We grew up with gardening being a significant part of our lives.  Each of our families grew  gardens and preserved the food picked throughout the season for use during the winter.  This art had been passed down for generations and is continuing as we raise our children.  

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After we got married, we decided that we wanted to garden and raise food for our family.  The second year of our marriage, Austin decided he wanted to start all of our own plants from seeds.  He wanted to do it so he could see life during the later months of winter.  Stephanie went along with the idea and we started growing seeds.  That first year was not a complete disaster but close to it!  We planted 12 inch long pencil seedlings into the ground as soon as we could.  They were wiry and fragile.  Somehow they survived!  The funny part is that we didn't get any tomatoes and peppers until the last week in August or first week in September.  I was headed back to teaching full time as my college degree is in music education and music therapy.  We managed to can our produce that year but took a few years off from starting seeds.  During those years off, we moved to this acreage we could call our own and built a small, makeshift greenhouse.  We wanted to try to grow seedlings again, so we did!

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During those next few years, we would start seeds and always have extras (who starts only the number you want to plant?).  With our extra plants, we offered them to friends and family.  One dear friend asked us one time when she came to pick up plants how much she owed us.  We were just giving away the plants at the time.  She said that we shouldn't and should seriously consider selling them.  Time went on and we were blessed with the opportunity to purchase a used greenhouse that had been torn down.  We jumped on that idea and began to build it on our property, slowly and surely.

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Fast forward about 5 years, and we have built Sonshine Farms.  We currently have 1 greenhouse (with dreams of more as we are running out of room), several garden plots, rented land, and an amazing customer base that we serve during each season.

 

We have also added a lot of diversity over the years.  We currently have 2 flocks of laying hens for farm fresh eggs and raise 2 groups of broiler chickens for meat each year.  We also raise 1 group of turkeys that are ready each year the end of October or beginning of November.  In the last year, we have added honey bees.  We currently have 5 hives that provide us with honey and other products.

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While we own and operate Sonshine Farms, we also homeschool our 4 amazing blessings from God with our oldest graduating this year, volunteer with a couple of different organizations, and spend time with friends and family.  Austin still works outside of the home at a local school district.