My first visit to the farm was in the summer of 1986 when I came here with my dad while he was looking for a home to purchase. My most vivid memory of that visit was the large maples that greeted us and the massive cottonwood tree in front of the house. In the coming years, I spent many summers running through the woods, building forts, and climbing trees. Loving the land, its wildness, and seasonal transformations is something I held onto even after I outgrew my tree forts. So when the opportunity arose for me to move here 23 years after my first visit, I didn't hesitate.   

 

Upon arriving back on the stomping grounds of my youth I went right back to doing what I loved.

 

Though now instead following deer trails, I built walking paths; instead of building forts, I cleared meadows and built benches. I didn't start out with an end in mind, I was just enjoying the woods.

 

That’s how it all got rolling; for five years I ran around trimming trees, mowing grass, and learning how to use a hammer. Then something happened that transformed my perception of what was possible! A friend asked me if she could have her wedding here.