Because No Dream Is Too Small: How Nana & Grumpy Are Changing Lives at Dusty Myles Dream Big Farm

By Voices of the Village Podcast"Where Change Starts With Conversation."

Sometimes the biggest dreams don't begin in boardrooms or classrooms. Sometimes they begin in a pasture, beside a fishing pond, on the back of a hayride, or in the heart of someone who simply chooses to love. That is exactly what is happening every day at Dusty Myles Dream Big Farm, where founders Ashley "Nana" and Daniel "Grumpy" have turned a dream into a life changing mission for at-risk youth throughout Georgia. Their motto says it all:

"Because No Dream Is Too Small."

It isn't just a slogan, it's a promise.

A Dream Born From Compassion

During their appearance on the Voices of the Village Podcast, Ashley shared that the vision for Dream Big Farm began with something many people would overlook. As her own children became teenagers, they continually brought home young people who were carrying emotional wounds, trauma, and difficult life experiences. Instead of pushing those children away, Ashley and Daniel opened their hearts. After speaking with a local group home director, Ashley realized that God had already placed everything she needed in front of her a heart for serving others and a farm where healing could begin.

The first time foster youth visited the farm, everything changed. One young girl asked if she could call Ashley "Mom." Instead, Ashley gently replied that everyone only has one mother, but she could call her "Nana." Daniel soon became known as "Grumpy," and together they became family to countless children searching for love, stability, and hope.

Teaching More Than Farm Life

Dream Big Farm is much more than horses, sheep, donkeys, hayrides, and fishing.

Daniel believes many young men growing up in foster care never have the opportunity to learn responsibility, leadership, and practical life skills.

On the farm, they learn how to:

• Care for livestock

• Build fences

• Fish and hunt

• Grow vegetables

• Work with their hands

• Develop responsibility

• Understand accountability

• Take pride in accomplishing something meaningful

Daniel believes that caring for an animal teaches a young person something much bigger than farming it teaches them what it means to care for another life and prepares them for future responsibilities as husbands, fathers, employees, and leaders.

Love That Changes Lives

Ashley understands trauma because she experienced it herself. Growing up wasn't easy. She credits one person Daniel's mother for showing her unconditional love during one of the hardest seasons of her life. That experience shaped everything she and Daniel now pour into the children who visit Dream Big Farm.

Instead of judging brokenness, they answer it with love. Instead of seeing problems, they see potential. Instead of asking what happened to these children, they ask what they can become. Ashley believes one genuine relationship can completely change the trajectory of a young person's life.

Building Trust One Child at a Time

Children who have experienced abandonment rarely trust easily. Daniel understands that. He knows trust isn't earned in a single afternoon. Sometimes it begins with feeding animals. Sometimes it's fixing a fence together. Sometimes it's spending hours fishing beside a pond. Little by little, walls begin to fall. Eventually, young people who once kept everyone at a distance begin asking, "What are we doing today, Grumpy?" Those simple moments become the foundation for lifelong relationships built on consistency, honesty, and love.

Success Beyond the Farm

One of the most inspiring parts of the Dream Big Farm story is that the relationship doesn't end when a child leaves. Many former youth continue returning to visit Nana and Grumpy years later. Some have jobs.

Some have apartments. Some have become parents themselves. Others simply return because they know the farm is still home. The mission was never just about giving children a fun day outdoors. It has always been about helping them discover purpose, confidence, and a future they may never have believed was possible.

A Community Built on Hope

Dream Big Farm reminds us that changing lives doesn't always require millions of dollars. Sometimes it starts with opening your home. Sometimes it starts with listening. Sometimes it starts with teaching someone how to catch their very first fish. Every child who walks onto the property is reminded that their past does not define their future. Their story is still being written. Their potential still matters. Their dream still has value.

Because No Dream Is Too Small

The Voices of the Village Podcast is proud to spotlight organizations making a genuine difference in our communities, and Dusty Myles Dream Big Farm stands as a powerful example of what happens when faith, compassion, and action come together. Nana and Grumpy aren't simply mentoring youth. They're restoring hope. They're rebuilding confidence. They're creating opportunities. Most importantly, they're proving every single day that no matter where someone begins, greatness is still possible.

Because No Dream Is Too Small.

Watch the full Voices of the Village Podcast interview with Nana & Grumpy of Dusty Myles Dream Big Farm and discover how one family's dream is transforming the lives of at-risk youth one child, one lesson, and one act of love at a time.