A J

I started Lone Oak Farm with my husband and children in late 2022. I decided this was the right time to start an agribusiness because I've always cared about the quality of my food and what I could purchase in the store was becoming less nutritious and filled with ingredients I didn’t want my family to consume. I had always believed in the power of whole foods to heal and prevent disease, and I wanted to produce food that could continue to do that. As I entered the food and ag world, I learned how more farmers were leaving the business than were joining. So, I decided to create a platform of soil and steel for others to grow and learn together.

From my previous career, I have had experience in adult learning and professional development as well as business management. I saw an opportunity to marry my passion for learning and technology to address the need for more farmers.

Part of my motivation for applying for this loan is to prove to myself and others that this is a worthwhile investment for our collective future. While the returns in agribusiness are modest, there will be returns, and our future depends on land stewards producing food in ways that are restorative and sustainable. By getting a loan from an organization like Kiva, I will be able to share the story of what we’re doing here with more people than a traditional business loan and leverage capital created by a system that I believe in and have been personally contributing to since 2022.