We believe land stewardship is not just labor; it is ancestral memory in action. Every acre carries a story, and our work is to listen to that story until it aligns with the people who nurture it. We do not just farm. We restore.
A silent landscape is a missed connection. We gather in community, letting voices rise like morning mist and hands work like soil, then introducing a single restorative practice that recalibrates the entire ecosystem. The result is deeply rooted.
Care is the second language of the farm. Native seeds, composted earth, shared meals, quiet reflection; we curate experiences that hold intention within each other. Healing, we have learned, lives in that presence; never in the hurried pace.
Care for the land. Care for the people.
We invite you to join our community at Hickory Farm Homestead. Whether through healing, learning, or service, there is a place for you here.
Our gatherings are rooted in ancestral wisdom and ecological stewardship. We create space for Queer, BIPOC, and multigenerational communities to connect, heal, and grow together in Southern Wisconsin.
Healing Circles
Restorative gatherings focused on ancestral wisdom, sound healing, and shared emotional support.
Explore moreFamily Learning
Multigenerational workshops exploring land stewardship, native plants, and ecological connection.
Explore moreForest Therapy
Guided forest bathing experiences designed to deepen your sensory bond with the natural world.
Explore moreRegenerative Work
Hands-on volunteer days focused on food forests, pollinator habitats, and soil health restoration.
Explore moreCustom Gatherings
Tailored experiences for community groups, organizations, and teams seeking land-based connection.
Explore moreHerbal Education
Deep dives into local plant medicine, foraging ethics, and ancestral healing traditions.
Explore moreCare for the land
Join our community to receive updates on land-stewardship, seasonal gatherings, and opportunities to grow together at Hickory Farm.
— Knowledge
Shared
Vision.
We are building a community rooted in care. Here are the foundations of our work, shared to help you find your place within our collective journey.
Have more questions? Connect[ 03 / OUR WORK ]
What Is
Elderberry PREC?
An emerging, member-led cooperative approach to permanent real estate stewardship, designed to protect land and secure community roots for generations.
EMERGING
INITIATIVE
Members are actively developing Elderberry PREC as an emerging Permanent Real Estate Cooperative, currently in development and not yet legally established.
SHARED
STEWARDSHIP
Rooted in collective ownership models and long-term care of land, housing, and vital community resources for generations to come.
COMMUNITY
CENTERED
Prioritizing equitable access, deep belonging, generational protection, and collective self-determination for marginalized communities.
Our Path
Care for the land.
Four phases guide our work at Hickory Farm. We invite you to join us in this cycle of restoration and community growth.
Stewardship is a relational practice. Whether you are here for healing, learning, or service, our collective rhythm ensures that we care for the people as deeply as we care for the soil. Explore how we move together through the seasons.
Grounding
Begin by acknowledging the land and our shared intentions. We center our presence in the soil and the history of this place.
Gathering
We come together in circle to share stories, wisdom, and labor. Every voice is honored as we build our collective strength.
Nurturing
Hands in the earth, we practice regenerative care. We tend to the food forest, native plants, and our own healing needs.
Harvesting
We gather the fruits of our labor with gratitude. We harvest honorably, ensuring the land remains vibrant for the future.
— 01 / Our Mission
Care for the land.Care for the people.Harvest honorably.
Hickory Collective is a Queer- and BIPOC-led initiative at Hickory Farm Homestead. We root our work in regenerative growing, ancestral learning, and deep ecological stewardship.
We invite you to join our community gatherings, healing experiences, and land-based workshops designed to foster connection, creativity, and restorative justice for all.
Hickory Farm — Stoughton, WI
Rooted in community care.
— 02 / Vision for Elderberry PREC
Guiding pillars of our cooperative stewardship model.
Permanent Affordability
Taking land completely off the speculative real estate market forever to ensure perpetual community access.
Land Sovereignty
Queer- and BIPOC-led governance centering ancestral land stewardship and self-determination.
Ecological Restoration
Healing soil biology, expanding native prairie habitats, and establishing resilient food forests.
Community Wealth
Building shared equity and collective assets that benefit generations of local residents and farmers.
Regenerative Farming
Practicing low-tillage, organic, and culturally traditional growing methods that nurture the watershed.
Cultural Sanctuary
Providing a safe, welcoming physical refuge for ceremonies, learning, art, and healing.
Intergenerational Care
Designing spaces and programs welcoming elders, youth, and families across all mobility levels.
Collaborative Economy
Sharing tools, knowledge, harvests, and resources through mutual aid and cooperative models.
Open Education
Hosting workshops, apprenticeships, and land-based skill shares to empower the wider community.
— 03 / Why a PREC?
Protecting land for community vitality and ecological integrity.
A Permanent Real Estate Cooperative (PREC) is an innovative legal and economic model designed to take land off the speculative market permanently. By transitioning ownership into a democratic cooperative structure, we ensure that Hickory Farm Homestead can never be bought, sold, or developed for private profit.
This structure directly addresses historical inequalities in land access while securing a lasting home for Queer and BIPOC growers, educators, and community members. It enables true long-term stewardship where our community makes decisions collectively, heals the soil without displacement fears, and harvests honorably for generations to come.
Care forthe land
A Queer- and BIPOC-led initiative at Hickory Farm Homestead. Harvest honorably, grow together, and heal in community.
