All you need is just a little patience..

I’ve never been one to like waiting - patience has never come easy for me. At work, I was always known as the one who could “Get sh** done”. In life, I always seem to take on too much but still somehow manage to check off everything on my to do list (which is possible because I have an amazing partner in life. I love you honey! ox).

Following my mini-breakdown in the plane after watching “The Biggest Little Farm” movie (check out my bio for more details) - I knew I wanted a change in career and life, and I knew it would involve a farm. I had no idea what that change fully looked like or how I would get there, but I committed to myself that I was going to do everything that I could to make that change happen, no matter how long it took.

I began doing research and I stumbled upon this picture on the internet, and I decided that, when we had our farm, we would grow eggs and sell them in this way (hey - it worked for farmers in the movie, right?).

So when I learned that it takes minimum 18 weeks for baby hens to start laying - I knew that I would have to change my ways. When we got the chicks in April, it was easy - the cuteness and newness of it all masked the fact that I was up early every morning, that I was tied to being at the ranch every morning and night to let them in and out, that 1 day every 2 weeks was being allocated to moving them into fresh pasture and that our bank accounts where being depleted buying their food - with no ROI!! (Expect of course for their love and attention, which I am grateful for and do not take for granted).

By mid-June, the business side of my brain started kicking in and questioning things - how could we be investing so much effort, time and money with no return? How long do we have to wait? Although the bulk of our motivation for building the ranch stems from providing our community with good food grown as close as possible to the way that nature intended……this waiting without any ROI started feeling a bit ridiculous. But I kept telling myself: chill out Megan - patience and persistence.

Then mid-August hit. I don’t know if it was the fact that I got fed up and just placed an order for egg cartons in preparation for their laying (yes, a presumptuous move but it worked!!!), or maybe it was because it was my birthday, but our baby hens are grew up and have now started contributing to the farm.

It took 4 years for us to get here (and 18 weeks for the hens), but we made it, and it feels incredible!

Since the kids were born and especially throughout the past 3 years that we home schooled, 2 values that we have tried to impart on our children are 1) independence and 2) contribution. As parents, we aspire to raise our kids to be healthy, happy, contributing adults, and I think it’s natural for us to always question ourselves, our decisions and our actions when it comes to raising our children - is what we are doing now going to serve them well in the future? These doubts and questions were especially prevalent for me during these past homeschooling years, where we took full responsibility for their education.

Yesterday I was treated to a birthday lunch at a local diner, made by my son, who has been working their all summer long. While we were waiting for our food, his supervisor approached me and complimented on how he is a hard worker, fast learner and responsible young man. I don’t have to wait to know anymore. Best birthday present a mom could get.

So for all of you aspiring entrepreneurs, farmers and parents, here is a little proof that if you put in the effort, time and love, good things do to come to those who wait.