OUR STORY
FIRST GENERATION FARMERS
All along, Jake and I knew we wanted to live out in the country on a few acres of land. We had been looking for a home with property for the first 6 years of our marriage. Little did we know what God had in store for us. In July 2020, we took the leap and sold our beautiful Victorian home in town. We didn't know where we were going to live, but we knew it was time. We moved into a tiny little rental home with our two big dogs and two little kids. A few months passed and a friend of ours mentioned that his cousin was looking into buying some property to farm and he needed someone to commit to buying the house. On a whim, we went to check it out. We fell IN LOVE! We knew this was it. It was a beautiful old Victorian farmhouse with woods, pastures, and a creek running through. A handshake, a subdivision, and sometime later, it was ours. We jumped into remodels and moved our family in. We went from owning less than an acre in town to 40 acres of farmland and woods. Now what?!
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We started our farm with a small vegetable garden and hatched our own chicks. We enjoyed the property and settled in. Our family grew when we welcomed our youngest baby. That spring we got our first group of piglets and raised them on pasture. We later started raising beef as well.
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In 2023, we decided to go all in and turn our 1 acre corn/bean field into a cut flower production field. Jake's dream is to utilize our land in a way that brings beauty to the land. Marlena's dream is for our property to be a place where people can come and be immersed in farm life and fall in love with nature. God has blessed us with this land and we want to use it to bless others.
COMMITTED TO QUALITY PRODUCT AND SUSTAINABILITY
Here at Willow Fork, we try to raise the best product possible while also utilizing ecofriendly and sustainable practices. Our animals are raised on pasture and allowed to forage. It is important to us that they are exposed to sunlight and have space to roam. They are supplemented with non-gmo feed that is purchased from a local feed mill. They do not receive routine antibiotic treatment or added hormones. They do receive lots of attention and table scraps as treats.
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Our flower field utilizes drip irrigation as needed. This allows us to deliver water to exactly where it is needed which cuts back on water waste. We release beneficial insects multiple times per season to help with pest management. We also interplant beneficial plants and hand pick pests off of our crops. We rarely need to use pesticides due to these preventative practices. If we do use pesticides, we stick with all organic approved options. We use landscaping fabric to help with weed prevention. We also use low tunnels(and will soon be getting a high tunnel) to help with season extension.
Our farm offers many products and opportunities to visit. We sell beef and pork by the half or whole, eggs, bouquets, special event flowers, and DIY buckets. We also host many events including You Pick Flower events, private parties, festivals, Little Farmer children workshops, Date Nights, and more. Numerous photographers also use our farm as a backdrop to enhance their photos.