Our Unconventional Path To Our Forever Homestead
Who would’ve thought that a crazy Western film set would be the backdrop for a love story? Years ago, amidst the dust and tumbleweeds of a Neil Young production, my wife and I first crossed paths. We were both caught up in a whirlwind of creativity, and life had other plans for us then.
Fast forward a few years, and fate reunited us, this time on tour. The many miles on the road, shared meals, and late-night conversations sparked a connection neither of us could ignore. We fell in love, hard! With a thousand miles between us, we embarked on a two-year long-distance relationship. It wasn’t easy, but love knows no bounds, right? I’m Adam Vollick, cinematographer, girl dad, husband, rookie farmer, and one-half of Holler and a Half!
Simultaneously, at the beginning of our story, Jess was pursuing other culinary projects in Nashville, buttoning up the sale of her restaurant and deciding what to do next. She was working on plans for another restaurant but got the call from Neil to hit the road. Boy, am I glad she answered that call!
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Let’s fast forward, past the long-distance courtship years, to when we were finding our new rhythm, recently married in January 2020. Shortly after we said “I do”, the world turned upside down with the pandemic. Borders closed, and we were long distance once more. Jess was in the process of packing up her life (and her beloved horse and our two dogs!) to Canada when the border closed. It was a challenging time, but it only solidified our commitment to each other.
Finally, in July of 2020, we reunited in Queenstown, Ontario. A little over a year later, our daughter Velvet arrived. With our family growing, we started dreaming of a place to put down roots. We had been working on an “edible yard” in Queenstown, trying to use the little space we did have to pursue some of our gardening interests. Canada had become increasingly expensive, so we set our sights south, back to where Jess called home. We found our slice of heaven – a 5-acre farm with a big old barn, where we could build our forever homestead. We bought the farm sight unseen (Jess’ dad checked it out for us and gave it the fixer-upper thumbs up.) It’s a gamble we’re glad we made!
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I’m a filmmaker with a passion for gardening, and my wife is a culinary whiz with a knack for storytelling (thanks to her art degree and former life in entertainment PR). Together, we’re figuring out this whole self-sufficient living thing. We’re raising two horses named Jonesy and Chuckie, a sassy miniature pony named Play-Doh, a flock of 5 (soon-to-be 10) chickens, a couple of messy but loveable ducks, our dogs Ernie and Grace, a barn cat named Salem, and one kid chock full of personality!
We’re not the typical homesteading family. You won’t find Jess mucking stalls in a prairie dress (although, she might try), and you won’t find us quoting the good book (but we’re cool if you do!) We believe all people are created equal and deserve equal rights. Our homestead welcomes all genders, races, nationalities, and orientations. Everyone is welcome to put down roots and grow with us. Join us!
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Laying the Foundations of Your Homestead Dream
Love what we do? Now you can bring a little bit of Holler & a Half into your own home! Our Etsy shop is stocked with handcrafted goods, farm-inspired merch, and unique finds that reflect our love for simple, sustainable living.
