REO Town Farm Stand in Lansing

Hello Beautiful Soul,

Welcome to my newest daring project!

Daring Enterprises LC3 is driven by social impact. We put health and well being of people and planet over profit. In Michigan, LC3, is a legal description for organizations that blend nonprofit and small business principles. Our goal is to provide monetary support to organizations already providing services to Trauma Survivors.

Our work focuses on raising awareness for Trauma Survivors through creativity, fitness, and mindful action. Currently, Daring Enterprises manages Petals + Tea (flower and tea shop), Zen Brain (meditative coloring), Cerebella Blossom Farms & Horsemanship (cut flower farm and humane education), and Michigan Tails & Trails (fitness for people and their pups). One hundred percent of the profit generated by our Daring Enterprises go to organizations helping Trauma Survivors heal and thrive.

Daring Enterprises LC3 is owned by Creative Genius and Brain Injury-Trauma Survivor, Rachael Loucks Nicol (yours truly). I have spent the past 3 years recovering from a car accident that flared my existing brain injury and added PTSD on top. Even today I am still learning to live with this new body of mine, the limitations it poses, and the reality of life as a disabled adult in my 30's. I have had to fight to stay alive. I have spent countless hours alone in my house trapped by severe sensory impairments and fear. I promised myself that if I could keep fighting and face my demons then I would spend the rest of my life doing what makes my soul happy, helping people and animals.

Here's were you come in. In December of 2017, I opened Petals + Tea inside the Reo Town Marketplace. Right now there are six independently owned shops inside the Marketplace. We have received an empowering, positive response from the community. Every day more and more people come to shop and support our small businesses. From the beginning I have planned to add a Farm Stand to the space Petals + Tea currently uses. To do this I need your help.  The funds raised will allow me to purchase produce, eggs, meat, and value added products like syrup and honey from local farms. I will work cooperatively with the farms to sell what they grow and raise. Every farm is unique with their own needs, challenges, and scale of operation. This is why I will create customized buy-sell contracts with each farm. For example Farm A only grows vegetables with the capacity to sell $500 worth of product each week. While Farm B raises livestock, produces eggs and veggies, with the capacity to sell $1000 worth of product each week. Farm C grows a variety of fruits and vegetables and only needs to have a centralized CSA pick-up for their customers. In order for the Farm Stand to serve all farms we have to approach each one with creativity and flexibility. My goal is for the REO Town Community to have access to locally grown and raised food, which they currently do not, and help farmers sell their products so they can do what they love best, farming.

Because of my disability I cannot do all of this alone. The money raised will allow me to hire two part-time employees, build farm product displays, install a DIY Walk-In Cool Bot Cooler (energy and cost efficient), and a chest freezer for meat storage.

The Reo Town Farm Stand will contract with Go Green Trikes to offer delivery of goods to people's work or home.

Let's be daring together and create positive change in our community!

Yours Truly,

Daring Rachael