We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Emily Smith. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Emily below.
Emily, appreciate you joining us today. We’d love to hear your thoughts about family businesses.
Family businesses are and interesting story. Little Hands Garden was started with our growing family in mind. We have nine children and my husband came up with “Little Hands” just from all of the young children that we had helping to build this business. To be honest, there are a lot of aspects of this business that I could have never done alone. The kids have helped right beside me for many years getting this dream launched and even now as they are starting their own careers they still are so supportive. I truly value them and I hope that they have also gained from growing a business together. Even if they never want to grow food for a community- I am 100% confident that they will be able to grow food sustainably for their own families someday. And in the off chance that someone decides to join in, I will warmly accept the fresh eyes, new opinions and someday turn it over to them.
Emily, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?
My name is Emily Smith. I am married to my husband Scott and together with our nine children, we run Little Hands Garden in Bronson, MI. We have always grown a large garden and raised animals, and seven years ago we made a step to provide fresh, healthy food for not just our family, but yours as well. Little Hands Garden is a Community Supported Agriculture farm and we offer weekly vegetable baskets from June- October each year. It is our dream to continue to provide nutritious food for our community and provide a family friendly environment where children can learn about agriculture and enjoy the beauty and simplicity that the country has to offer. You will always be welcome to our farm to pick a beautiful bouquet, visit the animals, enjoy a tea party and see where your food is being produced.
Can you talk to us about how your funded your business?
The first year we started Little Hands Garden, we started very small. We started with just a simple idea on Facebook- who would be interested in weekly vegetable baskets? Those first ten families showed up, paid a membership fee and became our very first members. Their membership fee was the very first income we used to buy seeds and all the necessary items to start the first garden. Every year the membership fee still serves as the stepping off point each year to buy seeds and begin the next season!
Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?
We both had a career before Little Hands Garden. Scott was already self employed hauling milk from farm to processor and I was a dairy inspector. I never had any intention of quitting my job- but we started having babies and it became important for me to be home with them. If I would have never taken that step, I would have never started Little Hands Garden. It was a dream that was always in the back burner- but when I changed my career path and allowed myself to think differently, it became a reality.
Contact Info:
- Website: Www.littlehandsgarden.com
- Instagram: @littlehandsgarden10
- Facebook: @littlehandsgarden
Image Credits
Jessica Wood Photography