We had the good fortune of connecting with Jill Spruance and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Jill, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
I like to think of myself as the reluctant entrepreneur because when I began this journey in 2010, my thought wasn’t necessarily that it would become a business, but that it would definitely be a place where people would want to come and gather and enjoy the property. I had been a homeschool mom for 15 years, at which point I had worked myself out of a job. I did not want our five-acre parcel of land to be unproductive, so I began researching what we could do with the property to make it work more for our family. Sooooo I bought two goats, planted a tremendous garden and planted more fruit trees. We already had chickens. After the realization that two goats provided a surplus of milk after creating yogurt, cheese and fresh milk for everybody, I looked for other things to do with it because there was NO WAY that stuff was going down the drain! Six months later we used the first bars of goat’s milk soap and determined that very day it was to be a product. Our skin had never felt better.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
Sanctuary… this is the word that came up many times over the years long before Basilwood was even in our minds. It was the word friends, family & visitors would use when describing how they felt when they were here. And that was the “experience” we wanted to convey when our business was hatched. The goal was to share this sense with visitors. Goats & soap were the vehicles that brought them here. It was the way we could share what we had found here with others. Was it easy? Absolutely not. Was it worth it? YES! Overcoming challenges requires the absolute ability to pivot like a ballerina and to not hold too tightly to your “plan” because it can literally change on a dime. Always keep your primary vision at the heart of your decisions so that you don’t lose sight of why you are doing what you’re doing. Our goal was never to make as much money as we possibly could. If it was, we would be doing something else. Rather, it was to spread joy in our community by sharing something we had created within our little slice of Heaven and share it with others.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
We are 90 minutes from three National Parks – Yosemite, Sequoia & Kings Canyon. Also, 30-45 minutes to two of the most beautiful lakes and hiking trails in California – Shaver Lake & Huntington Lake. China Peak Ski Resort is open in the winter as well. Old Town Clovis (30 minutes “down the hill”) is home to wonderful small shops, restaurants and breweries. Heirloom Eats & Annesso Pizza in Fresno just 45 minutes away. And of course, just hanging out at the farm and playing with the goats is enough for most people – LOL!

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
My Mom who always believed I could do whatever I set my mind to… and I believed her! And Amanda Venegas who showed up here at 4 a.m. one morning in February 2013 to do a piece for Made in the Valley with ABC 30 news. Her story that day and her love for the Central Valley transformed our business over night.

Website: basilwoodfarm.com

Instagram: @basilwood

Facebook: @basilwoodfarm

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