photo credit: Retrospect Nashville
We're so thrilled to meet you!
It feels like I just want to tell you our whole story from the very beginning. Every step, decision, challenge, and triumph, as they have all worked together to mold and shape us into who we are today, and guided us to the exact place we stand now. In December of last year, I was listening to a podcast that posed the question: if you had a magic wand, and could change one single thing about your current life, what would it be?
I learned the most beautiful truth as I pondered that question: I am in love with our life. Am I content to stop dreaming and progressing? Never. But I have learned to love the journey as much as the destination. I don't want to magically acquire any of the dreams I dream, because I want to work and fight and learn as I earn those things I dream.
I'll save the whole life story for another day - but here are the highlights of our today.
Wrenn
Our little farm is nestled perfectly between murfreesboro and franklin, TN
Wrenn grew up in Tennessee, and Ethan is a totally converted transplant from Utah.
We bought this space from Wrenn's parents in 2021.
our sweet buns
Our bunny farm started in 2021, when my parents got bunnies for each of our three kids for Easter. We had wanted bunnies to live in the orchard to keep the trees happy. My mom mentioned spinning bunny fur into yarn, and the thought of it actually disgusted me. Oh, the naïveté.
In December of that year, our all-female rabbit mini-colony surprised us with a litter of newborn bunnies. Queue a brand new addiction. My entrepreneurial sweetheart jumped right into researching what we could make happen with a full blown bunny farm.
This is when I learned about all the different incredible breeds of rabbits. Angoras immediately jumped to the top of my wish list, and in October of 2022 I finally got Adeline and (sorry for doubting you, mom) started learning how to humanely harvest her beautiful fiber.
Meanwhile, my facebook gardening groups couldn't stop talking about bunny poop trading...and here we are, with all the babies, and all the fiber, and all the poop.
our homegrown popcorn
I'm embarrassed to admit the moment I learned that popcorn actually just grows in a field. I'll just say this: I had three kids, and was working at a Farm School, teaching kids how to learn from nature. In my mind it was a manufactured item - a vegetable that had been chemically altered to react to heat.
Our first year growing popcorn in our backyard was a major fail. Farmer Luke from Petersen Family Farm says it's because I drowned the poor stocks. That year we got one single 2.5" ear of corn. But over time, we've been able to figure out how to grow amazing popcorn.
We love that it's a whole grain, with many amazing health benefits. It's also so versatile, and we can dress it up savory or sweet, depending on our craving. Some of our favorite ways to enjoy it are: warm with cinnamon and chocolate chips, sprinkled with sea salt and olive oil, or mixed into a decadent sticky popcorn.
say hello to the mini herbalist
Our daughter started Petals Market before Poplar Co was even an idea. She was 5 when she did her first booth at an event, 6 when she did her first wedding, 7 when she started her CSA, and 8 when she was awarded a scholarship to Floret's online workshop. She has been featured in articles in the Tennesseean, a girl's empowerment zine in France, and the Turner Syndrome awareness website.
She specializes in creating bouquets filled with herbal flowers, and teaches people how to use the flowers for their medicinal benefits. She recently started a monthly herb club for kids, where she lets them get hands on experience with herbs. She has plans to open up workshops to people of all ages in the near future.
In the past, she has sourced her flowers from other local farms. This growing season she plans to grow all of the flowers found in her bouquets, right here on our farm.
farms that inspire us:
get in touch!
you can find us on IG: @poplar.co
or send me a quick email: wrenn.elkins@gmail.com
