I never thought a garden could teach me so much about myself. But here I am—stronger, braver, and more confident than ever, all thanks to the lessons it’s planted in my life. Not too long ago, I was a timid, insecure woman who would back away at the first sign of resistance. But these days?Continue reading “Along the way”
Category Archives: new farmers
The Motivated Spouse
My husband is my soulmate, my best friend, and my safe space. A few years ago, I added “business partner” to that list. Everything seemed to change when our son moved out and we moved back home to Iowa. Looking back, I realize we were just trying to figure out who we were again. WeContinue reading “The Motivated Spouse”
Girl On Fire
Your girl is on fire but she is starting to get a little burnt…My body is telling me to slow down. My mind is in autopilot and I am forgetting things that I should be remembering. Waking up at 4AM and going to bed at midnight is catching up to me. The stress of ourContinue reading “Girl On Fire”
Boxes
I have never been one to do well in confined spaces. I have also been the individual that stands out and not necessarily for all the great reasons. I have learned to speak up when things are not right or when I have something valuable to add to the conversation. I have also learned toContinue reading “Boxes”
The Farmhands Tale..
Six… is the number of alarms I have set in the morning. I get up every weekday morning by 4:30 but my goal is 3… let’s just say that is why I have six alarms. The morning hours are my time. Time that allows me to reset my mental space and charge my inner “YouContinue reading “The Farmhands Tale..”
Side Hustle
I can’t honestly remember a time since my husband and I have been together where he didn’t start a little side hustle. Shortly after we first met he had started his record label Squadron Records ( he is totally going to get me for that one). He started that side hustle in college. I alsoContinue reading “Side Hustle”
24/7
My husband Ryan and I met in college and have been together since 2000. We were pretty much kids when we started our little family. There was a time where Ryan and I rotated shifts so we could take care of our son while working full time jobs to put food on the table. WeContinue reading “24/7”
The Farmers Market
You can learn a lot from a farmer’s market… and I mean a lot. We are starting our fourth season of market this year. We still have so much to learn but have picked up a few things along the way I would like to share with you. You can meet some pretty amazing peopleContinue reading “The Farmers Market”
The Vegetable Farmer
Just a small town girl with nothing to lose and everything to gain. That was my mindset as I entered early adulthood. That mindset got me to where I am at today. I remember feeling stuck and scared that I was going to be put in a box. A box that capped my highest potentialContinue reading “The Vegetable Farmer”
Gravel Roads
There is a lot you can learn from gravel roads… I mean a lot..Did you know that roughly 60% of Iowa’s public roads are gravel? How often do you hear someone say they don’t take gravel? Think about that for a minute. That means that they have a 60% chance of missing out on someContinue reading “Gravel Roads”
From Scratch
Here is what I know.. Life at times can be extremely challenging, the easy way is not always the best way, money doesn’t buy happiness, and for me ambition to climb a corporate ladder means spending more time away from family. Ironically enough defeating the entire purpose of the goal of providing a better lifeContinue reading “From Scratch”
Silent Rooms
I want to share with you a moment from our journey—a storm we had to weather on the way to building the life we dreamed of here in Iowa. After selling our home in Colorado, we thought we’d found the perfect farm—a sprawling agricultural property with a pond near Waterloo. It felt like destiny. ButContinue reading “Silent Rooms”
The GOAT..🐐
The GOAT has a couple of different meanings to me these days.. Some refer to the GOAT as the greatest of all time. You ask me it means got out again today… Let me share with you a childhood memory that I carry with me that will shed a little more light on what experiencesContinue reading “The GOAT..🐐”
Trust In Turnips
We have a market garden we started here on our farm. One of the early goals was to start to build a presence in the community and get folks excited about what we are doing at the farm. What better way than to grow vegetables and participate at the local farmers markets right?! When IContinue reading “Trust In Turnips”
The Strength Behind Us
Sometimes looking back is exactly what you need to find the strength to move forward. To say we’ve poured countless hours into this garden plot would be an understatement. It’s more than a piece of land to us—it’s a place filled with blood, sweat, and tears. And if I’m being honest, it’s the very groundContinue reading “The Strength Behind Us”
Building A Dream.. One Garden Bed At A Time
The very first thing we did on this farm to build an income was create a market garden. I thought to myself that’s easy enough just plant a seed and it grows. Boy was I wrong! We both work full-time jobs during the day. What I didn’t realize was the minute we decided to purchaseContinue reading “Building A Dream.. One Garden Bed At A Time”
We Bought An Extreme Home Makeover House
If I am being honest… this house was not our first choice, it wasn’t really our second. We had moved around the country a bit for our careers. Then of course 2020 hit us like a ton of bricks. My job turned virtual and Ryan already had the ability to work anywhere in the country.Continue reading “We Bought An Extreme Home Makeover House”
The Fence That Fuels Our Fire
Sometimes, the projects that seem the most pointless can leave the deepest mark on your heart. When Ryan suggested putting up a decorative fence around our bee hives, I couldn’t wrap my head around it. A fence? Around bees? It wasn’t going to keep them in, and it just felt like one of those projectsContinue reading “The Fence That Fuels Our Fire”
Team Work Makes The Dream Work!
Let the record show… I was 100% against the capturing of this bee swarm.. I may not have showed it on camera that day but inside I was screaming HELP ME!! Ryan started his bee journey when we lived in CO and it was an instant hobby for him. He actually brought his hives withContinue reading “Team Work Makes The Dream Work!”
Moral Of The Story 