In the beginning, it was just me, John and Vivian (just barely a year old). We bought this old house on 30 acres while living in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. We were moving back to our Midwestern roots. Fort Lauderdale was, as Johnny says, ‘‘a sunny place for shady people,’’ and we didn't want to raise babies there. John had just started his own company, 40North, and we were ready to get the hell out of South Florida. So after two years of searching, we found this gem. Knob-and-tube electricity, original wallpaper, and grandma smell. We rewired every wire in the house, painted and scraped, installed functioning heat and air, and put on a shiny metal roof while living in the dining room. We discovered we were pregnant with Mimi the day the movers arrived with our stuff from Liquordale, and Vivian took her first steps on the wrap around porch. It was so meant to be. That's all I can say. It is a lovely place to live, and I think we've chosen a lovely way to live.

At first we were just city slickers with land, but quickly came our first garden, then the chickens, garden expansion, more chickens, even bigger garden, and then the goats and cows. Oh, and somewhere in there, Stella Bea happened. Our family grew, the farm grew. We were learning parenting, and we were learning farming. And the two are totally tied together now.  I can't imagine teaching work ethic to the girls without showing them how laboring in the garden benefits us; and I can't imagine a garden's bounty without little people to feed it to.

And thusly, from a lifetime joy in cooking, then having organic produce and proteins at hand and a wantonness to share, a food company grew. Catering, food products, classes...we are growing. What started out in the very humble kitchen of our farmhouse has now grown into our own building – an old schoolhouse and small event space full of light, fun, and wine-soaked food tastings with friends. A beautiful commercial kitchen with a bank of windows, friends stopping by, and amazing food heading to special events all over Kansas City. It’s all pretty awe-some. 

As is young girl, I learned my love of gardening from my parents. They used to say regarding their newly planted perennial seedlings, ‘‘The first season they sleep, the second season they creep, then, they leap!” With great clients and friends we are fully in LEAP mode and it is exciting every day.

Thank you for stopping by. We are honored to have you.