Brandon family turns longtime ranch into barn venue to keep it alive

BRANDON, FL — Tucked away in Brandon is a family ranch where cattle still roam, vintage tractors and vehicles dot the property and an old barn has found a new purpose. E & E Family Farm has been in Mercedes Essman’s family since 1988. Essman grew up on the property, which has traditionally operated more as a cattle ranch than a farm. When her parents reached their 70s, Essman said the family began looking for a way to generate enough income from the property to allow them to continue living there. “The cattle ranch just wasn't enough,” Essman said. The answer began with photographers. Essman said photographers were allowed to use the property for photo shoots in exchange for purchasing rolls of hay for the family’s cattle. Then came a party. Word spread, families started asking about holding their own events there and eventually the ranch evolved into a full-fledged event venue. “We truly designed it so that people would come here and feel comfortable,” Essman said. “They would feel like they're in the back of their grandparents' house.” Keeping the ranch authentic Today, E & E Family Farm hosts weddings, graduation parties, corporate events and celebrations of life. Essman said the barn can comfortably accommodate about 100 guests. But transforming the ranch into a venue didn't mean transforming its character. The barn features mismatched chairs collected from thrift stores, chandeliers found at estate sales and tables the family built themselves. Recycled materials from around the property have also been incorporated into the space. The family has kept old tractors and vintage vehicles on the property, giving photographers and families another connection to the ranch's history. Essman's father, now 87, still works around the property and on its vintage vehicles. Her mother is 85. “My dad taught us that nothing gets thrown away,” Essman said. “If you can fix it, you fix it.” The property remains a working ranch with beef cattle, along with goats, sheep, peacocks and chickens. From corporate America back to the family ranch About a year and a half ago, Essman made an even bigger commitment to the property, leaving a 30-year corporate career to focus on the family business. She said giving up a steady income wasn't easy, but the work has offered something different. “I miss the paychecks, I'll be honest, the steady income,” Essman said. “But this is just something that ... feeds your soul. It gives something back to people.” For Essman, that can mean helping a couple celebrate their wedding or providing a place for a family to gather after losing someone they love. The venue's business is largely driven by word of mouth, she said. Photographers also continue to play a role. Families return for holiday pictures, maternity shoots and other milestones, including couples who were once married at the ranch and later come back with their children. “That's how we kind of keep the farm alive all year long,” Essman said. Growing beyond the Brandon ranch The family is now expanding its reach through a partnership with Southern Magnolia Venue in Plant City. Essman said E & E Family Farm's Brandon barn is best suited for gatherings of about 100 people. The Plant City venue can accommodate roughly 300 guests and offers an indoor, air-conditioned option for larger events. Despite the growth, Essman said the original mission behind E & E Family Farm hasn't changed. “This was designed to keep my parents sustainable on the farm,” she said. “It was never about making a paycheck.” It was about covering the ranch's expenses, buying hay for the cattle and making repairs when needed, all while allowing her parents to remain on the property they've called home for decades. For Essman, hosting other families' milestones has ultimately become a way to preserve her own family's home and its history.