EP# 236: Finding Peace at McMillan Farms: A Family's Journey to Creating a Spiritual Retreat

What makes Ryan and Pamela Crick  with McMillan Farms LLC a good neighbor?

Faith moves mountains—and sometimes it helps purchase farms. When Ryan Crick mentioned his dream of creating a retreat to a landowner, he was told the property would never be sold. A year later, that same owner called with surprising news: "The Lord told me to sell you this farm."

Nestled in the peaceful countryside of Tennessee, McMillan Farms emerged from this divine directive as a sanctuary where technology takes a backseat to nature's rhythms. Co-owner Pamela Crick reveals the twenty-year journey of transforming raw land into a welcoming retreat complete with fishing ponds, campsites, and a newly finished bathhouse—all designed to help visitors disconnect from screens and reconnect with what matters.

What makes this retreat unique? Unlike many spiritual getaways, McMillan Farms transcends denominational boundaries. "We get a lot of questions about what denomination it is," Pamela explains, "but we aren't a denomination. We are followers of Christ." This inclusive approach creates a space where guests can experience peace without pressure—where faith is evident but never imposed.

The path hasn't been without challenges. Pamela shares the harrowing story of nearly losing her husband to COVID-19—a battle that strengthened their faith when doctors had given up hope. "Two days later, he was home," she recalls of the miraculous recovery that recommitted them to their mission of creating sacred space.

Whether you're planning a church gathering, family reunion, or simply need escape from daily demands, McMillan Farms offers what Pamela describes as "God's country"—a place where rest isn't just permitted but encouraged. Discover this hidden gem before their anticipated completion in 2025 by calling 423-823-2867 or visiting McMillanFarms-Retreat.com, and experience firsthand what happens when faith, family, and four peaceful horses (yes, Pamela rides in her spare time) come together on hallowed ground.

To learn more about McMillan Farms LLC  go to:

https://www.mcmillanfarms-retreat.com/home

McMillan Farms LLC 

 [phone]

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
This is the Good Neighbor Podcast, the place
where local businesses andneighbors come together.
Here's your host, Skip Monty.

Speaker 2 (00:11):
Hello everyone and welcome to the Good Neighbor
Podcast.
So we're super excited to havea special guest with us today
here in the studio, and I'm sureyou'll be just as excited as I
am to hear all about them andtheir business, because today I
have the pleasure of introducingyour good neighbor, ms Pamela
Crick, who is co-owner ofMcMillan Farms LLC.
Pam, welcome to the show.

Speaker 3 (00:33):
Thank you for having us.

Speaker 2 (00:35):
Well, we're thrilled to have you and, like I said,
excited to learn all about youand what you do.
So if you don't mind, why don'tyou kick us off by telling us
about your business?

Speaker 3 (00:44):
Why don't you kick us off by telling us about your
business?
Well, we bought this farm in2003 and decided that the Lord
would like us to turn it into aretreat, and we've been putting
in campsites and fishing pondsand pavilion.

Speaker 2 (01:05):
We finished our bathhouse this past year, so
it's up and running now forguests to come use also.
Oh, wow, wow.
So is this specifically forspecific types of retreats, or
could it be anything?

Speaker 3 (01:20):
It could be we, we invite anybody.
Anybody, all right, it could be, we invite anybody, anybody
that wants to come get away andget outside and get away from
their computers and TVs andspend some time outdoors.

Speaker 2 (01:35):
Sounds like my kind of place.
I'm so ready to get unpluggedalready.
So, Pam, how did?
How did you guys get into thisbusiness originally?

Speaker 3 (01:46):
um, we moved to tennessee in 2000 and um, we
bought 10 acres just about threemiles from the farm.
And um, the man that owned thisfarm actually sold us that
property the first property webought and he told my husband

(02:08):
about a farm that he owned.
And my husband, ryan, said well, you'll have to show me someday
.
So he brought him over here oneday and showed it to him and
showed it off and showed him allthe stuff and my husband said
you know what, if you everdecide to sell your farm, I want
, I, I would love to build aretreat, we'd love to buy it and

(02:30):
build a retreat here.
Well, the man told him, no, hewould never sell the farm, that
he was gonna pass it down to hisfamily and build houses and all
that here and whatnot.
Anyway, um, about a year laterhe he called Ryan and told him
that the Lord had told him tosell us his farm.

Speaker 2 (02:50):
Wow.

Speaker 3 (02:51):
Yeah, yeah.
So that's how it started.
And here we are, 20 some yearslater.

Speaker 2 (03:00):
Wow.

Speaker 3 (03:01):
Built a retreat.

Speaker 2 (03:03):
And you built a retreat with divine intervention
.

Speaker 3 (03:06):
Exactly, yes, absolutely.

Speaker 2 (03:08):
Wow, very cool.
Well, in the in the retreatbusiness camping retreat, pam.
What are some myths ormisconceptions that people have?

Speaker 3 (03:18):
People think that a retreat has to be associated
with one denomination.
I found that out.
They think that it's a.
We get a lot of questions aboutwhat denomination is it?
And we aren't a.
We aren't a denomination.
We are followers of Christ andwe don't follow any particular

(03:42):
denomination.

Speaker 2 (03:44):
Do you have a lot of church groups come in?

Speaker 3 (03:47):
No, a few, but we're not real popular yet.
We don't do a lot ofadvertising because we're still
working on some stuff.
We're trying to get it all niceand finished we should be done
by the end of this year, 2025.
Finished we should be done bythe end of this year, 2025.
We should be completed by theend of 2025 and do some heavy

(04:08):
advertising.
You know stuff like that.

Speaker 2 (04:14):
I don't do a lot of advertising right now because
we've been a work in progressall these years.
Gotcha Gotcha Well outside ofwork.
What do you do for fun If thereis time out of work?

Speaker 3 (04:25):
Well, we both work.
My husband works full time, Iwork part time off the farm.
But for fun I like to gocamping and riding my horses.

Speaker 2 (04:37):
Oh nice, what kind of horses do you have?

Speaker 3 (04:41):
I have a Pasafino, I have a Rackin' Horse, I have a
Quarter Horse and I have a RockyMountain Horse.
I have four all together.

Speaker 2 (04:50):
Four.
Oh wow, very nice, very nice.
I'm a walking horse kind of guy.

Speaker 3 (04:55):
Yeah, they're nice.

Speaker 2 (04:57):
They're easy to ride.
They're easier to ride, oh veryvery very.
Absolutely Well, let's switchgears for just a second.
So and this could beprofessionally or personally,
but can you think of a hardshipor a life challenge that you've
overcome and how it made youstronger coming out the other
side?

Speaker 3 (05:17):
Oh boy, yeah, yeah, well, phew, my husband got COVID
and we almost lost him.

Speaker 2 (05:28):
Wow.

Speaker 3 (05:30):
And sorry.

Speaker 2 (05:32):
That's okay.

Speaker 3 (05:39):
Anyway, after that, that changed both of us, it
changed both of us, it changedboth of us and we came out a lot
stronger on the other side ofthat, because we were on our
knees so much More than we'veever been on our knees before
praying and talking to the Lord,and just boy that was awful,

(06:06):
awful, so he must have got hitpretty hard he did.
He did they.
The doctor came in the in theat the end.
They came in and told him theydidn't intubate him.
We didn't do that, he didn'tneed it, but he it was close
anyway he.
The doctor came in and told himhe was.
He said there's nothing more wecan do for you and just let me

(06:27):
give you this shot of medicineand you'll go to sleep and
you'll pass peacefully in yoursleep.

Speaker 2 (06:34):
Oh, my gosh.

Speaker 3 (06:35):
Yeah, and Ryan said no, absolutely not.
He said I'm not done yet.
He said God has more for me todo.
I'm not ready to die yet andGod's not ready for done yet.
He said God has more for me todo.
I'm not ready to die yet andGod's not ready for me yet.
And I'm not, no, I'm not doingthat.
So he didn't.
And they they started him onsome steroids, which typically
is their first go-to with COVIDsteroids.

(06:58):
Well, he couldn't take steroidsbecause he has a reaction to
them.
And he told the doctor.
He said just start me on thesteroids and and if I die here,
I die here.
If I die at home, I die at home.
But put me on the steroids.
It doesn't matter what reactionI have.
If they'll help, just put me onthem.
Two days later he was home.

Speaker 2 (07:15):
Wow.

Speaker 3 (07:16):
Yeah.

Speaker 2 (07:16):
Wow.

Speaker 3 (07:17):
Yeah, so that was a, that was a.
Was that the kind of hardshipyou were looking?

Speaker 2 (07:21):
for you know a lot of people talk about what happened
during COVID.
I mean because you know itaffected everybody.

Speaker 3 (07:28):
Yeah.

Speaker 2 (07:28):
You know, people lost people.

Speaker 3 (07:31):
Yeah, we didn't know, we didn't, we didn't, he
couldn't.
Oh, you know he couldn't work.
He couldn't work and we, it wasjust, it was awful.
You know I couldn't work and we, it was just, it was awful, you
know I couldn't work either.

Speaker 2 (07:46):
We were both.
I was a basket case.
I'm sure was he good.
He's good today, though he'sgood today.
Yep awesome, say hi ryan hi,very good, good to hear.
Good to hear what if?
Um Pam, if you could think ofone thing that you would like
our listeners to remember aboutMacmillan Farms, what would that

(08:07):
be?

Speaker 3 (08:09):
That it's peaceful.
It's peaceful here.
It's God's country.
This is a place to come andrest and we hope that people
that come here will rest andenjoy the outdoors.
We'll rest and enjoy theoutdoors.
You know we don't push ourbeliefs, but people will know
what we stand for here.
You know we don't Just come andrelax and chill and have a good

(08:33):
time and spend time with yourfamily.
That's the most important thing.

Speaker 2 (08:37):
Absolutely Well, that's a very good thing to
remember.
Yeah, so if any of ourlisteners are interested in
learning more, if they've got anevent, they'd like to
potentially look at your farm tohost it, how would they learn
more?

Speaker 3 (08:54):
You can call my phone .
My phone number is 423-823-2867.
Or you can go to our websiteit's McMillanFarms-Retreatcom
and see what's going on therealso.

Speaker 2 (09:17):
McMillanFarms-Retreat .

Speaker 3 (09:19):
Yes, dash, retreat.

Speaker 2 (09:20):
Dash Retreat.
Sorry, dot com.
Very good.
All com Very good.
All right, Very good.
Well, pam, I can't tell you howmuch I appreciate you taking
time out of your busy scheduleto spend some time with me and
with our listeners.
Thank you, and we wish you allthe best moving forward,
particularly as you geteverything where you want it to
be and get things cranking.

(09:43):
Thank you Absolutely and maybewe can have you back.
Uh, once you get, you have yourgrand opening, we can have you
back again.

Speaker 3 (09:51):
Oh, that would be awesome.

Speaker 2 (09:52):
Yes, absolutely All right, very good, all right.
Well, you guys have a blessedrest of the day.

Speaker 3 (09:58):
Thank you, you too.

Speaker 2 (09:59):
Thank you.

Speaker 1 (10:00):
Thank you for listening to the good neighbor
podcast.
To nominate your favorite localbusinesses to be featured on
the show, go to gnp try dashcities dot com.
That's gnp try dash cities dotcom, or call 423-719-5873.
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