Stability isn’t a word often associated with agriculture; words like unpredictable, risky and challenging are used to describe the ebbs and flows that farmers grow accustomed to. The challenges of farming and the pursuit of stability are the heart of the origin story for Kendall and Darren Riskedal’s family business, Country Lights.
Igniting the Flame
In 1999, Darren’s parents Joyce and Brad Riskedal started the candle company, Country Lights. The candle business was an innovative way for Joyce to remain a stay-at-home mom, have more flexibility and provide financial security during rough years for the farm.
The Riskedals continued to modify their candle recipe to reach their goal of 100% soy candles while also growing the business.
“When tragedy strikes, people are reminded of what truly matters,” said Kendall.
In 2023, Kendall and Darren took over the family business after Joyce’s unexpected passing. Today, Country Lights has moved from Illinois to Wisconsin, where Kendall and Darren continue Joyce’s legacy of innovation while shaping the business to fit the needs of their own young family. Choosing to take over the business was choosing to open themselves up to an opportunity for future flexibility to raise their kids in a hands-on way like their own parents had done.
“Parents that get to make it to every single baseball game, go on field trips and have kids over at their house – parents that are so invested in their kids’ lives,” said Kendall. “That’s what we want for our kids.”
Centered in Purpose
The value of the business wasn’t monetary; it was the community. They realized the power behind the community Joyce built through Country Lights, demonstrated by the over 1,200 people that attended her visitation and condolences from across the country.
Because of the unexpected circumstances that led to their taking over the business, Kendall and Darren faced many challenges. Gaps in knowledge resulted in lots of trial and error during the transition. Other hurdles included learning the business side of candle making, including taxes, bookwork and navigating social media.
While some of the gaps in knowledge that became apparent during the transition were difficult, they also offered a chance for them to use their skills to make updates to the business and find new ways of doing things that fit for them. Their fresh eye resulted in rebranding and a new internal structure to guide business decisions.
“As business owners, you have to truly get at why you are doing it and write it down,” said Kendall.
That consisted of outlining their vision, mission and purpose for Country Lights.
“The purpose isn’t candle making; the purpose is the community that we can form by being involved in it and the communities that it can help,” said Darren.
Using this purpose as a guiding principle helped Kendall and Darren maintain Joyce’s legacy while continuing to build the business.
Kendall and Darren continue to innovate to make the business as efficient as possible– both for them and their customers. Innovation starts with asking “why?” and then trying to think of a different, better way to do it.
Giving Back
The candle market is a saturated one, which means getting innovative to reach new customers, saving them time and money.
Rather than craft fairs with limited sales, Darren and Kendall reach more customers and help local communities through fundraisers. Fundraising makes up 98% of Country Light’s sales. Their fundraisers give 50% of the profit back to the participating organization. This motivates them to keep costs down so fundraiser profits are as high as possible, helping agriculture, youth and other local organizations reach their goals.
“We’re one piece of the puzzle to help support somebody,” said Kendall.
The Riskedals have received stories of their candles making unexpected impacts, such as being part of a wedding or being the sole source of light for a household devastated by a hurricane. Their business is impacting communities across the country and fulfilling their purpose.
A large component of Kendall and Darren’s community includes Wisconsin Farm Bureau and the YFA Program. Joining Farm Bureau was an intentional way for them to meet friends and build connections with those who share similar interests and values when moving to a new state.
Their community has grown and changed throughout their time in YFA. As this year’s state YFA chair, Kendall has the chance to introduce new ideas that appeal to generations of members to make sure YFA offers the same sense of community for the next generation.
Kendall’s role is responsible for initiating innovative ideas to build community. She is focused on building a culture where you don’t come to a meeting simply to “check a box”, but instead build a family with your teammates, learn from each other and have fun.
“Agriculture needs community. That’s what we’re trying to build here,” said Kendall.
Carrying the Flame Forward
The Riskedals didn’t just take over a business; they inherited a legacy, reshaped it and are using it to light the way for others. Country Lights started as an idea that is sustained in its purpose to serve people, support communities and show that innovation and agriculture go hand-in-hand. As they grow their business and Farm Bureau involvement, the Riskedals remind us that in agriculture, as in life, purpose is what keeps the flame burning.
This article orginally appeared in the 2025 August | September Rural Route issue.
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