Growing their love for each other and their community has always been Jen and Matthew Campbell’s approach to gardening and farming. As newlyweds, they started to go to the Manhattan community garden to try something new. “That was the first time either of us had gardened. Neither of us grew up in a family who gardens. So that was the first time raising our food, and we fell in love with it. This little idea started growing, pun intended, and we were like ‘Hey, what if?’” says Jen.
Jen and Matt Campbell, owners of Woolly Bee Farm in Wamego, Kansas
As they began to hone their skills and grew out of their small community plot, the couple had dreams of starting a farm of their own. In the fall of 2015, they searched for affordable land in the Manhattan area, and ended up finding their home in Wamego, KS. “We didn’t really know the people who had this farm, and they never officially put it on the market. But several of our friends forwarded us information about their farm and plans to sell, which they had sent to their friends. And so, Matt and I were like, ‘That is a sign of something’. So, we went and looked at it and ended up buying it.”
Thus WoollyBee Farm was born, and the hard work was only just beginning. Jen and Matthew were thrilled to take on the challenge and opportunity of feeding their local community. “I love to serve the Wamego community; it is something about that Midwest lifestyle. I like getting to know my customers, interacting with them, and growing a superb product for them,” says Jen.
When the couple first bought the farm, they had just had a baby and were in the process of painting their Manhattan home, which delayed their move to the farm until the spring of 2016. But the couple felt their patience was rewarded when they were finally able to add the old farmhouse in Wamego as the next piece of the puzzle toward a homestead lifestyle.
With a growing family, many neighbors and friends question Jen and Matthew about how much their children enjoy helping on the farm. Jen simply replies, “Right now, it is minimal. They only want to be involved when it is fun. However, there are those few crises, like if the sheep get out, or if a big storm is going to hit. Then it is go-time, all hands-on deck.”
Sheep and lamb on Woolly Bee Farm. PC: @woollybeefarm
Jen and Matthew have three children, starting with the oldest, age nine, seven and three respectively. The kids’ unique personalities attract them to different aspects of the farm. “Our oldest, Cade, loves coming to the farmers’ market and selling stuff to people. My middle child, June, likes to put arrangements and bouquets together. My youngest, Clare, is the one who will come out with Matt and I and try to do whatever we’re doing. Just a three-year-old’s curiosity. She was the best chicken catcher when she was one.” Jen believes that as they grow older, their willingness to help on the farm will grow as well.
The couple have several goals for their farm in the near future, including a place for storage. “Right now, our barn is our living room. The animals don’t go in there, of course, but it is where we store all our seeds and everything else,” says Jen. She says that more than building a barn, she hopes to build a workshop in which to work. The workshop would allow Jen to have more creative freedom and opportunities to develop their products. She has goals of starting to reach different audiences to be able to serve the community in multiple ways, specifically looking at providing flower arrangements for funeral service. “I want to do it to be able to connect with people, and there is only one florist in Wamego,” says Jen. She hopes the workshop will be complete by winter, allowing WoollyBee Farms to be more competitive in the market and have an space to build and complete market boutique prep.
Jen displays one of her recent floral arrangements. PC: @woollybeefarm
Working on the farm requires patience, hard work and dedication. Even though spring and early fall are some of the busiest times for Jen and Matthew, activities all year long keep them on their toes. “It’s like going from mega busy to just really busy,” adds Jen. During the spring, they plant seeds. Then it is lambing season, raising chicks, bed preparation for the year, followed by seed planting and prep for spring flowers.
In addition to flowers and produce, animal raising has always been part of their farm life. “We raised animals since the beginning. We started out with sheep, then we had 8 ewes and a ram, and we have been building our flock,” says Jen. They will also send 11 market pigs and 25 lambs to the butcher this fall.
The family also benefited from a newer online trend that favors photos of flower farming, and right away, Jen and Matthew started publishing flower photos on social media. “None of the ugly and all of the pretty,” Jen says. “And people fall in love with that, and that’s what they want to do,” says Jen.
The couple are proud of the success they have achieved with their farming business, especially that they continued to persevere through the hardships. “Our families from the suburbs of Kansas City have a hard time grasping our crazy lifestyle. Not saying they’re not supportive, but more like ‘Why are you doing this?’” says Jen.
Jen and Matt Campbell walk through the grounds of their Woolly Bee Farm. PC: Spark
They know they need to last longer than five years to continue in their business and working on a farm is not easy work. “You can’t hit pause and say, ‘I am not going to work for a week’, or ‘I am going on vacation’. We haven’t gone on a real vacation in years,” says Jen. The couple acknowledge they have struggled finding reliable workers, especially when looking for a farm sitter who is competent and trustworthy. At present, Matt and Jen are the primary farm staff, with occasional help from their children, but they are looking for good help. What makes their farm life possible in these early stages is their mutual commitment to the goal and the way they support each other with all the duties of the farm throughout the day. “Matt makes dinner for the family, then comes out to the farm at 10:30 at night to finish the chores. The Midnight Farmer is what I call him,” jokes Jen. “Thankfully, I have a true partner.”
Find Woolly Bee Farm at the Manhattan Farmer’s Market on Saturday, or in a partnership with Piccalilli Farms’ Farm to Porch program. You can also check out their website to learn more or follow them on Instagram for beautiful flower photos and pictures of their farm.
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