Tenth Blog Post - From Bare Bones to Warmhearted Dreams: A Couple's Journey Through Self-Employment and the Insulation Industry
Hello, friends! It’s time for our History blog again, and I thought I’d take a break from spray foam tales to share some of the other endeavors Luyk and I have tackled together. Earlier in this series, I mentioned that we’ve always kept a couple of “pots in the fire,” trying side projects that weren’t necessarily intended to be income sources but aimed to use our waking hours wisely for the betterment of our family. One such idea? Raising a few small Highland cows.
It all started innocently enough. We dabbled in square-foot gardening, then raised square-foot gardening, got a few chickens, added the cows, and suddenly found ourselves with a small collection of (some free!) animals—a goat, some turkeys, and even Guinea hens. And to think it all began with a beautiful, long-haired white rabbit I couldn’t resist bringing home from a county fair! What were we thinking?
Initially, this adventure was fueled by having access to some acreage and my mother’s interest in clean, natural, sustainable living. Inspired by the concept of “Be the Change You Want to See in the World,” our idealistic natures kicked in again. We’d been reading about the pitfalls of the food industry and wanted to give our small children the healthiest possible start in life.
But this was also during what’s now called the Great Recession. We were in an expensive home that wasn’t selling easily, working in an industry—construction—that was at the very heart of the recession. Affording high-quality food wasn’t always feasible, so we decided to make it ourselves. Between building our business’s identity and reputation, we poured our energy into producing clean, healthy food. Everything felt exciting and new; we were young, full of energy, and optimistic.
Looking back, I now see the hardship more clearly. I feel for our generation, many of whom were just starting out with young families, and for people of all ages who lost their homes and livelihoods. We saw many friends in trade businesses declare bankruptcy. We fought hard to avoid that ourselves, and while it wasn’t easy, it didn’t kill us—it made us stronger.
As the economy improved and our business grew busier, our hobby farm days wound down. We had side quests along the way—selling worm castings, giant sugar beets and carrots, and eventually some of our grass-fed beef. Who would have guessed that little white rabbit would lead to so much fun? We miss those days, and who knows? We may return to hobby farming someday.
The Moral of the Story
The takeaway from today’s story could be many things: Hope. Perseverance. Idealism. Reality. Ultimately, it’s about using all of the above to keep your focus on the real prize: a good night’s sleep. For us, it’s always been about doing our best and using our time wisely—even if that means pivoting with the economy and embracing a side quest in the game of life.
Your Turn to Share
What is your self-employment or small business story? Have you faced similar challenges? What side quests have you stumbled upon and enjoyed? Share your thoughts in the comments below—I’d love to hear from you!
