledge and education.
My first and very handsome horse, Jhett. Unfortunately, he was put down and buried at home in April 2025 due to the sudden onset of congestive heart failure at the age of 21.
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My second horse, Elsa. She is part Friesian and part Tenneessee Walking Horse. I've had her since she was a 6 month old weanling brought home back in 2017.
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Metske (met-ska) fan Nicomen (nick-o-men) was imported from B.C., Canada in 2020 as a 7 month old weanling. She traveled nearly 1600 miles from her breeder's farm, to my broker's stable, and finally over to mine. She's my first purebred Friesian horse that I've worked hard so many years for.
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Interesting Fact: I'm also an ordained minister through the Universal Life Church. I am legally able to officiate several functions such as weddings, funerals, and baptisms in the state of Minnesota as well as most other states and U.S. territories.
