Becoming Blended Farms
The beginning of our blended family
When Les and Nicole met in 2015, they each brought two of their own children
into the relationship. With a snap of a finger, their family grew to six with four
growing children to feed while trying to navigate two very different parenting
styles.
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Although the two had different parenting styles, they both had similar goals
nd values. Both wanted the children to grow to be respectful, responsible,
ambitious adults who show compassion and kindness to others. They wanted
them to have morals and values such as good work ethic, honesty, and loyalty.
They found these lessons for the children through sports and promoting
different hobbies, as well as age-appropriate chores. Then, through Les'
passion and dream for starting a farm, the two realized that the farming and
all it encompasses provided lessons of respect, responsibility,
work ethics, along with compassion, kindness, honesty, and loyalty.
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Starting small
The journey to Blended Roots Farm started with humble roots and through
a family project of building raised garden beds for the family to spend the spring through fall months planting, growing, and harvesting their own vegetables. This project enabled Nicole and Les to show the kids the work that is put into growing the produce that nourished them. It also offered an opportunity to process some of the vegetables to show them how canning the produce can ensure they don't need to rely on the grocery stores and could feed their own families one day throughout the winter.
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Adding animals to the mix
Les finally got his wish answered in 2017 when we purchased three pigs. The intent was to learn and raise the pigs for pork for our freezer, but after a few friends and family members heard of our venture, requests to purchase pork from us started rolling in. This resulted in adding chickens to allow us to offer pork and chickens to those looking to buy meat locally. Only having 4-acres to work with, at the time, the desire to expand to beef meant finding more land. Fortunately, the duo were able to rent land to try their hand at raising cattle, and the response from their growing list of customers had the two realizing "we need to buy a farm".
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Transitioning from a "hobby farm" to a 130-acre farming operation
As first generation farmers, this leap was not for the faint of heart. Acquiring the actual farm, necessary equipment, and ensuring the appropriate infrastructure was in place had the dreamer, Les, eagerly jumping into the deep end without hesitation while the more cautious one, Nicole, was back on shore dipping her toe to test the waters. During the first year at the farm in Enterprise, the two accomplished more than most would complete over a 5-year span, while both continuing their full-time careers away from the farm. To say it has been a roller coaster ride is an understatement, but since the transition in August 2021, they have successfully grown their herd of cattle upwards to 40 head, run up to 15 pigs a year, over 200 chickens, and have even added turkeys.
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With plans to grow their beef cattle operation to over 100 while improving other aspects of their farming business, the future is bright for Blended Roots Farm.
