Little Way Farm and Homestead
Happy Saturday Everyone! We have a treat for you today with a testimony written by our new friend Matthew Winters. Matthew runs Little Way Farm and Homestead with his wife and three littles in Indiana. We hope you enjoy his story, find inspiration, and maybe learn a thing or two as well!
The Beginning
It didn’t take long for us to realize that farming is much more than a profession. Farming is a way of life that aligns our bodily needs with productive labor in a manner that directs the farmer’s mind towards heaven. Sweltering hours amidst blistering conditions (both hot and cold, sun and snow), have humbled us and yet still we are passionate for the continued growth of our farm and homestead. My name is Mathew and along with my wife, Carissa, and our three children, Mary (6), Ambrose (4), and Gemma (1), we own and operate Little Way Farm and Homestead in Southeastern, Indiana.
Our journey to the countryside began several years back. As best as we can recall, the impetus of our adventure started with Carissa’s deepening interest in fertility and women’s health. A quick review of this subject led to our stark awareness of the nutritional emptiness in the food we were eating - basically that most conventionally grown foods are devoid of nutrition.
Throughout the following years, we developed a longing for something different… what we now call, “Homesteading.” We diligently strived to pay off acquired debts and position ourselves to purchase land, should the opportunity arise. We downgraded vehicles, moved multiple times, worked extra hours, and generally strategized living an inexpensive lifestyle to have the financial means available to someday purchase property. It was during this time that our interest in homesteading was reinforced as we visited the homes of families who were already well-established in their homesteading practices. I still clearly remember those first days of learning how to butcher chickens, how grass-finished beef smells when it touches a sizzling grill, and the first taste of an heirloom tomato.
Finding Our Property
Nearly eight years from the date of our marriage, Carissa and I (along with our three children) moved to our new property, Little Way Farm and Homestead. We purchased a little over 26 acres with a modest creek-rock sided home within an unincorporated region of Switzerland County (Indiana). The farm was setup with perimeter fencing to maintain beef cattle but otherwise was untamed. The house was in need of attention, including some necessary things like a heating source for the winter. We dove into the work, some of which continues today as we further establish both the farm and the homestead.
The following year we invested some savings to rapidly expand the farm-business. We began with pasture-raised meat (beef and chicken) and three 4,000 square foot gardens. We sought to develop a brand of farming that invited customers into a deeper understanding of the importance of food production, and the inputs involved in generating superior quality meat that supports human health in an ecological way. We began to build not only a family-farm, but a place of inspiration for others to begin homesteading.
We also considered, “Market Gardening,” and dedicated one of the gardens to accomplish this enterprise. This space quickly became our experimental garden as we recognized what aspects of farming we found enjoyable and potentially able to support our family. But our market gardening experiments did not accomplish those outcomes for our agricultural business. Specialty crops, however, have found their way into our farming business. Specifically, we are rapidly expanding our garlic production and believe we have settled on a few other crops that we will test in the coming years. The revenue for our farm is projected to surpass my full-time work within the next 2 – 3 years. This reality is very encouraging as it will likely open up the opportunity for others to join us in working at the farm.
Lessons Learned
Soon after starting, we learned several important lessons as we continued to build out the farm’s production. First, farming can be profitable. There are many ways to make a significant income in farming, but they each hinge on the ability to develop relationships. In our first year, we sold pasture-raised chicken, grass-finished beef and heirloom produce direct-to-consumer. We also developed a wholesale relationship that allowed us to sell large amounts of produce at a time. We have recognized that some enterprises can be more profitable than others. Yet, in a small-scale family farming business, the diversity of enterprises can be beneficial and support one another.
People often ask us where we find customers. In the beginning, we let family, friends, and acquaintances know that we were soon going to offer pasture-raised chicken and beef. We aimed to have pre-orders for chicken and encouraged people to purchase multiple or bulk orders of meat with cost-reduced bundle pricing. We also ensured that our farm was presentable, orderly, and well-managed so that it could show our commitment to product excellency. We routinely invite people to visit the farm and see how the animals are raised. This past Autumn we hosted an on-farm community event and later in the year we hosted a “Back to Land Conference.” These events encourage some people to consider their own homestead/farming aspirations, while developing good customer relations as well.
Some difficult lessons we have experienced have come through an adversity to our farming practices. Living in an agricultural community means there are ways of farming which are established and communally accepted. But our agricultural practices are not yet understood by others. However, our farming practices encourage family involvement, provide ecological development, and support productive land use for generations to come. So regardless of adversity, we move forward with confidence and love.
Working Together
Beyond the revenue implications or the growth of a family business, one of the most important aspects of this agrarian lifestyle is the opportunity to invite children into the labor. Our children are aged six and under and yet each of them, from the youngest to the oldest, participates in the farm and homestead life. Certainly, some are more “productive” than others, but each of them participates. Some of my happiest moments over this past year occurred when seeing my children run across the farm, “working,” and generally being with us as we strive to build a homestead with a family-farming business that ultimately supports our family’s love of God.
Farming can be a profession that is rewarding, productive, and generally profitable. It can serve as a means of providing for oneself and family, while strengthening our relationships with God. The direction of man to rule over the land (Genesis 1:26) affords an opportunity to consider the way such stewardship can be accomplished. Farming, as a revenue-driven enterprise, is not an excuse to sidestep this responsibility, but an opportunity to engage proper land management and animal welfare, while providing an honest living that brings oneself and one’s family closer to God and each other.
God Bless,
Matthew Winters
Little Way Farm and Homestead
hello@littlewayhomestead.com
www.littlewayhomestead.com
