Dianne shares… Mahada Farms is plural because there have been five farms since 1984, two in Atlanta, one in Brainerd Hills, TN (with Nell & Darde Long at Dardenell Stables; Darde Long is now the manager of The Chattanooga Zoo), one in Ringgold, GA, and for the past sixteen years here at the Battlefield in Chickamauga, Georgia. The Lord put this dream in my heart, and when I cried out to Him, He told me “the farm is wherever you are." So I made a sign… Mahada: Me and Horses and Dogs and (the Invisible One).

There have been many lessons to learn along the way – the first lesson was to put Him first… then there was faith and patience. I never really truly cared about any subject as much as horses, and nothing really set me on fire the way horses did.

I always loved dogs and hoped I would have many someday.    I also love books, though I don’t have enough time to read them. But I love everything about them! I also enjoy art, gardening and yoga.

Mel Shares... I WAS BORN IN A SMALL TOWN IN MISSOURI CALLED OAK RIDGE, POPULATION AROUND 87 OR SO. PROBABLY A FEW DOGS AND CATS INCLUDED IN THAT COUNT. WE LIVED IN AN OLD UNOCCUPIED SCHOOL HOUSE, WHICH INCLUDED 25-30 ACRES -- OUT IN THE COUNTRY. THERE WAS ALWAYS A LOT OF DOGS AND CATS. I WAS RAISED IN A HOUSEHOLD THAT HAD A GREAT LOVE FOR ALL TYPES OF ANIMALS. I HAVE NEVER EVER LOST THE LOVE FOR ANIMALS. MY DAD TAUGHT ME AT AN EARLY AGE HOW TO SHOOT A 22 RIFLE. I WAS BIG INTO DIFFERENT TYPES OF HUNTING. WHEN SQUIRREL SEASON WAS IN I WENT HUNTING EVERY CHANCE I HAD. ONE SATURDAY MORNING, DAD ASKED ME TO LEAVE THE RIFLE AT HOME AND TAKE A WALK WITH HIM. WE TALKED ALL THE WAY TO THE WOODS. THERE WE SAT ON AN OLD BLOWN DOWN TREE AND JUST WATCHED THE BROOK. JUST ABOUT SUN UP THERE CAME THREE OR FOUR SQUIRELS TO PLAY ON THE FALLEN TREE, ACROSS THE SMALL CREEK. WE WATCHED THEM FOR ABOUT 45 MINUTES, NOT SAYING A WORD. THEN MY DAD SAID, “I JUST WANTED YOU TO SEE ONE OF GOD'S BEAUTIFUL CREATURES PUT ON THIS EARTH FOR OUR ENJOYMENT.” AFTER THAT I HUNTED SQUIRELS FOR A SPECIAL MEAL OR IF WE NEEDED MEAT FOR THE FREEZER. I HAD SUCH A GOOD LEARNING EXPERIENCE FROM MY DAD. WHEN I DEAL WITH DIFFERENT TYPES OF ANIMALS IT BRINGS GOOD MEMORIES OF MY CHILDHOOD. I REMEMBER THINGS LIKE DAD'S PET SQUIRREL, RACCOON, AND HIS SQUIRREL-MONKEY. I HAD A GOOD MARRIAGE, AND THE BEST RESULT OF THAT MARRIAGE WAS MY SON, JOSHUA, AND MY DAUGHTER, AMY, BUT UNFORTUNATELY MY MARRIAGE ENDED IN 2000, THE SAME YEAR DIANNE LOST HER HUSBAND. WHEN I THOUGHT LOVE WAS LOST FOREVER, I MET THIS BEAUTIFUL, SWEET GEORGIA PEACH. THERE WAS A TIME IN OUR EARLY RELATIONSHIP OF GETTING TO KNOW EACH OTHER THAT I AVOIDED HER, WITH NO CONTACT FOR TEN DAYS. THAT NIGHT THE LORD SPOKE WITH ME TO LET ME KNOW THAT HE HAD PUT THIS LADY IN MY LIFE. IT WAS UP TO ME WHAT CHOICE I WOULD CHOOSE FROM HERE. THE NEXT MORNING I SENT HER AN EMAIL AND WE WERE ON OUR WAY TO WHAT I CALL “A BLESSED UP BRINGING.” IN MARCH I OPENED UP TO THIS LADY TO BE MY WIFE THROUGH THE ACTS OF THE LORD. AND YES, WE NOW HAVE ANIMALS SHE WOULD HAVE NEVER OF DREAMED OF HAVING.

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Mahada Farms 1540 Lytle Rd. Chickamauga, GA 30707 - 706-861-0982 - mahadafarms@aol.com