“I dreamed about creating a farm where we could connect children and young people – those just starting out in life – with really nutritious food and the joy and peacefulness that comes with working outdoors side-by-side with others,” Kristen Muehlhauser shared as she reminisced looking back on the start of her journey in 2007.
Kristen and her husband Adam started at a community garden in Ann Arbor, MI. “That first year the weeds grew higher than the plants, but, to my total amazement, delicious vegetables hid in that jungle and made their way onto our plates.” The couple then added seeded flats to windowsills and continued to add plots every season.
Then, in 2012 the Muehlhauser’s welcomed their first daughter. Kristen shared, “Her delight in the worms, weeds, and wind brought great joy and wonder for me, and made me look for new opportunities to share gardening with children and adults.”
With those experiences in mind, five years ago when their youngest child started school, the Muehlhauser’s began their journey of connecting people to agriculture sustainably. Their farm, Raindance Organic Farm, offers a wide variety of produce, from vegetables, herbs, and flowers to workshops where they share their knowledge with others.
As the farm advanced, Kristen wanted to grow her skills in cut flower production, so she applied and received GreenStone’s CultivateGrowth Grant. Kristin was able to take The Lily Workshop Course where she learned the ins and outs of successful lily production. The couple has recently invested in a new greenhouse in order to increase the scale of lily and other floriculture crops on their operation, which will be ready for use in early 2025.
With what Kristen learned throughout her course, her and Adam decided to run a pilot crop this year with 2700 lilies grown over nine months. GreenStone’s grant was able to help the Muehlhauser’s grow and expand their knowledge to ultimately better their operation. While focused on growing skills, the Raindance Organic Farm is also focused on closing the gap between farm to fork. For the past three growing seasons, all their produce was sold within a 10-mile radius to their farm, making sure they can connect each person and family who purchases their products to the environment it was grown and sharing their love for the land. The Raindance Organic Farm showcases how dreams can become reality when rooted in growth.
Kristen concluded with, “We're five years into this journey and I've learned that small business owners wear many hats and develop diverse skillsets. I love the problem solving. I love connecting with the beautiful humans who are drawn to farms, community, and good food. I love the creative opportunities. Most of all I love that I am doing work that I strongly believe in together with people I love.”
GreenStone is proud to support agriculturalists rooted in growth like Kristen and Adam. We work to provide the educational and financial resources needed to help grow your passion for your operation. To apply for a grant, visit CultivateGrowth Grant.
Kristen and her husband Adam started at a community garden in Ann Arbor, MI. “That first year the weeds grew higher than the plants, but, to my total amazement, delicious vegetables hid in that jungle and made their way onto our plates.” The couple then added seeded flats to windowsills and continued to add plots every season.
Then, in 2012 the Muehlhauser’s welcomed their first daughter. Kristen shared, “Her delight in the worms, weeds, and wind brought great joy and wonder for me, and made me look for new opportunities to share gardening with children and adults.”
With those experiences in mind, five years ago when their youngest child started school, the Muehlhauser’s began their journey of connecting people to agriculture sustainably. Their farm, Raindance Organic Farm, offers a wide variety of produce, from vegetables, herbs, and flowers to workshops where they share their knowledge with others.
As the farm advanced, Kristen wanted to grow her skills in cut flower production, so she applied and received GreenStone’s CultivateGrowth Grant. Kristin was able to take The Lily Workshop Course where she learned the ins and outs of successful lily production. The couple has recently invested in a new greenhouse in order to increase the scale of lily and other floriculture crops on their operation, which will be ready for use in early 2025.
With what Kristen learned throughout her course, her and Adam decided to run a pilot crop this year with 2700 lilies grown over nine months. GreenStone’s grant was able to help the Muehlhauser’s grow and expand their knowledge to ultimately better their operation. While focused on growing skills, the Raindance Organic Farm is also focused on closing the gap between farm to fork. For the past three growing seasons, all their produce was sold within a 10-mile radius to their farm, making sure they can connect each person and family who purchases their products to the environment it was grown and sharing their love for the land. The Raindance Organic Farm showcases how dreams can become reality when rooted in growth.
Kristen concluded with, “We're five years into this journey and I've learned that small business owners wear many hats and develop diverse skillsets. I love the problem solving. I love connecting with the beautiful humans who are drawn to farms, community, and good food. I love the creative opportunities. Most of all I love that I am doing work that I strongly believe in together with people I love.”
GreenStone is proud to support agriculturalists rooted in growth like Kristen and Adam. We work to provide the educational and financial resources needed to help grow your passion for your operation. To apply for a grant, visit CultivateGrowth Grant.
