In the quiet countryside of Ball Ground, Georgia—where winding roads give way to lush pastures and time seems to slow—there’s a place where healing happens not in hospital rooms, but in the simple, tender moments shared with animals and the earth.
It’s called Restoration Farms, and for founder Danielle Tucker, it is more than a nonprofit. It is a living tribute to love, loss, and the resilience of the human spirit.
Danielle created Restoration Farms after losing her husband, Jason, to advanced prostate cancer—a disease that strikes one in eight men, and often goes undetected until it’s too late. Jason was only in his forties when he received his diagnosis. The couple found solace during his final years in an unexpected place: among the animals on their farm, especially the horses. That connection, Danielle says, was a turning point.
“There was something about being in nature with the animals,” she reflects. “It grounded us. It brought Jason peace. And it gave us time—good time—to just be in the moment.”
That experience became the seed for something much bigger. Today, Restoration Farms is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit offering comfort, connection, and holistic care for families affected by cancer and other life-altering stressors. Through equine therapy, peaceful retreats, and even cow cuddling sessions, the farm has become a place where healing grows as naturally as the wildflowers that dot its pastures.
The name, Danielle shares, came to her and Jason during a walk together shortly after his diagnosis. They spoke of “restoration”—not only of the body, but of the heart, the soul, and the peace that illness so often robs. That vision carried her through Jason’s illness, and later, through the grief that followed.
After his passing, Danielle made the choice to continue building what they started. She found the perfect property—a parcel of land that radiated peace the moment she stepped on it—and began developing programs to support other families on difficult journeys.
“Grief, cancer, trauma—they’re all isolating,” Danielle explains. “Restoration Farms is about saying: you’re not alone, and you don’t have to carry this weight by yourself.”
Restoration Farms offers a range of services that bring comfort in both practical and soulful ways. At its core is the farm visit experience: families who are navigating cancer are invited for private, personalized visits. These include an initial intake call to ensure any medical sensitivities (such as reactions to heat or chemotherapy side effects) are considered. Visitors are then guided through a gentle, engaging tour of Danielle’s farm and neighboring properties.
On these visits, children laugh as they brush mini horses. Adults breathe deeply beside friendly cows. And everyone receives care packages that might include fresh produce, handmade gifts, or simple necessities.
The crown jewel of the experience is the farm’s “cow cuddling” program, run as a separate LLC to ensure 100% of nonprofit donations go directly to families in need. During this hour-long experience, guests connect with Buttercup and Ginger—two gentle bovines known for their calm demeanor and healing energy. Visitors sit, lie, or snuggle against them during the cows’ natural rest time, sometimes finding emotional release they didn’t know they needed.
“It sounds whimsical,” Danielle admits with a smile, “but it’s incredibly grounding. We’ve had grown men and women cry into those cows’ shoulders. The stillness, the warmth—it softens people in the best way.”
Other offerings include horseback rides, visits with a mini donkey, and time spent in the large horse pasture, where guests hear the stories of horses like Starry Night and Sparky, each with their own narrative of rescue and recovery. And in the near future, Danielle hopes to offer an on-site Airbnb for overnight stays, allowing families the time to fully immerse in the peace of the property.
While the farm is Danielle’s daily ministry, she hasn’t forgotten the urgency that sparked it all: awareness of advanced prostate cancer and the importance of PSA (Prostate-Specific Antigen) testing. In Jason’s case, the disease was already advanced by the time they caught it.
She now uses her platform not just for healing, but foreducation. Restoration Farms partners with local health organizations to encourage early screening, particularly for men in their 40s—a demographic often overlooked in traditional prostate cancer screening recommendations.
Beyond the barn doors and cow pastures, Restoration Farms is becoming a hub for families facing shared struggles. Danielle’s long-term vision includes connecting these families—those living through or recovering from cancer—for mutual support, storytelling, and healing.
“We’re not just offering a break from the stress,” she says. “We’re trying to create a network, a kind of emotional safety net, where people feel known and held.”
The farm's services, including yard work and housecleaning provided through local volunteers and sponsors, round out its holistic approach. It’s all part of what Danielle calls “whole family care”—tending not just to the person with cancer, but to the people who love them.
In a world of clinical settings and constant appointments, Restoration Farms stands as a rare offering: a place where families can simply breathe, surrounded by beauty, love, and animals that don’t need words to offer comfort.
Danielle Tucker @dtuck5_restorationfarms
Owner and believer in restoring health and well being through God's creations, Danielle Tucker opens her heart and homestead to those most in need of restoration. Come join her family to take a break from doctors visit, office work and the busyness of life. The Tucker family provides experiences of healing and peace for all those seeking a multi-faceted approach to restorative health and wellbeing.
“We’re not just offering a break from the stress. We’re trying to create a network, a kind of emotional safety net, where people feel known and held.”