2012年，麦肯齐和她的丈夫开始种植15英亩的葡萄, utilizing government programs through the Farm Service Agency and United States Department of Agriculture, 向年轻农民提供补助金. They poured their hearts into the land in preparation for a 2015 opening season. 然后，大自然母亲介入了.

“There was a polar vortex in Michigan in 2014 and a late spring frost in 2015,” explains McKenzie. “我们最终在2015年失去了所有的作物，从2014年开始我们就受到了损害. 所以，连续两年我们的冬天都很糟糕. 我们本来是要开张的，结果我们损失了95%的收成.”

这对夫妇把一切都押在这次开幕上了. And by this point, they were starting their own family, so the pressure was even greater. 麦肯齐和她的丈夫被这一打击摧毁了. But they didn’t stay down for long and soon found a solution to keep their opening on schedule. 而不是使用他们自己的作物, they were forced to improvise and worked with another vineyard to purchase grapes to make their style of wine. 这使它们保持开放, start establishing a clientele and give their own crop some extra time to recover after the harsh winters.

到现在为止, 罗夫庄园酒庄 was officially in business and the couple was successfully pursuing their dream. 但对麦肯齐来说，困难仍在继续. 开业一年后, she was diagnosed with cancer and endured chemotherapy while starting a new business and taking care of four young children. McKenzie persevered, 虽然, and is grateful to now be cancer-free for five years.

“我们遇到了很多困难的挑战, 不胜枚举, 但你会找到正确的道路并接受它,麦肯齐说. “If you have an open mind, you will always find a way if that’s where your passion lies. You have to pause and realize that sometimes things seem worse than they actually are. 这是你不断努力的事情. Surrounding yourself with confident people in a positive environment is how you thrive.”

培育发展

罗夫庄园酒庄 is a labor of love, patience and determination for the Gallaghers. 自2011年以来, 他们开了一个品酒室, 扩大到33英亩的葡萄, 维护世代相传的樱桃园, 他们最近开始在一个小果园里生产苹果酒. 根据季节的不同，他们的员工在6到20人之间. They’re raising their kids with an appreciation for nature and strong work ethic, 让他们参与农场的日常活动.

In the wine business, every bottle, every crop, every year yields a different return. 这是麦肯齐在创建葡萄园时最先被吸引的品种. 一旦他们从第一个严冬中恢复过来, 他们能够生产自己的庄园种植的葡萄酒, “ground-to-glass.”

“我们是一家小批量酿酒厂, 所以我们只生产了5个,目前每年有000个病例, 这个数字将增加到8个左右,当所有葡萄园都满负荷生产时,麦肯齐解释道. “一切都来自我们的财产. Every vintage is going to be a little bit different because it's going to reflect on the heat that year, the rainfall and a million other variables that are going to show different nuances in the wine. 这是一模一样的葡萄藤，但每年的葡萄会有所不同.”

初露苗头的生意正在不断地成长和完善其实践, 拥抱麦肯齐和她丈夫近13年前的梦想. 虽然她在开放大学的旅程开始于一条略有不同的道路, 她相信她最终到达了命中注定的位置.

“My 社会学 degree has helped me in every aspect of owning my own business,” says McKenzie. “无论是与我们的客户还是员工互动. 我试着与人沟通，理解人, 它们从哪里来, 如何激励他们, 如何让他们参与进来, 这是一门艺术吗?. I don't know if I would’ve had those skills without learning so much about people.”

麦肯齐说:“你写自己的故事，开辟自己的道路。. “这是疯狂的15年，但我一点也不会改变.”