Jeppe grew up in the rolling hills of West Central Iowa working on his family's corn and soybean farm.  He was active in 4-H; showing sheep and poultry and began farming at age 14 when he rented twenty-two acres from his aunt for a FFA SAE project.  Post High School, he studied agriculture at Iowa State University and after graduation spent three months overseas on missions with Cru. He then made the decision to further his education at a small Christian college in upstate New York.

Dani grew up on the move with her family, spending time in multiple states across Mid-west and South. After she graduated from high school in East Tennessee, she made the journey to New York to continue her education. While in school, she worked the early morning shift in the college's bakery and spent many of her weekends traveling with the college's premier vocal ensemble.

The two met for the first time at orientation and started dating the following summer. That Fall they were engaged and were then married on a frigid February evening in the warmth of a small town church in Western Iowa. They began their life together that winter, settling in the rural community of Hastings, Nebraska.