We were lucky to catch up with Kimberly Ritchie recently and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Kimberly , thanks for joining us today. Are you happier as a business owner? Do you sometimes think about what it would be like to just have a regular job?
Thanks for having me. That’s a good question.
It can always be difficult when your business is connected to the health and happiness of animals because it can be challenging to learn to delegate important tasks. It also makes taking time off to recharge difficult to attain. I love our farm and what we are committed to achieving and truthfully I wouldn’t trade it for a minute, but I’d be fibbing if I didn’t admit to the moments of discouragement where a 9-5, in clean clothes, with a steady paycheck didn’t look tempting!
But then a quiet morning will come along when I’m up early and the beauty of the moment stops me in my tracks. It can be the sun lighting up the mist or lambs running in a green field at sunset. Something is always making me pause and exhale with gratitude. Those moments remind me that I’m exactly where I want to be, no matter how long some days can feel.
Oftentimes the farm to table movement is portrayed as picture perfect. Pastoral harmony in every picture, which is difficult to achieve. This becomes even more common as we incorporate skincare, wellness & events into our business model. Pictures portray an idyllic landscape and we all work hard to maintain those high standards. All business owners are faced with the pressure of a perfect display, and we all have many moving parts, but small farms have living and breathing ‘moving parts’. The learning curve can feel steep as we jump between overalls and muck boots to sundresses and sandals to fulfill two diverse roles.
Even with an agricultural background, many small farms spend countless hours not only caring for animals, but doing it in a way that is in stark contrast to the majority of the food being produced in the US. Accomplishing this on a small scale, without reliance on hormones, chemicals and antibiotics requires farms like ours to offer superb care that far exceeds any government standards.
This is directly connected to the regenerative farming methods we use in order to care for our soil as well as our animals. It can be daunting with unpredictable weather and droughts becoming more common, but I am happy with all we’ve achieved and the relationships we’ve built. I look forward to expanding the products and experiences we provide in the next ten years.
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
We are an Icelandic sheep farm in northern Illinois, located an hour west of Chicago. What began as a way to close the gap between our family and the meat we consumed has grown into a flock of 75 registered Icelandics. It has become a way to connect with our communities, and those farther abroad, by offering all-natural, 100% grass fed Icelandic lamb, wool products, heirloom quality, naturally tanned sheepskins and tallow based skincare products. We are currently in that sweet, but challenging place where we are expanding our products and adding events.
Our journey began after returning from living in Costa Rica and seeing firsthand how our health improved when we lived closer to our food sources. We returned to the US for our oldest to attend high school and the original impetus of the flock was to provide our family with 100% grass fed protein from animals that we knew were not only hormone, chemical, GMO and antibiotic-free, but had also experienced an idyllic, stress free life. Little did we know it would lead us into regenerative agriculture and all natural food production.
In order to raise the type of meat we were committed to eating, it was necessary to produce what those animals consumed.
This meant growing hay and maintaining pastures free of all herbicides and pesticides. It also meant creating a farm that provided excellent all-natural care from conception to processing. We carefully selected the Icelandic sheep breed not only for its reputation as a culinary delicacy, but also because the breed is hardy and thrives not only on pasture, but also wooded silvopasture. The ability to forage greatly increases the plant diversity Icelandic sheep can consume which keeps them and the farm healthier. We practice regenerative agriculture where the health of the soil and the health of the animal are intimately linked.
Hopefully, in the next year, we will be meeting demand, and have a wider product line to offer. At the heart of what we do is a deep love and respect for the animals we raise and the pastures we raise them on. We believe the way we choose to raise our food today will directly affect the next generation tomorrow. Any growth we achieve as a business must hinge on that principle.
How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?
Sometimes I feel my entire life has been a series of pivots, but the most recent one was focusing my energy on building a farm to table operation that incorporated lamb, wool products, home decor & tallow based skincare. It’s been an unexpected, but rewarding pivot. After returning from a year in Central America my partner and I made adjustments to be more home and family centric. I wanted to pursue a business model that the entire family could participate in, but knew realistically we would need to start small. My oldest daughter’s love of fiber arts and wool led us back to my own experience with sheep while growing up in western Colorado. It was a pivot I would never have expected, but one that now feels right.
It was a poignant reminder that sometimes what you loved doing as a child can circle back around in your life if you’re open to it. I encourage everyone to be brave and explore it even if it feels far fetched! Those activities or moments as children when life felt ‘just right’ can be beacons to us as adults especially in mid-life. For me, that ‘just right’ feeling occurs when I am outside, caring for a flock, while surrounded by nature.
There is a peace that exists when animals are well cared for and harmony descends on a farm. There is a sense of purpose knowing that families are being provided with the cleanest food possible to nurture and heal their bodies and minds. There is comfort when animals are being treated with love and respect.
If the next generation has any chance of inheriting a planet capable of recovering from centuries of neglect, we need to reconnect our families to their food sources. I love how one flock of well-loved sheep can provide 100% grass fed lamb, wool yarn for sweaters, luxurious sheepskins for newborns, and tallow balm for nourishing sensitive skin. The farm and flock has me routinely pivoting, but forty years after raising my first sheep as a child in Colorado, I feel grateful to be pursuing my passion.
We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.
Resilience takes on a new dimension when you shift from working inside to working outdoors in the elements. On the good days, it feels like being embraced by nature. On the tough days, resilience comes in the form of piles of snow, aching muscles, a sick animal, or things that won’t start or work. Those are the days that push my limits! The days where I can’t fix, or lift, or solve something myself.
When I think about resilience, I like to think my problem solving, and solution finding has improved, but a large part of it is finding the right people to lean on. It’s a misnomer to think that anyone does it alone. For me, it’s been building relationships and gathering good people. The first challenge that comes to mind was realizing that a farm to table business, producing a 100% grass fed product, needed to produce the best hay possible.
I knew nothing above growing hay, but thankfully a neighbor did and I learn something new from him most days. The list of people who bolster my resilience is long. Our success depends on a kind veterinarian who gives solid advice even when she’s tired. A skilled shearer. A creative husband and wife team running a fiber mill in Illinois. A quality butcher. A woman-owned all-natural tannery in Wisconsin. A network of family and friends utilizing word of mouth advertising. A group of Icelandic shepherds spread across the US and Canada to reach out to for support. A skilled mechanic. My wonderful and supportive partner… and the list goes on, but at the end of the day, my resilience could only go so far without them!
I’m hoping as we grow, and expand our product line, we will continue to add to our team. It’s been one of the best parts of the journey and definitely what I draw my resilience from.
Contact Info:
- Website: fireflyhollowfarm.com
- Instagram: @fireflyhollowfarm
- Facebook: Firefly Hollow Farm
Image Credits
Anya Ritchie Alea Ritchie