In February 2020, I could tell you exactly what cuts we would have in a month and exactly how much meat we would sell in a month. The customers were steady and we were running like a well-oiled machine.

In March 2020, our entire business would flip on its head. We sold out of ground beef and we had never sold out of ground beef. We had customers literally fighting for our product in the parking lot of D&M Market. In the rain. Coming sideways, like in Forrest Gump.

Never did I think I was essential at anything. But all of the sudden we were as popular toilet paper. My mom had never been so proud. She wanted a trophy with a human behind on it that had my name on a plate and the title “As Essential As Toilet Paper” under it. (Stop. And mentally picture my trophy, please.)

Covid has been a curse to so many and in some ways, it has to us as well. But as author Rick Riodan said, “Out of every tragedy, comes new strength.”

We had to “pivot” quickly (the most OVERUSED word in 2020 if you are/were a business owner). We shifted from in-person sales to deliveries and thrived. Our tiny little meat business was put on the map with TV interviews on how we were dealing with the local meat demand, with front covers and features on regional and national print publications and numerous podcast interviews.

Covid opened the eyes to so many new Pilaroc customers. We welcomed those customers that said, “Hey, there is NO meat on the shelves in the grocery store. Hmmm…where else could we get meat?” Of course, our concern wasn’t only our meat supply but retaining those customers once we did get more meat. But as we’ve always said, once you try our meat you’ll never go back.

We’ve gained so many new friends and fostered old relationships which have become treasures in our daily lives.

We bought a farm. We. Bought. A. Farm. We decided what we want to be when we grow up. (My dreams of being a truck driver are finally laid to rest.)

We are taking a HUGE leap, bringing our faith to the forefront, and hoping that if we build it, YOU WILL COME. It makes me want to hurl just thinking of what our business will look like by the end of 2021. I’m so nervous! I would say I started biting my nails from the anxiety, but that would be a lie because I’ve been chewing on my nails since my first tooth came in.

Because of the farm purchase, our family will be closer and tighter than ever. And we will be closer and tighter than ever with you, the customer, our friend.

Thank you, dear customer/friend. Thank you for putting up with our meat shortages in 2020. Thank you for putting up with our ground beef that came packaged 3,258 different ways because we were using 3,258 different butchers during the height of the meat shortage.

Thank you for continuing to spread the word to your family, friends, neighbors, hair stylists, mailman and anyone that will listen about where you get your awesome meat from. Thank you for continuing to order and show up in our meat wagon. And thank you for continuing to place value on what we are trying to do for you.

Some are saying to slide into 2021 real quite like. But, if you know me, you know that is not my style. I don’t have a quite button.

Here’s to remembering where we came from and how we got here. Here’s to new beginnings. And here’s to bacon. All the bacon you could ever want. It’s coming. Soon.

And I’ll drink to that. Cheers!