Today we’d like to introduce you to Kurtis & Dayana Cagle.
Hi Kurtis & Dayana, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
In 2016 we purchased a 1980’s fixer-upper with a crumbling barn on five acres. We hoped to raise our sons with a just a few chickens and then turn it into an event facility once the boys “flew the coop”. “Farm Math” occurred and the barnyard grew exponentially! It is now home to free-range chickens and ducks, goats, honey bees, and one precious pet pig named “Peaches”! As we developed the land with eco-friendly & organic practices, we built a treehouse for the boys with up-cycled windows from the DIY home renovation and it eventually was transformed into our first Eco-Farm Homestead overnight accommodation: @EdenTreehouse! Around the same time, we ventured into bus conversions and opened up the property to guests in July 2019 with a retro skoolie: @StayBirdBus! After our first month of hosting, we were convinced this was our calling: Create unique spaces for others to discover their purpose & pursue their dreams through rest, resourcefulness, creativity, & community. Whether guests are simply looking for a great getaway, or to gain knowledge of homesteading for their own future ventures, or to source local farm fresh goods, we are so thankful to have our small family farm supported by visitors far and wide!
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey have been a fairly smooth road?
Smooth road??? Ironically, one of the first literal pitfalls was our driveway! We didn’t anticipate that guest traffic in & out would deteriorate our driveway to the point where we would need to invest almost $10k in new asphalt! Outside of many financial setbacks, hospitality hosting & homesteading are extremely complex, but as with any venture “Nothing worth it ever comes easy!” Every day has its new challenges as animals and weather are unpredictable and every guest arrives with their own expectations for their stay. Navigating guest relations, farm development & productivity has become a lesson in how to “PIVOT!”; (yes, that’s FRIENDS reference). Almost every guest asks “How do just the four of you do it all?” and we always answer, “We just get up and do the next right thing.” Every day starts with animal care, followed by property maintenance and a DIY project for the long-term vision, while carrying the attitude of “Guest gets the best!”.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
Splendor Oaks is home to our family of four and a barnyard full of animals, honey bee apiary, micro orchard, organic gardens for cut flower production, as well as vegetables and medicinal herbs. Nestled in a rare agricultural zone of the Cherokee county suburbs on the Canton/Woodstock line, we are one minute away from Lake Allatoona which makes our farm stays also ideal for lake lovers to catch some time on the water (kayak rental & private chartered boat outings available seasonally). At this time, we have over 150 great reviews from our overnight guests in only a handful of accommodations, but over the past summer, we expanded our land footprint almost three-fold to fulfill our ever-growing vision. Honoring the land, its creatures, and provision is a core value in our approach to development. As we grow, we look most forward to creating an off-grid oasis in a 3-acre wood with salvaged and donated materials. Every space is made even more special, knowing it was created with the mindset of reuse, renew, and recycle! As we follow our passion for homemade hospitality and farm fresh goods, we hope to inspire and encourage others into doing the same for themselves while diversifying! Never put “all your eggs in one basket”!
What do you like best about our city? What do you like least?
We love how diverse Atlanta is! We were both raised just north of the city and greatly appreciate how multicultural it is. From one neighborhood to the next, you can discover a new flavor or friend! As most ATL residents can agree, the only downside is our traffic and transit system, but if you live here long enough, you will learn how to work around those obstacles!
Contact Info:
- Email: info@splendoroaks.com
- Website: www.splendoroaks.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/splendoroaks/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SplendorOaks/
Image Credits:
Annette McNamara @beautifulstrenth_org & Brittany Sweat @brittanysweat
