Heart of The Pack
“It’s our place of comfort, peace, learning, trials, and togetherness. There’s nowhere else we’d rather be. We hope you feel that same refreshing breath as you enter our gate and step on to our Burned Oak Farm.”
— Mallory Palmer
Our Story
We lived in an upscale suburban neighborhood in a beautiful city, surrounded by everything the world tells us is good, except one thing… open space.
After we became parents in 2013, we realized very quickly our son was different. As a newborn he was too alert. As an 18 month old he was having full conversations. By 2 he was using tools to take apart the vacuum, bikes, and anything else he could disassemble. By 4 he was scaling our back fence longing for just a bit more space to play. That’s when the longing started in our hearts. A longing to give him, and his little sister, outdoor space to play, learn to take care of animals, plant a garden, and just be little.
It felt scary to pull them away from the best school districts, successful organized sports programs, and neighborhood friends, but the longing just wouldn’t go away. So, in 2018 we moved out to a little piece of land tucked in the Escondido mountainside. Since then, we’ve added another little boy to our family and have worked side by side to learn how to grow food, raise animals, and build.
It hasn’t always been easy… we’ve seen animals die, things fall apart, and garden beds remain bare even after lots of work. Despite the challenges, our farm has become our “breathe, you’re home” spot.
“…a longing to give him, and his little sister, outdoor space to play, learn to take care of animals, plant a garden, and just be little.”
— Mallory Palmer
Who We Are
Around here it takes a village. My parents live a property away and my brother and his family are close by, too. My blue collar, carpenter dad is the most resourceful and hard working craftsman whose handiwork is found all over this property. We rely on his knowledge often. My mom is the best laundry folder, grandkid chauffeur, and sweets provider. Without her, our days wouldn’t be as special or organized!
My brother willingly shares his incredible eye for graphic design and photography with us and is the creator of all things visually pleasing around here. He’s also the go-to-guy when our kids are looking for a game of hide-and-seek, laser tag, or baseball. His wife is the science and nature encyclopedia and is the only reason we know what any bug or plant is on this property. They, along with their three kids, make our life out here more fun and memorable.
Because of them, we are able to open up this lifestyle to you. We hope you come, stay, and enjoy all our family has worked hard to create.