What’s summer in the country without a good ole fashioned swimming hole? Our neighbor Megan, who grew up around here and knows these woods like the back of her hand, has been telling us about a secret swimming hole she found while wading the Tallaseehatchee, which borders the back of the property. A couple of weeks ago she took us there and, despite the chilly, spring-fed water, we all dove right in — dogs included!
In 2009, our family embarked on a little adventure when we purchased 34 acres in rural Alabama to provide an escape from the pressures of work and city living as well as a retirement home for our horses. Since then, we’ve simply referred to it as “the farm” or jokingly “Our Green Acres” because we had absolutely no idea what we were doing – but knew we had to do it anyway.
We also struggled with what to name the place and thought on that for a long time. But nothing ever felt right or true. So we waited, figuring the land would eventually tell us. And on a beautiful but bittersweet day last spring it did, just after losing our beloved horse Merlin. Drawing from the land’s rich heritage and celebrating the memory of this incredible horse, we settled on the old Creek Indian word for horse – “Cerakko.” Horse farm…Merlin’s farm. The answer was right in front of us the entire time.
But beyond just naming the farm, we wanted to do something bigger. Something to say thank you to people we’ve met along our journey…friends who embraced these “city folk” and showed them the way. We wanted to pay tribute to the country sages, farmers, artists and tradesmen and use Cerakko Farm as a small gesture for doing so – by creating a small farm lifestyle brand that showcases the beauty of honest living, hard work and nature’s splendor. No matter where we all are…on airplanes, in big cities, back woods, or just sitting on the porch with folks we love…these days so many of us crave authentic experiences and things that remind us of our childhood, carefree days and simple living.
So welcome to The Cerakko Farm Project. We hope you’ll visit our site from time to time and see what custom products we’ll be featuring. And if you’re so inclined, please support our family of artists by purchasing something for yourself, your own family or a friend. Sales proceeds benefit community non-profits like The Red Barn Foundation in Leeds, Ala., which gives safe haven to rescue horses and provides equine therapy to disadvantaged or disabled children.
While we have day jobs just like you, we’ll try to keep the Mercantile stocked with interesting gifts for you to enjoy and share from established and emerging artists throughout the South. We plan to restock every quarter and eventually more often in the future. Availability will sometimes depend on the artists and their ability to offer more products (most of them have day jobs, too), so please be patient if we’re ever sold out.
And speaking of friends, this project would not be possible were it not for the faith and enthusiasm of those who believed in the vision and pushed us forward. Our most special thanks to Betsy Burts who drew the farm logo featuring Merlin, grazing peacefully on green acres during his retirement years. To Jessica Karp – she quickly grasped the concept and painstakingly built the website and general store. And to all the artists who jumped on board to create beautiful, limited edition products for the launch. We hope you’ll enjoy browsing their works and learning more about them and their passions.
Here’s to your own passions, happy things and joyful living!
Claudia
claudia@cerakkofarm.com
Hoofnote: We decided to officially launch this venture on the 80th birthday of Sarah McKneally. Sarah owns Linden Hill Farm in Hartwell, Ga., and was Merlin’s caretaker for many years…long before he had a farm of his own. Happy Birthday, Sarah! We love you.
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We recently had a little company retreat at our place with some special friends, big and small. On the last day before everyone headed home, we traveled down the road to pick blueberries at a local farm. The whole experience was rather like a moving meditation…it was a radiant summer day, we had the farm all to ourselves, and the only other noises we could hear (over Enrique’s shrieks of delight) were the sounds of country. And each of us found ourselves wandering off from time to time to bask in the sunshine — and the moment.
This week marks the 5th anniversary of our so-called farm life. And we’ll celebrate by having friends over from the city because sharing a little slice of the country is what we love doing most.
Looking back, many of our adventures – and misadventures – have been chronicled here for all to see. So we thought it’d be fun to share some favorite posts from the past few years. And as we prepare to embark on the next five years who knows what will happen? But we’ll continue to keep you updated on that journey while sharing happy things all along the way. So thanks for following. Here’s to discovering more of your own happy places – and greener pastures – in the days to come.
Five years and a few favorite posts…
2009 – ‘Gunnite, Talladega and a Diver’
2010 – ‘Buyer’s Remorse-less’
2011 – ‘Heaven Sent’
2012 – ‘A Diner, a Stranger, and then a Friend’
2013 – ‘A Day on the Down’
And a bonus: ‘Country Calm’
P.S. To mark the 5th anniversary, we have something fun in ‘store’ which we’ll tell you about this fall!
On weeknights, when it’s quiet and all the animals are put to bed, we finally turn on the TV and start flipping through channels to unwind. And for some reason, we always stop at WEAC TV 24 when there’s music playing at Dugger Mountain Music Hall. On the third Saturday night of each month, this ministry for families in crisis opens its doors to the community to come enjoy supper and hear great music at no charge. Today, the show can also be seen on Heartland network and Alabama Public Television. Funny enough, last time we tuned in there was our electrician, Rick G., playing bass guitar. He’s also the sound engineer. It really is a small world ’round here.
Go see singer/songwriter Kelli Johnson when she takes the stage July 26. More at duggermountainmusic.com.
Original, Handmade Block Prints
$17.00 – $32.50
Hand Forged Wine Cradle
$75.00
Farm Fresh Candle
$20.00
