Playing Farmer Brad
Retirement planning isn’t only about stepping away from work; it’s about stepping toward something that feels fulfilling, grounding, and genuinely yours. We often tell our clients that the question isn’t “When can I retire?” but rather, “What am I retiring to?” It’s a subtle difference that changes everything—because having a future worth leaning into brings energy and purpose to the planning process.
Our co-founder Brad Monk has been thinking a lot about that idea lately, not because he’s preparing to slow down anytime soon, but because he’s found something that sparks that “retire to” feeling. Over the past year, he’s taken up farming Lowline cattle on a small acreage in Tallegalla. It’s a world far removed from financial statements, yet it fits neatly into the deeper conversations we have about building a life with intention.
Lowline cattle are a compact, docile breed developed from Aberdeen Angus stock. They’re known for their efficiency, gentle temperament, and suitability for small acreage farming—traits that make them ideal for newcomers learning the rhythms of the paddock. For Brad, they’ve become the centerpiece of a landscape he can genuinely imagine growing older in.
He jokes sometimes that he’s playing farmer, but there’s a sincerity underneath it. There’s something grounding about early mornings, fresh air, and the satisfaction of building something with his hands. He says that even imagining a future where he spends more time on that land gives him a renewed sense of purpose in the work we do every day.
Recently, he and his wife welcomed their first calves. Most of the births were wonderfully uneventful, but one little calf—yes, the one in the photo we’ve shared—arrived two weeks early. She needed extra care, patient feeding, and the kind of hands-on attention that turns worry into quiet pride.
Watching him step into that role reminded us how powerful it is to nurture something new. It’s not so different from the work we do with our clients—helping them shape a future that feels alive, personal, and full of possibility. Financial planning isn’t just about accumulating enough to stop working; it’s about making sure that when the time comes, you have something meaningful waiting.
That premature calf is a small reminder of this bigger truth: the things we care for tend to thrive, whether they’re financial goals or something furrier and far more opinionated. Watching her find her legs has been a gentle lesson in patience, hope, and the reward that comes from investing time and heart into the future.
As we look ahead with our clients, we keep coming back to this idea: retirement isn’t an ending. It’s an opening. A chance to step toward something that feels undeniably yours. And sometimes, as we’ve seen firsthand, the future you build might just start with a tiny calf who arrived earlier than expected and needed a little extra love.
And perhaps that’s the heart of why we care so deeply about meaningful retirement planning. It’s not about charts or projections; it’s about imagining the mornings you’ll wake excited, the projects you’ll pour yourself into, and the unexpected moments that remind you you’re still growing. Brad’s little Tallegalla adventure has given us a fresh appreciation for the dreams people carry—some big, some modest, all meaningful. Wherever your own “retire to” vision leads, we’re here to help you nurture it from idea to reality.
And as we watch that once-fragile calf grow steadier each week, we’re reminded that good things take time, intention, and a willingness to show up. That’s true for calves, for dreams, and for every retirement journey worth embracing. Next time you see him ask him about the midnight feeds 😊