HOLMDEL - Though South American native Carla Bushey and her Monmouth County-born husband Richard grew up over 3,000 miles apart, they shared a love of nature, animals and family.

And their launch of Oak Hill Farms as an online business in 2018 and a brick-and-mortar location in Holmdel in 2020 perfectly represents their passions and their desire to share them with the community.

“I come from a very tight-knit family that loved spending time together and gathering over food,” said Carla, 40, of her Peruvian heritage. “Our country is rich in culture and has everything —– ocean, mountains and jungle —– so I grew up very proud of the natural bounty that we offer to the world.”

Well-traveled and possessing a self-described “adventurous and independent” spirit, “I came to the U.S. when I was 18 to attend culinary school and graduated from the Culinary Institute of America (CIA) in Hyde Park, New York, and then the Institute of Culinary Education (ICE) in Manhattan,” she said.

Family trade:Over 97 years, sales at Manalapan's Millhurst Mills have changed, but not the family

Growing up a continent away in Middletown, “everything was about nature and the world around me,” recalled Rich, 50, of a childhood spent on the beach, fishing or running around barefoot outside. Like other members of his family, he secured his electrician’s license after high school and eventually became a construction manager with K. Hovnanian, developing land and building award-winning communities throughout New Jersey for over 25 years.

Working long hours as a chef in hotels, private restaurants and catering companies and in search of an opportunity that would allow her more time to spend with her two daughters from her previous marriage, Carla was ready for a change when she met Rich in 2010. “We loved each other’s views on life, saw that we had a future together, and got married in 2014,” she said.

As it turned out, Rich was ready to pursue a new path as well. Managing high-profile projects while dealing with stressful daily commutes to North Jersey, “Rich suffered a heart attack 10 years ago at age 40 and it was a wake-up call to make changes in our lives,” Carla said. “We wanted to live more intentionally and make more time for our family and the things we love, like gardening and raising animals.”

Answering the call, the couple soon bought a home on Oak Hill Road in Middletown, acquired chickens and goats, started a garden, and got into beekeeping, researching all of their hobbies online or by taking courses.

Once they’d launched their farm, “I started developing beauty items from animal by-products, using goat’s milk to make soaps and lotions and beeswax and honey to make lotions, balms and candles,” said Carla, who began promoting these products on social media in 2017. “People were interested and had the same desire as we did to get back to basics and live more naturally and intentionally,” she said.

'It's not like work at all'Mother Knitter owner indulges yarn hobby in Red Bank shop

After amassing what currently stands at more than 170,000 followers on Instagram, “we started an online business in 2018, branded as ‘Oak Hill Farms’ based on the street where our first home in Middletown was located,” Carla said. “We also started selling our products at the Asbury Park Bazaar and other local markets and ensured that our daughters were always with us because it’s always been a family business.”

The following year, Rich found and developed a six-acre piece of property in Holmdel upon which they opened their Oak Hill Farms brick-and-mortar location in 2020.

'We are what we put in ourselves'

Selling their products in an open, airy and inviting 2,800-square-foot retail barn, “we’re a registered bee and flower farm and also have chickens, peacocks, ducks, dairy goats, alpacas and donkeys,” Carla said.

While some of their animals simply “hang out” at the farm, she noted, “our goats give us dairy, our ducks produce eggs, our alpacas give us fiber, which we send to a mill and make into beanies, socks and other items during the winter, and our donkeys help scare away foxes and coyotes and are great guardians at the farm.”

A foodie and cookbook author who’s completed many courses in all-natural ingredients and essential oils, “I’ve developed all of my products myself but work with holistic experts to develop some recipes,” said Carla.

“Our top sellers are our honey (a 12-ounce jar of which is available for $12) and our muscle balm, which helps soothe and relax sore muscles,” she said. “Our line of skin care is very popular and includes natural cleansers that start at $12 up through organic facial serums for $28, and our candles are also super-popular and are made with locally grown soy wax. We’re all about local, organic and natural ingredients because we are what we put in ourselves,” she said.

Sisters working together:These Brick twins have been temporary wallpaper pioneers since 2006. How it happened

The working farm additionally offers jams and jellies made from local fruit, a full coffee bar featuring organic Peruvian specialty coffees, baked goods from local bakeries, yogurt and cheese made at area farms, locally sourced milk sold in glass jars, and a wide variety of fresh flowers grown on their own property.

“We also carry a curated range of beautiful but affordably priced home décor and gift items such as honey jars, wooden spoons and cutting boards, and ceramic pieces as well as tablecloths, table runners, tea towels and other linens,” Carla said.

Supported by 22 employees (including Carla’s mother Gina, who heads up the production of many of their items), “we feel so blessed,” said Carla, who manages all of the company’s retail activities, staffing and payroll, product creation and social media while Rich maintains their animals and oversees the land and everything they grow.

“Business has been strong, especially during the pandemic because we offered people a safe, natural and family-friendly destination," Carla said. "And while most of our customers are from Monmouth County, we’ve welcomed visitors from many other states who have followed us online and included us in their vacation or road trip plans because they wanted to meet us and see our farm, which we’re extremely honored by.”

Fun fall activities to come

While changing up their seasonal décor and keeping their product lines fresh can be challenging, “Rich and I have an entrepreneurial soul and like to explore new things,” Carla said.

“This season, we’ll be offering a lot of fun fall activities like pumpkin picking and apple cider doughnuts and we’ll be changing over to Christmas décor the first week of November and offering Christmas trees and other holiday items,” she said. “This October, we’ll be introducing two new beauty products — a nighttime facial cream and an anti-inflammatory facial serum — and in the future we hope to host more parties, showers, demonstrations and other special events in our great environment.”

Spouses and co-workers:'Beach bums' heard Seaside Park shop was for sale. Three weeks later, they owned it

“We love connecting with people and so many of our customers thank us for providing this experience and helping to bring them closer to nature in a warm and welcoming space that’s perfect for the whole family,” said Carla of her favorite part of the experience they offer.

Rich agreed. “Oak Hill Farms is a cozy experience, a family-friendly destination, and an intimate space where you can really connect with your surroundings.”

Oak Hill Farms

Location: 177 Stillwell Road, Holmdel

Phone: 732-383-5544

Owners: Carla and Richard Bushey

Launched: 2018

Website:www.oakhillfarmsnj.com

Instagram: @oak.hill.farms and @oak.hill.farmsthebarn

This article originally appeared on Asbury Park Press: Oak Hill Farms in Holmdel sells 'back to basics' natural items