Growing up in farming families, Andrew and Anna Stroud share a deep connection to the land. After years of searching for their perfect piece of property, they found their dream farm with the help of a family friend. This wasn’t a typical real estate transaction, though. The Strouds were chosen because the previous owners wanted the property to remain a working farm. That shared value, and the sense of community that comes with it, became the foundation of Andrew and Anna’s new life.
A Legacy of Farming and Hard Work
Andrew and Anna both understand the value of the rural lifestyle. While Andrew works as a primary care doctor and Anna has taken over her late father’s insurance agency, they still find time to help out on their families’ farms. They are committed to passing on the same lessons they learned growing up rurally to their own children.
“Ever since I was a kid, I dreamed of having this farm; even if I wasn't the one farming it,” Andrew said. “I knew I wanted to be on the farm and have my kids grow up the way I did.” The couple believe that growing up with a strong work ethic, learned through chores like tending to fence lines and hauling hay, is a powerful tool for success.
Their new property offers endless opportunities for their children to learn these values firsthand. Instead of being glued to screens, their kids can explore the creek, run in the fields and get their hands dirty helping with chores. These simple moments are creating lasting memories and building a foundation of hard work and respect for the land.
Finding their Forever Home
Andrew and Anna’s journey to finding their forever home was built on two key things: patience and sacrifice. For years, they saved money and made compromises, knowing they were waiting for the right property.
“Our dream is a property that can bring people to agriculture and become a good, safe place for our kids, their friends and our future grandkids,” Anna said. When they finally found what would become their own property, they were ecstatic. While they had planned to wait to build, the passing of Anna’s father led them to move forward with the project.
Now, they are in the process of building their dream modern farmhouse—one they’ve been designing in their heads for years. The property isn’t just for them; it’s a space for their entire family. Anna’s mother, Jill, is also building a house on the land. “I like the idea that I'm building a house on the corner of this big land that they own,” she said. “I know the girls are already talking about who's going to live in Mimi's house one day.” This multigenerational arrangement reflects their commitment to family and their desire to stay connected to their roots.
Partnership and Community
The Strouds attribute much of their success to their strong community connections. They were able to purchase their property because the previous owners trusted them to keep it a working farm. That partnership-first mindset also guided their financing decision. They chose to work with Rural 1st for their construction loan because of a long-standing relationship built on trust and a shared understanding of rural life. Andrew’s family has worked with Rural 1st and Farm Credit Mid-America for years, and Anna grew up with their loan officer, Roger Hauke.
The Strouds found the entire financing process seamless. “Working with Rural 1st has been the easiest part of it, to be honest with you,” Andrew said.
“It was just a really smooth process,” Anna added. “Roger and his whole team were very easy to communicate with.”
This partnership allowed them to focus on building their home and creating a future for their family: a future rooted in the land, hard work and the tight-knit rural community that helped make it all possible.
Interested in building a rural home of your own? Connect with a Rural 1st loan officer today to learn more.
