Why I Launched a Business in Athens and Limestone County, AL
A local farmer shares why this North Alabama region is the perfect place to start and grow your business.
The secret is out: The Athens and Limestone County region offers an unmatched quality of life, plus it’s a great place to start a business.
Kristen Stebbins, along with her husband, Jastin, and their four children, took a leap of faith to fulfill their lifelong dream of owning and operating a farm, Stebbins Family Farm. They moved from Washington state to Limestone County in 2022 and settled on 5 acres. Here’s what she had to say about building a business in Athens and Limestone County.
What drove your relocation to the Athens area?
We originally planned to go to Tennessee because we had friends there, and then my husband got a job offer in Huntsville.
We initially thought it would be too hot and humid, but we decided to look at it as an adventure and we moved there open to ideas and with the idea of taking the opportunity to make a change. We spent weekends looking for property within an hour of Huntsville, so we would drive and check land out without really knowing the area. When we came to Limestone County, I just thought ‘Wow, this is beautiful.’ We narrowed down our search and a friend of ours found this place, and it has been perfect.
What do you grow on your farm?
When you’re taking items to sell to the public, it’s hard getting your name out there as a new farm and starting a business when you don’t know anybody.
We partnered with another local farm, and I help them sell their meat, chicken and eggs, and I sell my baked goods and duck eggs. We also just started doing farm tours so people can see the produce that we grow and all of our animals. We have goats, pigs, ducks, chickens, guinea fowl, cows and sheep. The farm tours are something people were very interested in.
What are some resources you’ve used to start your business in Athens and Limestone County?
We do a lot of promotion on social media, and we all wear Stebbins Family Farm T-shirts and hats. I knew we had to get our name out there to let people know what we were doing, so I reached out to the Athens-Limestone Chamber of Commerce and the Limestone County Economic Development Association, and they were the ones who actually convinced us to do the farm tours. We’ve seen incredible growth from that in a very short period of time.
Get to Know Athens and Limestone County
Want to learn more about living and working in Athens and Limestone County, AL? Check out the latest edition of Livability Athens-Limestone County, Alabama.