East Riverside Farm

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Starting From the Beginning

2017 has come and gone and now we are on to the adventure that will be 2018! We thought, with the new year beginning we would introduce ourselves so that anyone who is new to our operation can get an idea of the people behind it. Hopefully, we can help even more people understand the world of modern agriculture and why we think we have the best job in the world!

John

Here John is carrying a heifer calf to a nice, warm place.

"We" are John and Emily Crain. We are both about 25 years old (we're less than 3 months apart in age) and both come from agricultural backgrounds. John has been begging for livestock since before he could talk and that hasn't changed much to this day! He's had everything from pigs, to sheep, to cattle in his parent's barn and has brought that philosophy to our current operation. His only rule is the animal has to make money and if we can make it work we can make a spot for them on our farm!

Emily

Emily (that's me!) was raised on a crop farm and fell in love with horses at an early age. I've had numerous horses, and one pony, through the years that have helped me explore a wide variety of riding styles. I've had the amazing opportunity to try jumping, dressage, western, hunt seat, saddleseat, and even took a driving class in college! We currently own two Tennessee Walking Horses by the name of Girl and Oliver who you will get to see pictures of occasionally.

Just one of the many costumes my horses and I have worn through the years!

How We Crossed Paths

We were both heavily involved in our local FFA chapters and contribute that to encouraging our love and respect for modern agriculture. Though we crossed paths numerous times at FFA conventions and events, we didn't really connect until our college years. We both attended and graduated from Michigan State University: John with a certificate in Agricultural Industries and Emily with a Bachelor's in Animal Science. We met our second year of college and two and a half years later were married. We started our current farm operation that year and have been growing and changing for the past two and a half years into the operation you see today.

Working together is something we've learned how to do very well

Along the way we've learned how to work as a team and how to divide and conquer. Operating a business can kill a relationship as easily as it can make it stronger so we have to consciously make the choice each day to strengthen our relationship through our work. We always make a point to work together effectively, efficiently, and with the same goal in mind for whatever task we may be completing. Through constant communication, a whole lot of familial support, and a bit of trial and error, we hope to continue on this path until we reach our dreams! 

Thank you for reading and we hope you come back often to stay updated on our family farming adventures throughout this year!

John and Emily Crain

We're in for the biggest adventure of all with this little guy!