Today we’d like to introduce you to Kelly & Ben Woodall
Hi Kelly & Ben, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
My husband and I started dreaming about having a gathering space over a decade ago. We had dreams of being entrepreneurs even in our early 20’s. Dreaming about how we could offer a service in a fresh new way, that made people feel welcomed, seen, and cared for. We had a couple false starts over the years, thinking it was the right time, but doors would close and we could see the writing on the wall, that it was a “no for now”, until finally in 2019 we found ourselves moving back closer to our birth place in Ohio, and a little bit of rural America. So we started our search for the perfect property to be able to host people for special events in their lives. It took about 10 months, but we came upon a sweet little slice of heaven. Sure it was a little rough around the edges, but we were accustomed to finding the diamonds in the rough through many years of renovating the old homes we lived in over the past twenty years. So we started the process of getting the zoning right on this property, so it would be possible to host events here, this was an undertaking that we are so grateful that we didn’t fully know. It literally took 3 years, we learned a lot, cried a lot and learned a lot, did I say “cried”? ha, ha, ha… It’s not been easy, but through some serious blood sweat and tears our little dream slowly became a reality. Literally one long day at a time. On the other side of the craziness that was bringing a 170 year old barn into the 21st century, and complying with the state safety codes, we are so very happy that we didn’t give up. Fast forward to present day and we just celebrated 100 weddings here back in November, 2024. We still pinch ourselves that we get to be a part of such incredible people’s lives on one of the most important days of their lives.
side note- lots more fun details, but this is the overview.
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?
The biggest struggle was literally having faith for all if it. It was a huge undertaking, the entire property needed renovated, not just the barn, but the farmhouse, where we live now, and the grounds overall. We hired engineers and architects to help along the way, thinking we would just shore things up a bit, but it has been so much more work, and soooo much more money then we could’ve ever imagined. I’m a registered nurse, my husband is a Navy veteran who has worked on the process management side of automotive manufacturing for the past 17 years. We both felt called to leave those day jobs to put all of our heart and efforts into this dream, and that was not an easy decision to make. Our family and friends pitched in with their talents and skills and even money when we needed it most. We borrowed from our 401k’s and exhausted our bank accounts to get to where we are today, and we truly have no regrets. We are so grateful for everyone that has come along side us on this journey.
Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about Cedar Bay Farm?
Cedar Bay Farm is a gathering place in Lebanon, OH. We host weddings, concerts, worship events and beyond. Our biggest focus is caring very well for the people that are using our farm, we want their experience to be one that they will not soon forget. Whether that be just greeting them on their arrival and showing them to their destination on the property, or producing their dream wedding with them, we want them to know that they are going to be seen, heard, and cared for in a way that we would care for our own families. We are so proud of the way that we have cared for this property and brought it back to life over the past 5 years. We love opening this place up to the community, whether that be to local churches or our surrounding sports teams, we love giving back to the beautiful community we get to live in.
We’re always looking for the lessons that can be learned in any situation, including tragic ones like the Covid-19 crisis. Are there any lessons you’ve learned that you can share?
We purchased the property in April of 2020, so our noses were to the grindstone working hard during the Covid season in our Country. We did however carefully consider how we could host outdoor events on the farm in the open air for gatherings that were safely permitted.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.cedarbayfarm.com
- Instagram: @cedarbayfarm
- Facebook: Cedar Bay Farm
- Other: Podcast on Apple/Spotify “Vendors & Lovers”
