Blogger Behind the Blog {Free From Farmhouse}

Here’s this week’s instalment of Blogger Behind the Blog where I interview a blogger all about their reasons for blogging and what it means to them. This week I’m joined by Emma from Free From Farmhouse.

Here’s Emma with more about her blogging life:

Where did your blog name come from?

Both my children have food allergies so there a lots of things they can’t eat and that’s where the ‘freefrom’ part comes from. Then, we live in a cottage down a farm track surrounded by fields. It’s not technically a farmhouse but ‘former farm worker’s cottage’ didn’t sound quite as catchy!

When did you start your blog and why?

I started my blog in 2014 after my son had an anaphylactic allergic reaction to milk and I had a miscarriage on the same day. It was a very scary and overwhelming experience and as my background is as a journalist, my way to deal with things has always been to write about them. So I started the blog as a way to process my feelings and connect with other families who were coping with food allergies.

What did you do before you blogged?

I worked as a national features journalist and a writing trainer. I still work as a writing trainer now and would like to get back into the journalism more as well.

What was your first post?

My first blog post was all about the worst day of my life.

What inspires you to blog?

Connecting with people, helping other families and having a space to share my thoughts and experiences.

What post has had the best response, which post are you most proud of and which post did you enjoy writing the most?

I’m always proud of my personal posts and these are often the ones that get the best response. One of my favourites has nothing to do with allergies but is about why giving birth wasn’t the best day of my life. I went on to update it two years later, after I had some therapy, to help anyone who was still struggling. I think it resonated with a lot of people

Have any of your posts not had the response that you expected?

I have a few posts that are my most popular that always surprise me. They are really simple recipes with terrible photos but are always getting picked up through searches. I keep meaning to go back and update them.

Where do you see your blog in a year’s time?

I hope it will be thriving, have grown to embrace some more lifestyle elements including travel, working with more brands and continuing to help and inspire other families. My book about living with allergies is being published next year too so I hope to offer some more resources alongside that.

What is your favourite thing about blogging?

I have had some amazing opportunities through blogging but my favourite thing has been the unexpected friendships I have made.

…and your least favourite?

Its ability to take over your life!

What’s the best blog post you have ever read?

That’s a hard one. I’ve read so many great blog posts and I’m always amazed at the talent within the blogging community. But I can’t think of just one I could pinpoint.

What blog do you love to read and why?

So many! I enjoy the honesty of Dilan And Me and love the recipes on Easy Peasy Foodie.

Do you do anything differently now to when you started blogging?

I have a learnt a lot of skills over the years I have been blogging so I try to put to them to good use and think about my site more strategically.

Is blogging what you expected it to be?

It has become a much bigger part of my life than I ever expected it to be.

What’s been your favourite blog collaboration to date?

I have collaborated with some other bloggers to create a global website to help people with food allergies travel safely and confidently – Allergy Travels.

Are there any brands you would love to work with, why?

I would love to work with Disney as I have heard lots of great things about how well they manage food allergies. To create the magic they already do, along with a safe and relaxing break for food allergy families is something I would be very keen to share.

Have you had any blogging fails so far?

Oh so many! My photos in the early days were awful. I still need to go through and re-shoot a lot of my recipes. The food tastes great but unfortunately, it’s all about the pictures!

What is your biggest blogging hope, dream or ambition?

To create a space that inspires others and supports them to explore and embrace life with or without food allergies.

What do you do when you’re not blogging?

I love to bake, travel and dance.

and lastly, tell us all a random fact about yourself

I met my husband working on a cruise ship

Now that you know all about Emma from Free From Farmhouse, make sure you go and read her blog. Make sure you follow her on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram too. Thanks so much Emma for being involved!