"Hillspring Eco-Farm Community" began in 2004 when Mark Kessenich and Linda Derrickson procured the property, added boundary fences, created gardens and moved their farming enterprises from a previous farm.
We are currently looking to grow to approximately 8 households.
Linda Derrickson
I grew up on a small family farm in SW Wisconsin (we were naturally organic back then). Tending the family garden, climbing apple trees and collecting eggs provided the foundation for my food-focused life ...teaching nutrition in the Peace Corps, creating a neighborhood grocery, operating a restaurant/bakery/art gallery/music/cafe, raising heritage animals and ALWAYS planting seeds.
Yah, I got a UW-Madison degree, teaching credentials, etc., but better than that... my adopted Oneidan daughter led me to dance at powwows and advocate for tribal rights; my birth son defined my spirituality through his brushes with death and disease; and my soul-mate, Mark gleefully supports some of my pleasures: spinning wool, song-writing, designing gardens, and cuddling newborn lambs.
Mark Joseph Frances Kessenich (Kanaz Zamin) - Markess for short
I am the oldest of 9 siblings and became the main gardener at a young age under the tutelage of family elders, inclusive of cooking and preservation of foods. The other patterns of passion also emerged at a young age - strong Spiritual life (culturally catholic), art, science with a Vitalist bent, politics / organizing and Wellness.
These patterns have woven through my 56 years, some taking center stage for a few years and then reabsorbed into the whole as another jumped up front, but always incorporating aspects of the others. Today they are most strongly woven into life as a farmer especially the energetic aspects of Wellness (mainly Radionics).
I admit that in farming I am overwhelmed by the time demands and through this understand that without re-instilling old / new patterns of active community, farming will disappear.