Our People: Nurse loves farm life

Jacqueline Ambrus grew up with her father in the suburbs of Illinois. Her mother passed away when she was young. She is the second-eldest of four. She attended Christian school up until the eighth grade before entering a public school.

She is the military spouse of John Ambrus and the couple have three children. The family moved to Clovis five years ago.

Ambrus is a registered nurse at Plains Regional Medical Center. Upon moving to New Mexico, she fell in love with farm life. She visited dairy farms but decided that jersey cow milk was too much to maintain. She bought her first goat in Tatum and grew her farm from there.

Ambrus has always had a love for animals and had a variety of them growing up with her dad. Ambrus founded the small family farm named Tanngrisnir Nubians in 2013 where she sells farm products, raises goats, rabbits, chickens and more. Ambrus plans a "Meet the Goats" family event in December.

How did you and your family get involved in the farming lifestyle?

I was looking into becoming more food independent with my food choices. I started hearing about different feed additives and decided I didn't want any of that. I wanted to grow and raise as much as I could. We make different types of food. We make soaps. We raise rabbits for meat. We have chickens for their eggs and meat.

What's your favorite taste?

Cantonese Chinese food and Chicago style foods.

What's your favorite smell?

Vanilla.

What are your three words to describe eastern New Mexico?

Friendly, peaceful and windy.

What's your idea of a perfect day?

Spending it with my family. As a military spouse you don't always get to see your family, when you're away from a family member for an extended time and get to see them that's my perfect day.

Tell us a story about your childhood.

My favorite animal or pet was my toad named Hogan and I put poor Hogan through so much. I made clothes for him and I'd carry him around in Lego planes. I feel bad now about what I put him through. I think I had him for about two years. We have a toad now named stumpy. He became our pet after losing his legs when I accidentally ran over him with the lawn mower.

Tell us how you met your spouse.

We met in high school. Both of our schools did a combined drivers education program in the summer and that was the first time we met and then we met again later and started dating.

Where in the world would you like to travel to and why?

I've always been enchanted with Australia. It's so diverse. It's a desert and a paradise. It seems like the last wild country. I'd like to go there.

When you were a kid, what did you think you'd be doing as an adult?

I thought I was going to be a veterinarian. But I think any livestock owner is like a vet anyway. I do all my vaccines, draw blood and more. I get to do all these things. I'm just not licensed. My nursing experience helps a lot.

What do you envision your life being like in 10 years?

My husband will be out of the military by then. I would like to eventually open a goat dairy.

— Compiled by CMI Correspondent D'Nieka Hartsfield