Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Shatecca – “Meeka” Fellows. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Hi Shatecca – “Meeka”, thanks for joining us today. Let’s start with a story that highlights an important way in which your brand diverges from the industry standard.
Our business model diverges from the industry norms in that we care about and for our guests personally. Mike and I meet our guests to welcome them to the site, we carry their bags, our family hosts tours and children’s activities are available onsite. Together we offer a holistic vacation experience that is both simple and profound, facilitating experiences for mental and physical rest, artistic expression, and nature emergence that are safe and family-friendly. Our overall perspective is one of community.
Since its conception, our venue has prioritized nature conservation and guest experience. This means mature trees have been saved, wetlands remain untouched and guests have ample space between their dwellings. The simple choice of offering liberal open space is contrary to the “pack them in” model used by some RV parks and resorts. Choosing to offer natural quality and comfort differentiates us from our peers. Moreover, we don’t see others in our industry as rivals and often refer guests to other venues when we are full or can’t accommodate specific dates.
As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?
Thank you for the opportunity to share our business story with the Canvas Rebel community.
Selah’s Acres RV Resort is a family-owned and operated business in the Huntsville (HSV) AL greater area. My family and I are building our dream small business, a family-owned RV resort that features Glamping (glamorous camping), a tiny house, and RV park development. We are transforming a 14-acre former pig farm into a place where people can refresh and reconnect in a natural and safe environment. Our story is one of many trials, obstacles, and successes.
In the wake of the 2020 COVID crisis, our family determined to live outside together. We began by traversing the southeast USA in our 34-foot travel trailer trying the best pizza that each city has to offer. (This one tradition has changed the way we see culture and community – good pizza crosses ALL demographical boundaries). We’d travel all week and return home on the weekend to reset before heading out once more. As we met wonderful hosts and enjoyed beautiful spaces our RV preferences were illumined. We loved the big RV spaces and rolling hills offered at one park but found it almost impossible to park in the ninety-degree lakeside spot at another. Mike is an excellent driver so we got in there but WHOO, it was not a pleasure, These and so many other experiences initiated an internal desire and eventually a conversation between Mike and me. We prayed about it and really felt the Lord wanted us to build our own RV resort. Huntsville did not offer anything like what we had grown accustomed to on the road and from that came the first vision for Selah’s Acres.
We found 90+ acres in a strategic location at the crux of HSV’s housing boom. The price tag required some compromise. Mike asked me if I was willing to give up my 3400-sqft home to buy the land. I was all in and after getting the kid’s buy-in we began purging the house. This transition required us to move into the RV for a season and reconsider how we lived. We sold so much stuff on Facebook that friends and family started calling to ask if we were okay. We were laser-focused and told nobody what we were planning. Dreams are fragile and in their early stages and MUST be protected. In the eyes of most people, moving from a 3400 sqft home to a 34-foot long RV is not a rational decision. But the truth is, it is not supposed to be. Impossible ideas don’t incubate in closed minds and logical boxes. No, they run long taking precarious dips, bends, and turns along the way. Our dream was no exception. In January 2021 we moved into the RV and put our home on the market. It sold for full price in the first hour. With our house sold, we were all in pursuing the new property. As our February closing date approached we learned that we were the 2nd offer and would not acquire the property after all.
Heartbreak and shock are understatements in a situation like this. Fear came knocking on my door immediately. We were “homeless” and “landless”. To make matters worse, the housing market in HSV had exploded and there was nothing comparable within miles. We didn’t accept fear. Instead, we chose to trust God and stand firm, “though it [the vision] tarry, wait for it” (Habakkuk 2:3). We kept planning, saving, and praying, and in September 2021 we purchased 14+ acres in Hazel Green AL just north of Huntsville on Facebook Marketplace! The property is blessed to be a blessing. Our family continues to pour themselves into making Selah’s Acres a beautiful respite for our guests.
Selah’s Acres RV Resort is nestled in natural pastures along a creek and provides a unique upscale camping opportunity for guests and their families. Traditional RV and tent camping are standard offerings, while customers can also choose several Glamorous Camping or “Glamping” opportunities. Customers lose themselves in the natural beauty of the isolated setting. Our amenities include biking and walking trails, a community garden, multi-age creek tours, birdwatching, and even sightings of beavers, rabbits, and deer.
Children love the dynamic natural playground and various field activities. Our guests enjoy picking seasonal fruits and vegetables from the community garden. Firepits at each site offer opportunities for fellowship. Selah’s Acres RV Resort and Luxury Camping can be encountered just North of Huntsville, with access to the city’s most popular attractions within a short drive. Food, entertainment, and shopping are within minutes!
We’ve been open for a year and have held many education and training events, hosted numerous glampers, and some themes consistently present themselves. Primarily we find that many people need rest but don’t know how to do it. We offer our guests a Selah (Taken from the Bible meaning to pause and reflect). We provide a quiet pause from busyness while offering different levels of engagement. Secondly, people thrive in healthy fellowship and we make communal opportunities a strategic part of our restful exercises.
How do you keep your team’s morale high?
First, don’t be afraid to care. We treat every team member like family. Because we love, respect, and genuinely care about each person we actively demonstrate and express these sentiments. This behavior has directly shaped our culture. Second, don’t be afraid to create diverse teams because the benefits far outweigh any risk. Be multifaceted in your approach. We’ve found the most amazing things happen when an assortment of people collaborate. For instance, our team ranges in age from 16 to 81 years of age with everything in between with multiple ethnicities. We have retirees, first-time employees, and volunteers building structures, keeping grounds, and planning and executing events together. This summer’s activities paired the oldest with the youngest for multiple tasks and the results were mutually beneficial. This senior member spearheads most of our building projects and while he is a very capable expert he found great value in the abilities of his partner. He often mentions how much he enjoys working with the younger members, stating his appreciation for an opportunity to mentor and work in his trade because he “still has so much to offer” [the workforce]. Correspondingly, the younger worker felt empowered and privileged to garner building and leadership skills at an early age. Earning the respect of his peers was a major source of pride. This a success story for us.
Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?
Every inch of Selah’s Acres has our blood sweat and sometimes tears in the ground. While it has been a labor of love it has not been for the faint of heart. Resilience is in our DNA. When we purchased our 14-acre property we inherited years of forestry neglect and land abuse. In the absence of maintenance, the former pig farm’s prime fertile soil had been overtaken with invasive plants, trees, and decomposing debris. The tree line encroached on the main house and the barn roof was being threatened by overbearing tree branches. Three of the four structures were consumed by brush growth and the bramble towered feet above our heads. Every member of our family had a hand in cleaning our grounds. My sons worked together to cut our first trails with an electric chainsaw, first carrying the generator a few feet and then cutting as far as the cord could reach before repeating for 100 feet. Since then we have partnered with amazing small businesses to recover strategic terrain in every corner of the property without extensive tree removal. We have preserved wetlands, filled in ponds, and cleared underbrush. We are continually adding to the venue, creating wonderful spaces for our guests to enjoy. our 2024 season will offer wedding options, 3-tiered primitive site bookings, and more. Resilience is what victories are built on. As we continue to execute our vision and build our resort challenges may arise but we have already determined to persevere and overcome them.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.selahsacresrvresort.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/selahsacres/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SelahsAcresRVResort
Image Credits
Joanna Whisenant