I’m Megan! Thank you for visiting my little space where all things homesteading, sourdough, and cut flowers are coming to life. Follow along to watch our homesteading journey unfold as we enter our second year of farming!
I am 27 years old, married to Ian, mama to two littles- Theo (2.5) + Eleanor (1). I love to: bake sourdough, sew, garden, thrift, and take photos! We’ve been homesteading since 2021, after we moved out to a beautiful 20 acre property tucked under Paris Mountain in Travelers Rest, SC. We bought the property with some of our best friends and renovated our house before we finally called this place home.
None of us had ever farmed or homesteaded in the past, but we all had the same heartbeat: to live a little slower and more intentionally. We desired community and connection through growing food + flowers and raising animals.
Our Homestead Hollow is born out of the location of our homestead, down in the valley or “hollow” of Wild Orchard Farm. Down where the elderberries grow, the creek runs wild, and the hills rise and fall. Our little spot is so special to us, and I’m excited to plant roots deep in the coming years with the community around us.
Our Story
At the start of 2020, we were living in a different home, but self-sustainability and growing our own food became very important to us as we watch our world change around us during the pandemic. It was a little seed planted that we didn’t realize would have an even bigger impact for the rest of our lives.
With all of the time at home, I became interested in making sourdough! I loved the routine and rhythm it brought to my day. Plus, the delicious bread was a huge plus! I loved that even when we moved, I was always able to take that starter + skill with me.
After moving to our homestead, purchasing our first backyard chickens, and getting some beef cows: this way of life started to shape the way I viewed the world. I loved the tasks and rhythms that each animal and chore brought to my day, and I started to crave a life here on the farm full time.
In early 2021, I was just a few weeks postpartum, sitting on the couch when Ian showed me a facebook marketplace listing for a bunch of windows. They were very close to the size of the side of our barn. He had a glimmer of hope in his eyes as he said, “I’ve got it. This is what we are supposed to do with our land.” The idea for using the windows for a greenhouse was born- and the dreams of a flower farm began.
Being so newly postpartum, my brain was limited to a small amount of planning. But I was determined. I was in the throws of postpartum depression and needed an outlet for myself. I ordered my first batch of Zinnias, sunflowers, and Cosmos after some research, and got excited to start growing flowers. By the time I felt ready to start thinking about all of this, it was mid April. I ended up waiting until the middle of May to just plant outside, and even with a later start to the growing season- our flowers thrived.
I was 100% in. We planted around 150 flower plants total, and the field was alive with pollinators and beautiful blooms. I have never felt a rush like the one I felt mid August when the flowers were at their peak. It was such a beautiful representation of growth (especially postpartum!), and the life that radiated from all corners of the earth was breathtaking.
At the time (late 2021), I was working PRN at the hospital in the NICU as a nurse! I had been an RN for 5 years. I will never regret those years- I grew so much as a person during that time. But, something inside of me longed to be here. Home with my babies. Experiencing the beauty and hard work of starting up a farm. It gave me a drive I had not experienced before.
So, Ian and I sat down and talked, and- I quit my job in November.
It felt really scary, but at the same time, my heart was flooded with peace. I knew I had without-a-shadow-of-a-doubt made the best decision for me and our family. I jumped in head first as I made plans to manage the operations of our homestead and flower farm.
This coming year holds so much hope. We are planting so many seeds literally and figuratively as we jump in to this life as farmers and homesteaders.
Come join us on this journey, no matter where this finds you- whether you are planting your first summer vegetables in a raised bed, or you are knee deep in homestead plans for your own home. I hope this encourages you to live a little slower, make connections, and find beauty in the world around us. So thankful to have you here on this journey with us.
Let’s plant roots deep together that grow our community and families.