Willowbrook Farms is an example of what happens when a strong woman has a dream.
Five years ago, Vanessa Frias and her family lived in the suburbs of Northern Indiana, but she had a strong sense that they should pivot to a new life in the country. Her casual online search for property landed her in front of a rolling 35-acre piece of farmland in Cass County, Michigan, with nothing but stalks of field corn waving hello.
Still, Vanessa trusted her instincts. Plans to build a home on the property quickly took shape. Jumping on the farm wagon with Vanessa were her husband, Juan, and their three children, making them the first generation in their family to farm as a way of life.
The farm’s journey down the slippery slope into the animal kingdom was led by several cute and ravenous goats. These four-legged snackers were rented out to nearby homes and businesses to clear overgrown brush lines. Then came pigs, then sheep, then chickens. And most recently, beef cattle.
When asked about her biggest farm learning curve, Vanessa says, “Everything. Everything was just a curve. I thought, I don’t know at all what I’m doing. I grew up in the country, around farmers, but I had no idea about ANY of this.”
Along the way, Vanessa and Juan attended farm trainings, such as a program through the American Pastured Poultry Association. They gleaned wisdom from their farming neighbors. They kept learning from online communities and YouTube university.
All this knowledge sparked even more new ideas.
Today’s animal operation is balanced with a fruit orchard and substantial plantings of lavender and herbs. Building off her previous career in early childhood education, Vanessa has a passion for teaching children and families about healthy food choices, so school field trips and a summer farm camp are part of the farm schedule.
Their animals are raised in a pasture-based system that is Certified Animal Welfare Approved by A Greener World, An on-site farm store offers cuts of their meats plus a carefully curated selection of products from other artisans and farms. The family travels to a farmers market in the Chicago area as well as one in Mishawaka, Indiana, and their products are placed in several retail establishments.
Vanessa and Juan share their enthusiasm for their products through social media, with Vanessa spotlighting daily farm challenges and successes on Facebook and TikTok, along with announcements for upcoming farm events.
Work on the farm is automated wherever possible, but the daily hands-on grit and grind is largely shouldered by Vanessa and Juan, with the couple’s three children assisting in the heavy load.
As a smaller farm, Willowbrook operates using a different model than many larger farms. Vanessa prioritizes maintaining a quality of life while balancing the work. “I have a family. I have children that are still young, and I want to be around for them,” she says. “I base my farm off my family dynamics. I think it’s amazing what larger farms can do, and they are giving food access to so many people, but it’s just not what I want to do and the way that I want to live.”
There is also a bigger picture here, she says. “As a Black/Hispanic–owned business, there’s not a lot of farmers that look like Juan and me. And to be able to give representation means a lot to me. Partly that is why I keep going. It’s not just for me. I continue to do it, partly because I love to do it, but because I’m representing something that is not seen very often. Kids need to see that, and adults need to see that.”
She appreciates the great mix of people in their customer base who have come to support them. “I’ve learned that there are far more good people than bad people, and that there are people who are rooting for us to do well. And that’s what’s kept our farm moving … that there are so many good people.”
What’s Vanessa’s favorite part of daily life on the farm? Her thoughts turn to the evening or the early part of the morning, “when I can just walk around and not even believe that I’m in the situation I’m in, from where I started. It’s just really cool to see things come to fruition. There are some stressful things around here, because farming is difficult and unpredictable. But you manage, you figure it out, and things always work out.”
Willowbrook Farms
19585 Bulhand St.
Cassopolis, MI
574.386.7550
willowbrookmi.com
