From Scales to Feathers: Growing Into a More Sustainable Life

A Shift of Energy

Me with Levi - June 2016

Those who know me know that when it comes to my animals, I’ve always gone all in. For years, that meant pouring my heart, time, and resources into building one of the only reptile‑centric 501(c)(3) rescues in my state - a mission that started because changing laws threatened one of my most beloved animals, my Burmese python, Levi. That chapter shaped me in ways I’ll always carry, and I’m grateful for every lesson it brought.

But life doesn’t stay still. My family has grown, my priorities have shifted, and the world around me has changed, too. Since stepping away from nonprofit leadership, I’ve watched a wave of new reptile‑focused organizations pop up across the Northeast. They’re doing incredible work - work I once felt solely responsible for. Seeing others step into that space has been both humbling and freeing. The truth is, I no longer have the energy to be that person again, and that’s okay.

A New Season, A New Kind of Stewardship

As my family’s needs have grown, I’ve found myself leaning into a lifestyle that’s more sustainable, more grounded, and more in tune with the community I’m raising my child in. Redirecting my emotional and financial energy toward home and long‑term stability has been the right choice, but it hasn’t always been easy. Caring for animals isn’t just something I enjoy - it’s where I feel most myself. It’s not just something I want to do; my soul needs to do it.

The challenge is that exotic animal work comes with steep costs: high electric bills, specialized equipment, legal restrictions, political volatility, and the constant weight of public scrutiny. Even with my drive and creativity, it’s a field that demands more than it gives back when you’re balancing family life and a full‑time career. My exotic animals and outreach programs will always remain a personal passion project - they’re part of who I am -but the lifestyle I’m building now requires a shift in where my primary energy goes.

Enter Poultry - Unexpectedly, But Perfectly.

Raising poultry has given me a way to reconnect with the parts of myself I feared were slipping away:

• The builder and habitat designer

• The educator and community advocate

• The caretaker who thrives in the daily rhythm of animal husbandry
  

But unlike exotic animal work, poultry offers sustainability, accessibility, and long‑term viability. It lets me stay deeply involved in animal care without the overwhelming overhead, legal battles, or public misconceptions that often accompany reptiles. It fits the life I have now - not the life I had ten years ago - and it supports the community around me in a tangible, meaningful way.

Building Something New

What started as a small personal project has grown into something much more rooted. I now maintain a New Hampshire state‑inspected poultry flock and have earned my certification from the Department of Agriculture to sell processed poultry. I’ve built a steady client base for fresh eggs, and I’ve stepped into agricultural advocacy - supporting local food initiatives and pushing for legislative updates, including the effort to have Coturnix quail recognized as a federally listed poultry species by the USDA. It feels like a natural extension of the work I’ve always done: helping animals, supporting communities, and improving systems that matter.

Preparing For What Comes Next

I’m not leaving behind who I was. I’m growing into who I need to be - for my family, for my community, and for myself. Poultry has become the bridge between my passion for animals and the sustainable, community‑aligned life I’m building. It lets me stay connected to the work that fulfills me, without sacrificing the stability and balance my family deserves.

And for those who have come to know the ambassadors of CROC over the years: don’t worry. My animals and outreach programs aren’t going anywhere. I will continue offering hands‑on education, guidance, and a variety of exotic species for local programs and events. This shift isn’t an ending - it’s an expansion, and I’m excited to bring you along as this next chapter unfolds.