I was born and raised in the hills of West Virginia, where hard work wasn't something you talked about, it was simply a way of life.

 

Growing up, our family had a farm surrounded by rolling mountains, pastures, and woods.  We raised animals, planted gardens, put up hay through the hot summer months, and spent our falls hunting the same ridges that generations before us had hunted.  Some of my earliest memories are riding tractors, feeding livestock, working in the garden, and stacking hay until the sun went down.

 

Those years taught me lessons that have stayed with me my entire life: work hard, take care of what you've been given, and leave things better than you found them.

 

After high school, I chose a different path and joined the United States Marine Corps.  What started as a young man's decision to serve his country turned into a career.  During that time, I traveled the world, deployed to combat zones, led Marines through difficult challenges, and eventually retired in 2018.

 

While the Marines took me far from the farm, I never forgot where I came from.  The values I learned growing up in West Virginia; discipline, resilience, self-reliance, and family, were the same values that helped me succeed throughout my military career.

 

After the Marine Corps, my family and I settled in Texas.  Like many veterans, I found myself drawn back to the lifestyle I knew as a kid.  The open land, the quiet mornings, the satisfaction of building something with your own hands.  It all felt familiar.

 

That dream eventually became Leisure Family Farm.  Today, we're building our farm one project at a time.  From constructing our barn house and working the land with our tractor to planting gardens and raising our son to appreciate where food comes from, we're creating the kind of life we believe matters most.

 

Leisure Family Farm isn't just about growing vegetables or maintaining acreage.  It's about preserving a way of life.  It's about family, faith, hard work, and passing those values on to the next generation.

 

The farm may be in East Texas now, but its roots will always trace back to the hills of West Virginia.

 

And we're just getting started.

Shilan's story begins in California, but her family's roots run deep in the hills of West Virginia.

 

Her father was born and raised in West Virginia before his family moved west to California when he was young.  Although he left the mountains behind, he never left behind the values he learned there.  He passed those values on to Shilan; hard work, determination, self-reliance, and the importance of family.

 

Growing up, Shilan learned that nothing worthwhile comes easy.  Whether it was school, work, or life's challenges, she was taught to approach everything with dedication and perseverance.

 

After high school, she chose to serve her country by joining the United States Marine Corps.  The Marines strengthened the work ethic and resilience she already possessed while teaching her leadership, discipline, and service to something greater than herself.  Following her time on active duty, she continued serving by joining the National Guard, carrying on her commitment to both country and community.

 

While military service was an important chapter of her life, some of her greatest passions have always been found outdoors.

 

Shilan loves working the land, camping under the stars, exploring nature, and spending time with family. She finds peace in the simple things; watching the sunrise over the property, tending to the garden, caring for the farm, and creating a life connected to the outdoors.

 

Today, one of her greatest joys is raising her son, Tristan.  As a homeschooling mother, she believes that some of life's most valuable lessons can't always be found in a classroom.  The farm provides endless opportunities for hands-on learning, teaching Tristan responsibility, patience, problem-solving, and an appreciation for where food comes from.  Whether he's helping in the garden, exploring the property, learning about wildlife, or simply spending time outdoors, the farm has become an extension of his education.

 

For Shilan, Leisure Family Farm is more than a piece of land.  It's a place where family traditions are built, lessons are passed from one generation to the next, and a simpler way of life can be preserved in an increasingly busy world.  The values that began in West Virginia, traveled through California, and were strengthened through military service are now taking root in East Texas, where faith, family, hard work, and a love of the outdoors continue to guide the next chapter of her story.