We are so excited to share this episode with you! This is a story not only about innovative reshaping of a family farm to continue the legacy but also enhancing a small-town community with a new place to gather and eat and drink with friends.
About Stacy and Dan: Dan Heising and Stacy Nelson-Heising are Cottonwood’s orchard and cider house lead drivers and co-founders. When one is in the driver’s seat, the other sits happily in the passenger chair, supporting the other. Dan is our head cider maker. Stacy is Cottonwood’s head orchardist. The couple lives at Cottonwood Farm. They are parents to Ben, Kevin, Dharma and Greg. Ben is their only two-legged child who helps his mom maintain the orchard. He’s their team’s funnyman and is willing to do just about anything to help out his parents. In addition to Ben, Dan’s sister Heather also assists them with running the business. She’s a wiz with numbers and keeps Cottonwood on a straight path. Stacy’s grandparents Norman and Louise, parents, Chuck and Roberta, and Dan’s mother, Katie, support the couple in making Cottonwood Farm and Cottonwood Cider House a success.
“We’ve really gotten a lot of support and help from our family and friends over the years to help us make our orchard, future cider house and goals a reality. Everyone has stepped up when necessary to help us achieve these goals. We strive to raise healthy apples, grown in the manner that is healthiest for our planet, organically and Biodynamically. We want to make amazing hard cider, have fun while doing it, and craft our brew together. Those are our goals.”
In this episode, we cover:
- The practical steps it took to take a dream and make it a reality
- Why it’s important to just try things
- The value of tapping into the experiential nature of small towns
- The struggle of finding a community and support system in a very rural area.
- What resourcefulness can look like and how that applies to starting a new business
Links and Resources Mentioned: Cottonwood Ciderhouse website: https://cottonwoodciderhouse.com/ Cottonwood Ciderhouse Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cottonwoodciderhouse
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