Today we’d like to introduce you to Stefani Adams.
Hi Stefani, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
Our story probably started long before we even bought our farm. It started when we lived in a suburban neighborhood in Minnesota on a .38-acre lot. Scott and I both have always had an appreciation for nature though neither of us grew up farming. All of the knowledge that we have gained has been gained through watching videos, reading books, talking to people who are willing to share their knowledge, first-hand experiences, and far more failures than successes.
In that .38-acre suburban lot, I planted my first sizeable garden and fell in love with the process of growing things. It wasn’t long before we decided that we needed chickens. Scott built a coop from scratch, I applied for a permit from the city and I think that was when we got hooked. For several years we had talked about buying a house on land but that was when we began to talk about things like what animals we wanted, how much space we would need, and where we would want to be located.
We wanted a place where we could teach our kids where food comes from and where we could take more control over the quality of the food that we ate. It took a while to find this property and we had to change our requirements quite a few times. We viewed and put a bid in on our new neighbor’s house but on the way to that tour, we stopped in front of this farm and looked at it from the road. It was a really beautiful property but well out of our price range at the time. I often call it kismet and laugh about it now. We wasted no time getting established once the farm was ours. I bought our first sheep before we had even moved in.
We moved our eighteen chickens into the vehicles with us. I do not recommend that. Almost immediately I knew that I wanted this to be more than just raising some food for our family. The property was beautiful with a rich history and I wanted to share it with people. As time passed we became more passionate about sustainable local food chains, getting in touch with nature while encouraging others to do the same and promoting connections within our community. It’s part of the reason why I began doing bake sales.
While I love baking, I love meeting and talking with people more and the bake sales give people an opportunity to visit, see the farm, and learn a bit about what we do here. That’s also part of why I love to share on the Facebook page. It gives people insight into what we do. The daily ongoings and the ups and downs. What we are passionate about and why. The community has not only been excited to share in this with us but also more welcoming and supportive than we ever anticipated. Last year was the first year that we offered pasture-raised lamb and chicken and we sold out of both with requests for more in the future.
This year we plan to offer tours and within the next few years hope to renovate one of the buildings into an Airbnb and create a small event venue. Our day-to-day goals change often as we learn and gain experience but our main goals will always be growing good food sustainably and humanely while educating people and continuing to cultivate connections within this community.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
There have been obstacles on this journey since the very beginning. Buying a house during the pandemic was not easy. I believe we put bids on at least half a dozen houses and losing everyone was incredibly discouraging. We started this at a bit of a disadvantage due to the simple fact that we had no real experience with livestock or farming. We’ve lost animals both to mistakes and things out of our control. We’ve built, torn apart, and rebuilt chicken runs, coops, shelters, and fences.
The road to this point has been anything but smooth. While it can be difficult at the moment, we have learned to try to look at each mistake as an opportunity to learn and grow. It’s why we chose the name Sisu. It’s the Finnish concept of stoic determination, grit, and the ability to overcome extreme adversity. The way we see it, there are only two options. You can stop where you are, or you can change the way you do things and try again. And again. And again. Sisu.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
Our specialty is Icelandic sheep. Though we are still relatively new shepherds we discovered Icelandic sheep a year or two before we began searching for a farm and we have loved them ever since. They are a unique breed seldom seen in this area and they are beautiful to look at so they garner a lot of attention. I believe part of what sets us apart is our commitment both to raising these sheep in a sustainable way that positively impacts the environment around us and keeping animal “by-products” out of the waste stream.
These sheep create no waste on our farm. We use their wool as mulch, weed block, or compost along with their manure. Their meat is incredible and highly sought after by chefs. Their hides get tanned using eco-friendly methods. The skulls are preserved with the same consideration. We rotate the sheep every day and graze intensively which means they are not only not overgrazing, but leaving the pasture healthier than it was before while needing less input themselves. It is all something that we are incredibly proud of.
What do you think about luck?
I think that preparation and hard work can get you far but if there is anything that I’ve learned in life it’s that you cannot control absolutely everything. There will always be some factor out of your control and that’s where luck comes in. Good luck and bad luck both have played a role in this journey. More good than bad, I like to think. There are times when there seems to be a string of bad luck.
It’s frustrating and those are the times when we question what we’re doing and why. Then there are the times when everything is right and peaceful. In those times I try to take a moment to appreciate the peace and send a quiet note of thanks to whatever higher power is above. Luck. Fate. Sometimes even Mother Nature herself.
Contact Info:
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SisuFarmandOrchard?mibextid=ZbWKwL
- Website: https://sisu-farm-and-orchard.myshopify.com/?_ab=0&_fd=0&_sc=1
