Sunny Creek Meats
About Us - History
Our Humble Beginnings
In 1996 Steve and Tammy Schotthofer started their first small farm in a small river valley in Central Illinois. The farm’s name was Echo Hills Farm. The narrow valley typically echoed a quick voice command back at the sender upon a quick delivery. The farm was started with 4 sheep, Laying hens, Organic Vegetables, hay and straw. The fledgling enterprise quickly flourished. By it’s 2nd year there was a need for more space. The meat business was established providing gourmet lamb to a small private local clientele. Our daughter Stephanie’s eggs were always sold out and our vegetables raised by the entire family of 3 wonderful daughters and Tammy and I were so successful that one of our clients air freighted our sweet corn to the West Coast as corporate gifts. We sold heritage tomatoes, fresh greens, new potatoes, fresh peas, green beans, and sweet corn as well as pumpkins, corn stalks and straw bales in the Fall. One day Tammy and I baled over 800 straw bales on a neighboring farm to sell to our Fall and Winter customers. The kids had 2 horses and a POA that was their special recreation on weekends and evenings, when they were not busy with homework and farm chores.
The Transition
In 1998 Tammy and Steve decided to close 3 of their 4 small businesses and follow a dream to farm full time. Tammy was a professional accountant for many years and Steve a successful General Contractor for 25 years. They both operated a small floorcovering and specialty millwork business as well. All 4 businesses were operated simultaneously along with raising a quickly growing family of 3 daughters. In the Spring of 1998 Tammy and Steve took a leap of Faith and contracted to purchase a 180 acre ridgetop farm in Buffalo County Wisconsin. Farm ground was too expensive in Central Illinois, so expansion in Illinois was not feasible, besides Tammy was a native to Wisconsin being born in the “Ringling Brothers” hospital in Baraboo Wisconsin. Tammy’s family all came from Central Wisconsin and there was a lure to return to the “Badger State” that was home to a more European style of Country living aka the deep valleys and rolling hills. Steve was strongly attracted to Wisconsin as well and was eager to leave the Illinois Prairies behind for a change of both climate and scenery. Steve and Tammy had 6 months to sell their property in Illinois, or else they would be forced to sell their new venture in Wisconsin. Steve’s lenders made a bridge loan for 6 months. It had to be paid off by September of that year. The entire Schotthofer family went into marketing mode and was blessed with the sale of their Illinois property within a few short months. The next life event was the “Big Move” to the new Farm and a drastic change in lifestyle as well.
Promised Land Farm
In August of 1998 the family officially became residents of Wisconsin. Steve had an immense task ahead of him in equipping a new farm and establishing livestock as well. Going from farming approx. 12 acres to making hay on 150 acres was in and of itself a lifechanging experience for Steve. The sheep flock grew exponentially in the first 6 months. Several expansion flocks were purchased and hay was now being made from early Spring to well into November of each year. The farm was equipped with a fleet of 25 to 28 year old equipment. Much of what Steve still operates with today. One year Steve operated both of the Tractors over 500 hours each – that was a record. That year he literally lived on wheels. By midway into 1999 the family was in need of a larger market for their blossoming sheep flock. Lamb was still sold to clients in Illinois that 1st year. In June of 1999 the Family officially joined the St. Paul Farmers Market as the exclusive gourmet lamb vendor. In the upcoming years most all of the farm’s lamb production was retailed to clients at St. Paul Minnesota. Tammy was in the twin cities 3 days a week selling lamb – St. Paul on Sat. and Sun. and Burnsville on Tuesday. At one time Tammy and one of our daughters vended in Rochester Minnesota at that Market, while Steve and another daughter vended in St. Paul and the third daughter tended the entire farm on market days. Every member of the family contributed 150% to grow and develop the Promised Land Farm enterprise. The 3 girls all spent their college days selling lamb at the markets on their weekends. Lamb was sold 12 months of the year, it was not a seasonal product, thus we grew the flock to 1,000 head at it’s high point. In 2006 it was decided to slow down a bit and exit the lamb business. Our superior sheep genetics were literally sold to all corners of the U.S... A Certified Organic Jersey herd was established in the place of the 1,000 sheep. The Jersey herd was operated at about 60 head. The Organic milk buyer became unsteady in 2009 and once again Steve and Tammy were faced with the challenge of another change.
Another Transition/Change on the horizon
By 2009 the 3 girls had all graduated from College. The entire family had worked very diligently on the Wisconsin farm for over 10 years and now it was time for the girls to follow their dreams. Steve and Tammy traveled to SW Missouri in 2009 to look at small farms there. The Wisconsin farm took a lot of support service to keep it operating during the long Winter season, and that was expensive for a small farm operation. Since the Organic Milk market had literally collapsed in 2008/2009, it was prompting big changes for the Schotthofer family. By the year 2009, all 3 daughters moved to upstate New York – 1 worked for a Children’s Hospital, 1 worked for a Dairy support enterprise and the 3rd attended Cornell as a Grad and later a P.H.D. student. Steve and Tammy were destined to end up in the Missouri Ozarks after selling their Certified Organic Dairy farm in Wisconsin to another Organic farmer who wanted to expand his enterprise. The 6 month long Winter’s on the ridgetop had become too much to handle for 2 people.
The New Horizon
In January of 2010 Steve and Tammy landed in the Missouri Ozarks on a small 82 acre Webster County farm. Another herd of Certified Organic Jersey cattle and a small flock of sheep came with time. The History of the farm goes back to Civil War times and past owners have been sympathizers to both sides of that unsettled period in our Great Nations history.
Steve and Tammy quickly went to work to resurrect and transform their turn of the century hog and Dairy farm into an operating livestock and hay farm. This farm is called Schotthofer’s Sunny Creek Farm, appropriately named after the small seasonal creek that runs across the bottom of our sun-drenched pastures. The first order of business was soil testing the new farm and laying in place a plan to certify it Organic. Tammy diligently worked at tearing out ancient hog pens, while Steve worked at clearing away old hog houses, brush and the laying out of a new farm operation. A small orchard was planted early on. In the Fall of 2015 the farm was finally ready to introduce a small herd of 42 Jersey heifers.
Throughout the last 13 years Steve and Tammy have put in miles of new fences, thousands of feet of new water and electric lines and established a thriving herd of Jersey Cattle, a small flock of sheep, and a small herd of Heritage hogs. 3 of the old historic barns are set to be remodeled and repurposed, 1 has yet to be decided. A new storage shed was constructed to house farm equipment to protect it from the weather and elements. Our House is an ongoing project. Steve was a successful General Contractor/Homebuilder for 25 years (in Illinois) so the house on our farm is a project that has incorporated lumber and timbers and various other artifacts from different Schotthofer owned farms dating back to before Steve and Tammy were born. Part of the framing materials in the house are from a turn of the century Printing plant that Steve repaired and remodeled back in Chillicothe Illinois. When the House is finished, it will contain many very unique attributes. Lots of projects are in motion on our small farm, including a new Silvo pasture/ wildlife habitat.
We may now reside in the “Show Me State”, however we would prefer to “Show You” what all we have to offer you from our small family farm.
Come Visit Us Soon !
Schotthofer’s Sunny Creek Farm LLC
SunnyCreekMeats.com
Steve & Tammy Schotthofer
2878 State Highway EE
Elkland, Missouri 65644
417-630-1456 - Steve’s Cell Phone
417-859-0101 - Office Phone
Email: SunnyCreekMeats@gmail.com
www.SunnyCreekMeats.com