The Heart Behind the Acres
The dream of Ends in E Acres began in 2021 when my family, my husband: Joe, our children: Allie and Gabe, and I, took a leap of faith and moved to our property in Capron, Illinois. We had always dreamed of owning land, growing our own food, raising animals, and creating a life with a little more room to breathe.
We purchased our slightly expensive unique fixer-upper, a fancy way of saying we bought a money pit, and jumped right in. We fixed up the barn, added a fence and welcomed more animals than we ever imagined. Slowly, we began uncovering the beauty and potential of this special place. As we worked to restore the property, I found myself spending more and more time walking our trails and connecting with nature. It was there that my own connection with nature deepened and a bigger vision for our property began to take shape.
The name Ends in E Acres started simply because all four of our names end in the letter E. Over time, though, the name came to mean something much more. During a season of change, three words continued to find their way into my life: Love. Hope. Grace. And, fittingly, they all end in E.
Those words became the heart of Ends in E Acres:
Lead with Love. Inspire Hope. Live with Grace.
There is still plenty of work to be done around here, and probably always will be, but that's part of the story. Ends in E Acres is a dream that continues to grow through our desire to use what we have been blessed with to be a blessing to others.
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Meet the Founder: Michelle Marella
I believe we all need places where we can slow down, feel safe, and simply be. The forest has become that place for me.
Through my own journey, I discovered Forest Therapy and the restorative power of intentionally spending time in nature. It helped me see that the land we had been blessed with could become more than our family’s home. It could be a place we share with others!
My heart has always been drawn to creating spaces where people feel seen, heard, connected, and included. That passion, along with my certification as a Forest Therapy Guide and experience as a Group Fitness Instructor, has given me the opportunity to help others discover their own connection with nature, creativity, and community.
Today, my vision continues to grow at Ends in E Acres through the simple opportunity to slow down and connect.
With Love, Hope and Grace,
Michelle