Today we’d like to introduce you to Stephanie Stine
Hi Stephanie, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
Hearing of the need for quality, affordable food and familiarity with one’s home country inspired the creation of Envision Acres Farm– a fully-functioning farm that exists to educate, employ, and empower our local refugee community while developing and training missional leaders creatively through agriculture. We are a part of the Christian & Missionary Alliance serving with Envision in Atlanta as a US-based ministry site. The desire to help the refugee community of Clarkston, GA, and surrounding cities launched the search for property that could serve this community and be a place that would feel like home. In December of 2020, the farm property was purchased and work started immediately to create something beautiful, a farm with a purpose to serve. Currently, Envision Acres Farm is home to goats, sheep, chickens, and a large garden.
Serving in this way combines my husband’s and my passions beautifully. While farming was part of his DNA, it was not in mine by a longshot. But it is now where I love to call home, and our community is worth the dirt and hard work!
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
There have been challenges along the way, but the love of our community urges us always to press on. We have learned that farming comes with intense challenges as animals get sick, plants may die, and there may be no indicator of why. Farming also comes with a financial burden as well. Needed equipment, fencing materials, livestock feed, and many other necessities are not inexpensive. A wise man once told us, “If you want to have $1 million in the bank farming, start with $2 million.” Funding can be difficult, but we are thankful to always have positive years!
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
Envision Atlanta serves the needs of the refugee community while developing missional leaders in a multicultural setting through innovative ministry strategies and short-term mission opportunities. Our site has served the refugee community since 2017, and the farm portion of the ministry since 2020. Envision Atlanta aims to see the lives of refugee neighbors transformed personally and spiritually, and missional leaders developed holistically. Envision Atlanta as a whole serves the refugee community through ESL, After-School, Envision Acres Farm, Gospel Outreach, and partners with other local organizations.
What was your favorite childhood memory?
Family is everything, and times spent with family are some of my best memories. I remember summer vacations to Pennsylvania visiting most of my family enjoying every minute and taking in the significantly cooler temperatures than my home state of Florida. Togetherness, beautiful scenery, and fireflies made the summers sweet.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.envisionatlanta.org/ and https://www.envisionacresfarm.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/envisionacresfarm/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/envisionacresfarm
Image Credits
Stephanie Stine
