Today we’d like to introduce you to Lori Hernandez
Hi Lori, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
Fifteen years ago, while I was rocking my infant daughter to sleep, I had a vision of my future. At the time, we lived in the city with 2 young children and a small garden in the backyard.
But in the vision, I was walking through a beautiful garden with my children and husband, surrounded by people. I didn’t recognize any of the people in the garden with us, but they felt like long-lost friends.
When I woke up from the vision dream, I was confused. I had no farming experience. We had never talked about starting a farm.
I was scared people would think I was crazy if I told them I had a vision of becoming a farmer. Nothing like this had ever happened to me before!
Eventually, I worked up the courage to tell my husband “I had a vision and we’re supposed to move to the country and start a farm”.
And we did!
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Farming is one of the riskiest professions on the planet. All it takes is one freak weather event and thousands of dollars of crops can be lost in just minutes.
When I was growing flowers and vegetables as a hobby, it was disappointing when my plants froze, fried in the sun or got eaten by animals.
But now our family is completely dependent on our farm as our source of income and those same challenges are not just disappointing, they can be devastating.
We’ve experienced so much loss and failure along the way… and I’m learning that this is 100% normal!
I believe that farmers are eternal optimists because no sane person would willingly choose this profession otherwise.
Yet, I love this life. Since I started farming, I’ve never experienced boredom.
There is always a new beginning. Each season we get to hit the “reset button” and start over.
The endless challenges, failures and struggles make the success so much sweeter.
We’ve been impressed with Three Acre Farm, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
For our local flower lovers, Three Acre Farm grows seasonal specialty cut flowers, available at our self-serve Flower House farmstand, as well as on-farm events (tours, classes, workshops, etc).
For our nationwide gardeners, we offer Dahlia tubers, Tulip bulbs and cut flower seeds.
For our worldwide flower fans, we teach people how to grow their own cut flower gardens through our online courses and digital downloads.
I love teaching people in a fun, relaxing atmosphere where people feel free to experiment, be creative and hone new skills.
Networking and finding a mentor can have such a positive impact on one’s life and career. Any advice?
Reach out to other people in your industry and see if they want to meet for coffee. Being a business owner can be very lonely and isolating!
Also, make sure to check our SCORE.org, which is a program that matches business owners with mentors. It’s so valuable to have input from others who have gone ahead of us!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.threeacrefarm.net
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/three.acre.farm.mi/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/threeacrefarm.mi/
