At not quite 10 a.m., Cody’s Egg Shack in Walkerton was already buzzing. At the till, Cody Russwurm, a 16 year old with cerebral palsy who six months ago was running a farm stand selling eggs that only locals really knew about. Now, he’s one of midwestern Ontario’s most recognizable residents, with 90,000 followers on Facebook and his own full-fledged retail store and expanding brand. “Very surreal. I’m sure we don’t have accurate words to describe the last six months, because none of this is probably what we had ever dreamed of, or set out to do. But pretty, pretty cool,” said Cody’s mom Shannon Russwurm. Cody, a young man of few words, does have a word to describe the past six months. “Crazy,” he said with his infectious smile. Three years ago, Cody and his parents launched Cody’s Egg Shack at their farm near Walkerton to see if Cody was interested in taking over the family farm. Last November, Cody’s parents challenged him to reach 10,000 online followers for Cody’s Egg Shack, and the family would get a pool. He reached that quickly, but a visit from Dine in 519 online food influencer Jesse Walker in January pushed Cody to 50,000 followers in a matter of days. He now sits at over 90,000 followers, which has sent Cody’s Egg Shack from a simple farm stand all the way to a retail store, featuring his famous pickled eggs, an industrial kitchen to meet demand for his many products, and a growing brand that is recognizable across southwestern Ontario. “So, when we started this, we just needed to be able to see what Cody could do, and now we’ve got a business that he’s able to maintain, which is wild. And to be able to say that has all happened really in less than a year,” said Cody’s mom. Cody’s family has used his fame for the community’s good, as well. Not only does he feature many other locally produced products on his shelves, but his family also raised $40,000 this February to buy 10 accessible tricycles for families with physically challenged children. That charitable spirit, the ability to authentically share his daily life with the community through his Facebook page, and of course, that infectious smile, brings customers from all over Ontario to Cody’s two Egg Shacks. “We saw him online. My mom follows, and she’s like, ‘Oh, you’re coming over to get some stuff, get some for me, too,’” said Cody’s Egg Shack customer Ashley Armstrong. “It’s just nice to see somebody with a small business just doing so well in the community, that has been so accepting and helpful,” said customer Debbie Collins. Cody’s parents say they’ve seen him come out of his shell and learn so many skills since they opened the retail store in July. Enough that it might be something he could operate, with some help, but with less help than he needed just a few months ago. He likes it even more than farming. “Do you want to take over the farm? Is that something you want to do? No. You’re going to run the store? Yes,” said Cody, with a laugh. And that’s just fine with Cody’s parents, who pinch themselves watching Cody excel at things that might not have seemed possible, just a few months ago.
