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Hen House Blog
Thoughts on life and the creative process from a Mother Hen
Welcome Readers!
My name is Dusty Santos. I founded Home Free Hen. I make wooden decor inspired by rustic charm and homesteading.
Here I share how I make my products and juggle 4 kids. Thanks for joining me in my journey!



From City Hall to Cow Pastures: The Unlikely Journey of FAFO Farms TX
In the rolling hills of central Texas, where the air smells of fresh earth and wildflowers, a small but mighty operation is quietly revolutionizing how we think about food, health, and self-reliance. FAFO Farms TX isn't just a farm—it's a testament to grit, faith, and...

Dusty Santos
Nov 23, 20255 min read


The Rise of the Donut Ninja: A Mom's Journey from Night Shifts to Sourdough Mastery
In the quiet hours when most of the world is asleep, kitchens come alive with the hum of mixers and the scent of rising dough. That's where you'll find Krista Tracy—better known to her online tribe as @_donutninja

Dusty Santos
Nov 12, 20253 min read


The Engagement Problem
After all my blogging, and making, and sharing, I was getting almost zero engagement. Out of almost 600 followers, my post were getting seen by 8 to 30 people...

Dusty Santos
Nov 8, 20253 min read


Meet Peggi Bosquez: The Small-Town Farmer Who’s 100% Real, 100% MAGA, and 100% Unfiltered
In a world of curated feeds and polished personas, Peggi Bosquez (@PeggiBosquez on X) stands out like a heritage hog in a factory pen—raw, rooted, and refreshingly real.

Dusty Santos
Nov 5, 20253 min read


Explore the Joy of Modern Homesteading
I’ve always been fascinated by the idea of living closer to the land. There’s something magical about growing your own food, raising...

Dusty Santos
Sep 30, 20253 min read


Healing and Moving on
Last post I stated that I "Hit a groove", boy oh boy did that come to a jarring stop...

Dusty Santos
Sep 25, 20252 min read


A new day - A new Product
If I could get personal for a sec. When making a new side to my tray (to add the new magnets) I need to use the table router to add a grove that the bottom of the tray and magnets fits into. The bit in place was not what I wanted...

Dusty Santos
Sep 6, 20253 min read


NEW BURLAP PACKAGING AND NEW POP-UP LOCATION
Social media boom! New package for Fire Starters, and new location for a Pop-Up!

Dusty Santos
Sep 2, 20253 min read


BIRTHDAY AND FIRESTARTERS
Fire Starters added to the products and It's my birthday!

Dusty Santos
Aug 23, 20253 min read


The Summer Squeeze
End if Summer and lots to do...

Dusty Santos
Aug 17, 20253 min read


Welcome! Let's catch you up...
Welcome new visitors!

Dusty Santos
Aug 8, 20252 min read


Lowell Folk FestIval
Lowell Folk Fest was amazing. Met a bunch of people and made some surprising sales. Surprising because I wasn't planning to have a particular product at the festival...

Dusty Santos
Jul 28, 20254 min read


Jewelry Holder - One Day Build
My one day build started with a trip to the storage unit. I didn't know what I was check off this list but I was determined to finish something.
I riffled through my scraps and put a plan together. I built display stands in the past and knew it would be easy to do...

Dusty Santos
Jul 18, 20252 min read


Let's take Inventory + Soap Holder WIP
After these cuts, I lined the curve up, and glued it together. I did this twice, once for the top of the curve and twice for the bottom.
After all this was done, I was so excited to try out my new form! I cut more wood and put it all together.
Just to feel disappointment. It didn't match up!
As I saw the unit, my brain broke.
Staring at this unit I realized a few things...

Dusty Santos
Jul 17, 20253 min read


Collection of things - to a Home
Some of you may remember that I've been waiting for a storage unit to open. It took over a month but it finally did. I walked in, so excited that all my stuff would be a stones through away.
As I saw the unit, my brain broke.
Staring at this unit I realized a few things...

Dusty Santos
Jul 14, 20253 min read


The Big Dream
Lately I've shifted my mindset. What if I were to create a pathway to my dream business. What would that look like? What would I need to do?

Dusty Santos
Jul 1, 20253 min read


One thing leads to another
These thoughts crossed my mind at the Church yard sale when my event table neighbor offered an opportunity. I could sell her jewelry...

Dusty Santos
Jun 25, 20253 min read


The church on the corner
Mistakes were made. The biggest having to do with my custom order form...

Dusty Santos
Jun 22, 20254 min read


Just rolling with it... (Part 2)
This small shed (which the locals generously called a barn) had a bee in it. No big deal, I'll just mind my own business. I'm still very new on the farm and I didn't want to snoop.
As I kept entering I noticed that the sound of buzzing was quite strong...

Dusty Santos
Jun 13, 20254 min read


Just rolling with it...
One day I was scrolling on Instagram. It was a busy day so I only saw maybe 5 quick post. Among those post was a call for volunteers for a farm..

Dusty Santos
Jun 12, 20253 min read
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