For more than a decade, we called the heart of downtown Fort Wayne home. We loved our city life—the walkable streets, the nearby coffee shops, and the sense of community that came with our tight-knit neighborhood. But something inside us was stirring. A quiet nudge. A longing for open skies, hands in the dirt, and space to breathe. We didn’t know it then, but what we were searching for was purpose. And we found it on a farm.
Cody grew up in a family of farmers. Although he pursued a career as a firefighter in the city, the rhythms of farm life were still in his bones. I (Stacey) ran a photography business that I deeply loved, but as we became more invested in our health and started learning about the modern food system, it became harder to ignore the disconnect between the food on our plates and the land it came from.
We began watching documentaries, reading books, and started learning from some of the best in the regenerative agriculture space. We learned what decades and decades of industrial farming is doing the land, how animals were being raised in confinement, soils were being stripped of life, and food was being produced for efficiency and quantity, not quality and nutrient density.
We started to imagine what it could look like to do things differently. To build something from the ground up—literally. To raise food the in a way our great, great-grandparents would recognize. The thought of being able to provide this to our community excited us. It was something new, and we knew others were craving clean food just as much as we were.
We spent years praying for land. We dreamed of a place where our son could run barefoot, where animals could roam freely, and where we could steward the earth with purpose. In 2021, those prayers were answered. Thirty acres came up for sale just outside Auburn, Indiana—complete with rolling hills that reminded us of what we had always envisioned.
It wasn’t perfect. The land had been used for conventional monocropping-- and we knew time would be needed to convert it all to pasture and heal the soil. But we saw potential. We saw life waiting to be brought back. And with a lot of faith and a little know-how, we began the long process of restoration.
We didn’t inherit a farm—we built one. From installing fencing to hauling water, planting diverse pasture mixes to rotating animals daily, everything we’ve done has been with intention. We raise grass-fed beef, pasture-raised pork and chicken, and produce raw milk and eggs from animals that live how they were meant to live—instinctually and with freedom.
Each day is full. The chores are endless. But so is the reward. We’ve watched the soil begin to heal. We’ve watched our animals thrive. And we’ve had the joy of feeding families in our community with meat that’s honest, nutrient-dense, and raised with care.
Farm life has slowed us down, but it has also woken us up. We’ve found purpose in the ordinary: in gathering eggs, moving cattle, and tucking our son into bed with dirty feet and a full heart. Regenerative farming isn’t just what we do—it’s how we live. It’s our way of saying yes to healing, to wholeness, and to a future that values quality over convenience.
We hope our story encourages you to slow down too. To ask where your food comes from. To support farms that align with your values. And to remember that sometimes the most meaningful things in life are found when you follow the quiet nudge.
From city sidewalks to green pastures, our journey has been anything but ordinary. But we wouldn’t trade it for the world. At Grown Well Farms, we’re not just growing food—we’re growing a life rooted in purpose, and we’re so glad you’re part of it.
