We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Carrie Ellis-Berg. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Carrie below.

Carrie, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today What’s the backstory behind how you came up with the idea for your business?

For a brief but cherished time in my life, I lived on a farm and absolutely loved it! I knew I had to find my way back to the land, surrounded by animals and back in my element. If you ever meet my husband, Ryan, you’ll quickly realize he’s the biggest foodie and loves me with his whole heart. While I was dreaming of a farm, he was more focused on when he could eat the animals (cue the eye roll). He was fully on board with the farm idea, but his big question was, “How are we going to afford it?” Plus, there was no way we could have cows, pigs, and chickens at our current home, which we were considering remodeling at the time.

Then, like a dream come true, a Land of Promise home hit the market with everything I could possibly wish for—a fully renovated farmhouse, five acres, beautiful stalls, all set in the countryside. The only hurdle left was convincing Ryan… Enter my amazing mother-in-law, who worked her magic over a single phone call. The next day, we put in an offer. With the help of our incredible adult kids, we got our house ready for the market, and it sold in just six hours. It felt like the stars aligned, and God was guiding us to our beautiful new place.

Once we moved in, I was eager to start bringing in animals immediately, but Ryan kept telling me, “Wait until the leaves turn—aka, fall.” If you know me, you know I’m a doer and can’t sit still. So, with my yearly bonus in hand, I jumped onto Facebook and started buying animals, with Highland cows being the ultimate goal. There was no way I could wait until fall, especially since Ryan and I had come up with a great plan to help cover the costs, so I just couldn’t wait.

One night, over drinks, we brainstormed the craziest 90’s rap star names for our animals—from Piggie Smalls to the Moo Tang Clan, and Carne and Asada. We knew we had to share our love for these animals with the world, but we needed to figure out how. Luckily, our newly renovated property turned out to be the perfect setting. The previous owners had thought of every detail to create a fantastic photography scene—from the charming porch to the bourbon room and the stunning fireplace, the downstairs area makes the perfect backdrop. Adding animals to the mix was a no-brainer—who doesn’t love animals, especially Highland cows? Our farm became the ideal spot for photoshoots, offering something unique for those looking for a farm setting rather than the usual beachy pics and nothing like that was offered here in Hampton Roads.

Carrie, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

What I’m most proud of is how we’ve been able to create a space that feels both authentic and special. It’s been incredibly rewarding to see how much people love our farm and to witness those memorable moments.

If there’s one thing I want people to know about our farm, it’s that we’re not just offering a location for photos; we’re offering an experience. We’ve poured our hearts into making this farm a place where people can create lasting memories, and we’re excited to share it with the world. We hope our clients feel it too when they visit and love Fair Weather Farms as much as we do.

Any advice for growing your clientele? What’s been most effective for you?

We’ve been incredibly blessed to have friends who are photographers, and they helped us kick off our initial launch. After that, we’ve partnered with local photographers, offering them free use of the space to promote the farm. Word spread quickly, and before long, we had a steady stream of new photographers bringing their clients to the property.

One of our favorite things to do is capture behind-the-scenes videos and turn them into reels for social media. It adds an extra layer of fun to the experience, and we love seeing our visitors share the videos, which has been super effective in getting the word out. Plus, there’s nothing better than catching that “ugly happy cry” during those one-year milestone sessions—it’s a moment we all cherish :)

Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?

I spent 15 wonderful years teaching elementary school while our children were growing up. However, after a while, the demands took their toll, and I felt it was time for a change. I transitioned from the classroom to an office job, and wow, was that a shock! Sitting behind a desk instead of moving around a classroom drove me a insanely stir-crazy.

Determined to make the most of that office time, I used it to learn new skills and plan my escape from a situation I knew wasn’t right for me. That’s when I discovered a platform called “Upwork.” I was soon juggling 70-hour weeks, working with multiple clients while still holding down my office job. Once I reached a financial milestone, I took a leap of faith, quit that office job, and navigated my way to where I’m happily working today.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.fairweatherfarmsva.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fairweatherfarmsva/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61559591033104

Image Credits

Tashena Shah Photography
Devon Ferrell Photography
Sara Kerns Photography
The Heart of Now Photography