KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Michelle Miller, known to her online followers as “The Farm Babe” was on her way to speak at an agricultural conference when she became stranded at the airport earlier this month due to a canceled flight. 

Not one to give up easily, asked about the possibility of renting a van and then shouted to those around her, “who wants to take a trip to Knoxville in a van?”

That simple sentence became somewhat of a Christmas miracle for 13 stranded passengers who all agreed to get into a 15-passenger van with complete strangers and make the 651 mile drive to Knoxville. 

Miller is an internationally recognized keynote speaker, writer and columnist, online influence and overall champion for global agriculture. Miller grew up involved in 4-H, riding horses and growing crops.

By age 30, Miller became fascinated with culture and learning where her food came from. She ended up living with and dating a commercial scale farmer in Iowa for eight years and it was there where her social media advocacy platform “The Farm Babe” was born in 2014.

Today, Miller has an average social media reach of three million per month and 200,000 followers. Miller has made a name for herself as a dedicated myth-buster in the food industry and has influenced corporations as powerful as Burger King. But on this particular day her audience was much smaller but no less important.

“It was my vision of renting a van, sure, but the others involved made it a reality,” Miller said.

Thirteen total strangers came together on this early December evening and embarked on a nine-hour journey up Interstate-75. As their trek began, one passenger, Alanah Story, documented the group’s every move on TikTok.

“As crazy as this idea was, it was refreshing to see strangers come together for a common goal and enjoying each other’s company,” Michelle said. “It truly was a miracle.  Thirteen of us plus luggage, it fit perfectly,” Michelle said. “And we all just climbed aboard, and we’re on our way.”

 The group embarked at 9:30 p.m.

Caffeine beverages and lots of small talk kept the driver and co-pilot awake and alert through the night. In the back, some of the passengers talked about their lives, families and jobs. Other travelers attempted to sleep. Not much stirring, but Alanah’s TikTok was causing quite a commotion. People were commenting in droves, intrigued by the 13 strangers who’d banded together to drive together for nine hours. The TikTok community was keen for an update.

 After many hours and frequent bathroom breaks, the group arrived in Knoxville. Tired, but happy.

As for Miller, after that convention she returned to her 17-acre farm near Gainesville, Fla. “I’ve gone from being skeptical about food to sharing my passion of modern agriculture,” Miller said. “I wouldn’t have it any other way. Farmers, ranchers and the story of our food origins have an amazing, uplifting story to tell.”