We recently connected with Mercedes Essmann and have shared our conversation below.
Alright, so we’re so thrilled to have Mercedes with us today – welcome and maybe we can jump right into it with a question about one of your qualities that we most admire. How did you develop your work ethic? Where do you think you get it from?
My parents. Both of my parents came to America from Cuba in the early 60’s with nothing but what they could carry and one of their carry-ons was my oldest sister at a month old. They arrived at a country where they had no family, didn’t speak the language and relied on a community of strangers to help them thrive. They instilled in all of us that hard work and determination brings success. I was told that anything I wanted in life was accomplish by honesty, determination and work. You stuck to your commitments; we were also taught to always gave back to the community that helped you achieve your goals.
Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?
Our venue story is about keeping two aging parents in their home. Our primary goal was just to keep them sustainable on the farm. Everything we do at the venue goes right back to the farm. We opened up our gates to photographers and to host weddings, celebration of life, reunions and much more.
Our little farm has become a part of the community and we have been able to open our gates and share our little piece of tranquility with many. It has been the best decision we could have ever made with my parents. It brought life back on the farm and gave them a new purpose. My parents are now in their 80’s and we make jokes that the farm has become a nursing home and they get lots of visitors that keep their energy going. We absolutely love when someone hosts an event. It my dad’s favorite thing when he can bring out one of the vintage cars to drive up a bride or groom. It’s a great experience for everyone and we are so grateful to the community that helps make an old man’s dream come true.
There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
Drive, ambition and strength! Owning a farm is not for the weak and owning a venue on the farm is not for everyone. We had to learn very quickly what works best for our farm and family. We have kept true to our mission of keeping two people in their home and bringing to our community a place that makes them feel like family when they visit. Our venue is a true authentic barn. It’s one of the original barn venues in our area and one of the last that has stayed as natural as possible. Sure, we would love to concrete and pave everything but I’m not sure our cows nor goats would appreciate that very much. We still have dirt and hay floors in most of our venue. It’s beautiful and perfect for our couples that like the natural look of our barn.
To close, maybe we can chat about your parents and what they did that was particularly impactful for you?
They taught me strength. Watching my parents live life after losing a child was a lesson, I wish I didn’t have to learn the way they taught me. My older brother was killed by a drunk driver when he was just 21 years old. Losing him felt like I also lost my parents too. I was 18 years old and not a day goes by that my mom nor dad don’t talk or think of my brother. It didn’t matter what I did, I couldn’t replace that lost. I saw that their strength to keep going after such a tragedy wasn’t focused on the loss but the meaning of why keep living. I had to make sure my life still gave them purpose to keep going. I worked, got married, had a child and became independent but they got older, and then they became less independent.
It was on us to keep them going. This is where they taught me what really mattered in life. If someone walks into your life you have a choice to be a part of it, or not. If you are, then you need to make every moment matter. Once they are gone all you have left is the memories. Things don’t matter, it’s the time you spend with those that matter most. At the farm we offer people that place to make memories of what really matters in life. Time to live and celebrate with our loved ones.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.eefamilyfarm.com
- Instagram: eefamilyfarm
- Facebook: E&E Family Farm
Image Credits
Christi Allen-Curtis Photography Dreamy Portraits
