Today we’d like to introduce you to Sydney Ditlow-Gladney.
Hi Sydney, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
My husband, Tre, and I moved into our home in 2021 with our two dogs, Harper and Boomer, while I was pregnant with our daughter, Elisabeth. We noticed a bare spot on the plat map and decided to go exploring. We found a clearing, about an acre in size FULL of raspberry and blackberry bushes! And the idea for The Hidden Berry Homestead was born. Tre and I both love the outdoors and wanted to live a healthier life. So, we planted a huge garden and apple and peach trees. We also started beekeeping and raising chickens. We compost, raise mealworms for the chickens, and do our best to eat homemade, wholesome foods. The goal is to support our family and share our bounty with those in our community and empower other families to live sustainably while becoming self-reliant.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back, would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
My husband and I both work full-time and are raising our daughter at home. Making time to tend the garden, take care of the chickens and bees, and complete other projects can be a struggle at times, but it’s something we’re both passionate about, so it’s a labor of love!
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
We currently attend the Newaygo farmers market every other week with baked goods, sourdough bread, sourdough starter (dehydrated and active), jam, and seasonal plants/veggies. We’ll also be offering honey and honey products in a few weeks and our chickens are just starting to lay so we’ll have farm fresh eggs available soon as well!
What quality or characteristic do you feel is most important to your success?
We are dedicated to creating closed systems on our homestead to mitigate waste and cut down our carbon footprint. We are pesticide free and only use natural methods in our farming practices. I currently attend the farmers market with homemade baked goods made completely from scratch and free from preservatives.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/thehiddenberryhomestead?igshid=NGExMmI2YTkyZg==
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thehiddenberryhomestead?mibextid=ZbWKwL
Image Credits
The Hidden Berry Homestead
