189 pages Publisher Anamcara Press LLC | Independent Book Publishers Association Publication date July 29, 2026
ABOUT THE BOOK
A leap from suburbia to farm life reveals love, loss, and resilience through twenty years of animals, harsh winters, and the unforgettable lessons they leave behind.
At Leap of Faith Farm is a tender, clear-eyed memoir about saying yes to the life you’ve always imagined—and discovering what that choice truly asks of you.
When an unexpected job offer opens the door to a lifelong dream, the author and her husband leave behind their suburban Twin Cities careers for a small horse farm in southern Minnesota. What follows is a twenty-year leap into a world of hard winters, unpredictable land, close-knit neighbors, and the daily, often demanding realities of animal care.
Told through interwoven stories and poems, the book chronicles the cats, horses, wildlife, and winged visitors who shape life on the farm. Each animal arrives with its own personality, challenges, and lessons—many of them learned in the barn through veterinary visits, and after long drives for emergency care. With honesty and grace, the author reveals the emotional and physical labor behind the pastoral dream, from joyful beginnings to inevitable, heartbreaking goodbyes.
Rich with vivid descriptions of Minnesota seasons, rural community, and the intimate bond between humans and animals, At Leap of Faith Farm is both an escape from modern chaos and a grounded meditation on responsibility, love, and remembrance. Above all, it is a promise kept: to tell the stories of those who gave so much, and to ensure they are never forgotten.
MY THOUGHTS
A very satisfying read!
The author and her husband spent time looking for just the right farm for her horses so they could escape city life. It took a while but they did it.
A bit of the book tells of their journey acquainting themself with farm life and how hard it was. Brutal weather, repairs, emergency vet visits, many unexpected things came up along the way including several riding accidents.
The majority of the book talks about the many animals they had on the farm; the author is definitely a horse person. Many wonderful stories of her horses and the kind vets who went above and beyond when they had an emergency. A poignant read, it made me tear up more than once. She took excellent care of her animals and deeply felt their deaths.
A great escape read, we get to experience it all through the author’s writing, the Minnesota winters, the many animals, domesticated, farm animals and winged. Life was anything but easy. It was time consuming, but it was worth it.
Told through stories and poetry. I very much enjoyed this memoir for animal lovers.
I was given a complimentary copy of this book.
All opinions expressed are my own.
MEET THE AUTHOR
Cheryl Heide lives with her husband, three cats, and two horses on a farm near Baldwin City, Kansas. Her “Roaming Wind Farm” is named for the journey she has made from the time she left Kansas, through the years she spent living in Virginia, Kentucky, and Minnesota, until she finally returned to her home state. The rhythmic flow and lyrical tone of the short stories and poems she has written about the people and animals in her life reflect the love she also has for music and singing. She has published poetry and prose pieces through Guild Press in Robbinsdale, Minnesota, Chicken Soup for the Soul Publishing, Meadowlark Press, several anthologies, and an article in Equus Magazine.
