Greetings from the Lyden Family!

I’m Rita, the captain of a six-person team of outdoor-loving, horseback-riding farm hands. My team has a very unique dress code consisting of overalls and flannels, Stetsons and Ariats, and of course spurs, bandanas, and canvas vests. Workout routines include hay-stacking, stall-cleaning, and hours on horseback. We play in all weather - torrential downpours or skin-blistering sunshine - and in all seasons - from “I think I’m melting” July to “I think I’m frozen” February. But despite the rigor of the farm lifestyle, not a single one of us would exchange it for anything in the world.

When you see my two little girls comfortably interacting with animals ten times their weight, or my boys zipping around on the tractor and mower, or my eldest daughter and I tossing around things most women can’t lift, you might be surprised to learn that we’ve only been living on this dream-come-true farm since 2018. That’s right, August of 2018 marks the month of our family’s move to this magical place. At the time, I could not even imagine all that was in store for us. Yes, I know time flies, but looking back at how recent that August is, I feel as if I’ve entered a time warp. It feels like we have been living the farm life forever! The past years have been chalk full of highs and lows, fun and work, learning and teaching, and best of all, new and cherished friends - both the kind with two legs and the furry kind with four. 

But how did y’all get here? Good question. It has an unexpected answer. Well, here it is…

I knew my family needed a change. I knew that my kids needed something more substantial and formative in their life than sports and extracurriculars and things. I also knew that I needed to breathe, I needed peace, and I needed to work with my hands. But most of all, in the depths of my heart, I needed animals - I needed horses. Growing up, I did not have the chance to own a pet. But as the animal-loving child I was, I so desperately wanted, no, needed, something furry and fuzzy to love and care for. Fast-forward to the new mother of two small children in the year 2009. Our little family unit was moving from Florida to South Bend. Now was my chance! I asked my husband (maybe even begged a little) to buy a home with some property. I didn’t need something big, just something with room for a little garden and maybe a farm animal or two in the future. My pleading seemed in vain; however, God answered the prayers of my heart nearly ten years later. In the end, a truly miraculous series of events brought us urban-dwelling city slickers to September Rainbow Horse Farm. 

Wait a second…I thought your farm was called Oak Top Hill, or something.

Yep, you’re right. That’s another story. Don’t worry, I’ll make it brief…sort of.

The summer of 2018, Carolyn and Bill Neidbalski took me under their wing and began teaching me the ins and outs of running their farm, September Rainbow Horse Farm. It all seemed like a dream. I pinched myself every morning when I arrived at the farm. The steam rising off the manure pile and the soft greetings of horses whinnying met me as I began transitioning that summer to the farm's ownership. I loved and valued the two of them, the beauty of their work, and to honor them asked if I could continue calling the farm September Rainbow.

One morning, Billy told me the story of the grand Pin Oak at the top of the hill leading to the farm. He recalled how he chose it as a sapling from deep in the woods surrounding the farm. He spent hours digging out the root ball in order to safely transplant it to just that spot. Now, it stands as a sentinel at the top of the hill, like a guardian over the house, barns, animals, and all the people who trust us with their care. He chose the Pin Oak because they grow straight and tall. The Pin Oak did just that. It has grown magnificently straight and tall from that small sapling. I loved that story and the name Oak Top Hill was born. I told myself, "for now, the farm will remain September Rainbow, but once we get our feet under us and are standing on our own, it will be called Oak Top Hill.”

Do you ever get your feet truly under you running a farm? No way! But we were ready for a name change that would reflect myself and my family. We, my family, clients, friends, have all grown together as a community. We have had our ups and downs. We have laughed and cried. We have realized that this farm runs through our veins and links us all together. My true guardian and strong oak is always God. He watches over all of us. I like to see the oak at the top of the hill and have the constant reminder of that strong Guardian over this farm and my home. 

So, welcome, all over again to Oak Top Hill!