If you’ve been wondering why we’ve been a little quieter than usual this spring, we wanted to share a little update.
This growing season got off to a later start than we had hoped. We spent the first part of spring packing up and selling the home we’d lived in for the last 15 years. It was a bittersweet milestone, but one made with purpose.
We’ve now moved in with my mom to help care for her as she navigates Alzheimer’s disease. Family comes first, and while it has meant a slower start at the farm this year, we wouldn’t have it any other way.
One thing you may not realize is that we don’t actually live on the farm. Find Trails Farm is in Columbus, Indiana, while we currently live about an hour north. Last year, whenever we stayed overnight, we had a tiny camper to sleep in. Unfortunately, over the winter, mice found their way into the ventilation system, making it less than ideal for anyone who enjoys breathing clean air!
That finally pushed us to invest in a pre-built tiny home, which is now in place at the farm and has become our home base whenever we’re working there. With each drive, each seed planted, each harvest and each project completed, we’re getting a little closer to the future we envision for Find Trails Farm. We’re excited to keep sharing that journey with all of you.
Even with the delayed start, the farm is beginning to come alive.
Last fall, I planted garlic, and we’ve already harvested more than 160 beautiful garlic bulbs. They’re currently curing in our air-conditioned garage and will soon be ready for sale. We also have several hundred onions that are almost ready to harvest.
And… the first pickling cucumbers are ready!
Growing throughout the gardens are:
- Cucumbers (perfect for pickling)
- Onions
- Potatoes
- Radishes
- Beets
- Tomatoes
- Hot peppers
- Okra
- Pumpkins
- Gourds
- Watermelon
- Honeydew
- Cantaloupe
- Beans
- Carrots
- Flowers
Every one of these crops is grown without herbicides or pesticides. Instead of relying on chemicals, we’ve been letting nature lend a hand.
One of the greatest rewards has been watching the farm come alive with wildlife. Hundreds of birds now call the property home, and they’re doing an incredible job helping keep insect populations in check. Healthy ecosystems really do work together, and every season we see more evidence that biodiversity is one of the best farming partners we could ask for.
Looking Ahead
While this year’s gardens are keeping us busy, we’re also making exciting progress on the next chapter of Find Trails Farm.
Cool Cottages in Anderson is building a custom tiny home that will become our very first short-term rental. Once it’s delivered and installed, guests will have the opportunity to experience Find Trails Farm for themselves – a peaceful waterfront retreat where they can unplug from the busyness of everyday life, wake up to birdsong instead of traffic, explore the trails, enjoy the beauty of nature, and simply slow down.
Now that the ground has finally begun to dry out, we’re able to move forward with the infrastructure we’ve been waiting on. Over the coming weeks, we’ll be building the driveway, drilling the well, installing the septic system, and completing the electrical service. These are the behind-the-scenes projects that aren’t always exciting to watch, but they’re essential to bringing our long-term vision to life.
This has always been about more than growing vegetables. Our dream is to create a place where people can reconnect—with nature, with the land, with loved ones, and with themselves.
Thank you to everyone who has supported us, encouraged us, purchased our produce, shared our posts, and believed in this dream. Building a farm is a marathon, not a sprint. The timeline hasn’t always gone according to plan, but every challenge has made us stronger, and every milestone brings us one step closer to creating something truly special that we hope families will enjoy for years to come.
We can’t wait to share this harvest season—and the exciting months ahead—with all of you.
