How Hard Could It Be?

How Hard Could It Be?

“Start a business,” I said. “It’ll be fun,” I said.

This was one of those moments Travis likes to call a “fuck around and find out” moment.

The plan was simple: hit one small farmers’ market a week, make a little money, and save up for the food truck.

Pretty cut and dry, right?

Wrong.

From the very beginning, the stand couldn’t keep bread and cookies in stock. Every week we sold out — or came pretty close. Then one week at the market we ended up with a ton of leftover product that didn’t sell. I took it to work and gave it to my coworkers. I knew it wouldn’t go to waste, and for me that was the most important thing.

Before I knew it, the special requests started rolling in. Orders for bread and cookies. Then someone had the bright idea to request muffins and loaf cakes.

That turned out to be another “fuck around and find out” moment. Everything snowballed.

I soon found myself staying up until one o’clock in the morning preparing for the weekend farmers’ market. I knew I was in the shit when we did our first craft fair and sold out of everything an hour and a half after the fair started. That was an eye-opener.

We now have spice blends and snack cakes in addition to the bread, cookies, and muffins.

I had to learn very quickly how to run an actual business instead of treating the homestead like a hobby. It has been a wild ride, but one we’re navigating somewhat successfully. Everything has come with a learning curve.

Now the main goal is simple: make a profit and turn the homestead into our full-time professions.

I’m getting back into writing, and Travis is tossing around the idea of refurbishing furniture to resell. At this point, the Quack Patch Homestead has taken on a life of its own.

What comes next?

Honestly… God only knows.