Stephen is an IT guy working for Microsoft and a former chemist. Alissa is a stay-at-home mom and former mental health counselor. Sweet Waffle Farm is a labor of love that started when we stayed at a bed and breakfast that had chickens! While living in Fort Mill, SC, we decided to buy a plot of land in Blackstock, SC. We started raising chickens, ducks, guinea, turkeys, and quail, and we started growing apples, plums, pears, and berries. Our goal was to teach our children where their food comes from and the skills of small scale food production and business. We initially set up the business to sell eggs, honey, and chicken meat. Along the way, we added handmade soap and other bath and body products which now form the bulk of the business. Most of the products are made by Stephen, who enjoys putting his chemistry background to use. Our children, Jenna, Leah, and Christian, make some of the products and help to select other gift items to include in our online shop and pop-up markets. We named our farm after our first hen. Waffle is the buff colored chick pictured in the cover photo. While she was at our home in Fort Mill, SC, Stephen would sit on the back patio to read, and she would come sit in his lap. After we moved her to our farm in Blackstock, SC, she was always the sweetest of our hens. She would always follow us around and loved being picked up and cuddled. For now, Sweet Waffle Farm remains a hobby-business, and we enjoy going to local craft shows and selling online. We have dreams that one of these years, Stephen may be able to take an early retirement from Microsoft, and we will take Sweet Waffle Farm full-time.
