Lisa Cram has built a long career in the law enforcement industry, and as she is nearing retirement, she has big plans for how she is going to spend it!
Lisa comes from a deep-rooted agricultural family with generations of farming experiences. Growing up, she was one of four daughters who were raised in a vegetable and nursery operation. Lisa grew up hearing stories of her grandparent’s dairy and swine farms and as a little girl, always wanted animals. Being raised in rural Jackson County on an agricultural farm with an open-air market, her whole family was involved with different parts of the operation. Being raised with a soft spot for livestock, Lisa knew she wanted to get back into agriculture at some point but never knew when. She shared, “The plan all started about three years ago, at that time we lived at the lake and had hoped we could sell that and move.”
In between her dream land and her current home, she spent much of her time researching what her niche could be. While searching, she found a group called Cowgirl Confident. The group offers support for agriculturists anywhere in their journey. “It was very cool because I saw somebody like me that had very little knowledge in the industry and could ask any question and nobody was judging for it,” Lisa enthused!
When Lisa retires in 2026, she plans to officially kick off her agritourism operation. Lisa was also able to get a head start on her retirement plan with her land purchase and home mortgage through GreenStone. The plan is to welcome farm visitors with unique glamping spaces, livestock interactions, and other rural experiences focused on making memories and smiles as she officially launches. All pieces of the farm will be intentionally chosen, to keep the guest experience top priority. “It’s all about the experience,” Lisa stated as she explained her hopes for the land.
Over the years, the Cowgirl Confident group has grown larger and there have been various conferences and events hosted to connect their community.
Earlier this year, when she found GreenStone’s CultivateGrowth grant, she excitedly took advantage of one of the group’s events. “This year I said, that’s it. I’m a year away from kicking off and it’s time to really get serious and learn a whole lot more.” Using the grant, she was able to attend a Cowgirl Confident event in Oklahoma!
Lisa and the Cowgirl Confident Group!
The event was focused on bringing their community together and talking about the various types of cattle operation but had a variety of different sessions to choose from. The event ranged from business advice, to agritourism planning, bovine reproduction, and even the renowned Dr. Temple Grandin made an appearance as the keynote speaker for her work in animal husbandry. In addition, Lisa was able to network with other producers from around the country. “There was just so much valuable information to take away,” Lisa noted.
After the conference and with her community of Cowgirls, Lisa feels more set in her plans for retirement next year. She plans to keep being intentional and looking out for any furry additions as she prepares for the official launch of her agritourism operation.
GreenStone is proud to support up and coming farmers like Lisa as they reach for their dreams. To learn more about our CultivateGrowth program and grant for young, beginning, or small farmers, click here.
