A Special Three-Part Series: The Story of Our Farm
Part 2: A New Chapter
But first, more from Alison. She writes in her story, "The new owners were Brad and Kim Hayes, and they had a dream of beginning a pizza farm on the property. Pizza farms are a form of agritourism that have captured the attention of the media over the years. Brad and Kim were ready to bring that to rural Minnesota. Kim said part of the reasoning behind starting the farm was, "We need a place where we can come together as a community, a place that's family-friendly. So that's really my number one goal, which is bringing the community together."
They also decided to bring new life into the home by renovating it and giving it a more modern look, while preserving Erwin's craftsmanship. Eventually, the property came back to life and "The Farm" was transformed into, Alpha and Omega Farm home of wood-fired pizzas made from locally grown and raised products. Kim says, "We opened in October of 2020, so no one could go inside. So everyone came outside. There were some good things that came out of COVID, and I think this was one of them."
Alpha and Omega provided an opportunity for visitors to enjoy the fall weather while sitting on picnic tables by fire rings, or inside a repurposed grain bin. It also offered a place for children to play and created a safe space for the community after the loss of connection during the pandemic."
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I love how Alison understood that we were honoring Erwin's craftsmanship while renovating the home, and how our outdoor dining experience became an unexpected blessing during the pandemic. The story of how our community came together, finding connection and joy around wood-fired pizzas and fire pits, is one that still warms my heart.
The phrase – "Live like someone left the gate open" – became our guiding
light during the pandemic. In a time when the world felt like it was closing in, with barriers going up everywhere, we chose to think differently. Similar to farm animals unexpected joy when they find an open gate, we found that creating an open, welcoming space could bring that same sense of freedom and discovery to our community. When COVID forced everyone inside, behind closed doors, we looked at our wide-open spaces differently. The pandemic may have closed many gates, but it inspired us to swing ours wide open – safely and thoughtfully. We created outdoor spaces where people could breathe freely, laugh openly, and remember what community felt like.
Those fire pits and picnic tables became more than just seating – they became gathering spots where families could escape the confines of their homes and find connection again.
Living like someone left the gate open isn't just about freedom – it's about embracing the unexpected gifts that come when we stay open to possibility. Just as our pizza farm wasn't in the original plan for this property, some of the best things in life happen when we leave the gate open to new opportunities, even during challenging times.
Next Month: Our final installment will reveal how the farm continues to evolve, bringing new life to old traditions and creating spaces for memories to be made.
