PEARL FORGE CONSERVANCY

Planting Seeds. Building Bridges.

To inspire a passion for sustainable community building in this generation and the next, Pearl Forge Conservancy provides a space in Southeast Wisconsin for people to connect with each other and the land through food, art, and sanctuary while investing in the next generation.

Our business model focuses on planting the seeds of community connection through our own independent programming while also building bridges by opening our doors to others who are planting seeds of their own. As a social enterprise, our aim is to use profits from our work in Food, Art, and Sanctuary to fund education programs.

lone oak tree is inspiration for oak savanna restoration on the property

IT ALL STARTS WITH THE LAND...

We fell in love with this place on the planet because of what it can offer, what it can teach. A place that allows us to live a more sustainable and holistic life. A place that can be a teacher for our daughter and show her an appreciation for the natural world. A place that offers our parents a quiet place for retirement and an opportunity for us to be closer to them.

With this vision as our foundation, we are driven to use our home as a space to build community. We’ve become disconnected from each other and the land. We are retreating to our safe spaces, missing opportunities to learn and grow. With a global pandemic in the not too distant past and ever increasing cultural divide are exacerbating this reality. This moment calls for the creation of spaces to reinvent our collective culture and sense of connection.

We are passionate about life, stewards of the land, committed to instilling in future generations the values we hold in nature, sustainable living, development of community, and love for one another.

To us, there are four key ingredients to this kind of community building: FOOD, ART, SANCTUARY, and EDUCATION.

Our business model is rooted in sustainable living and community building, aiming to:

Increase awareness of food systems and land protection, offering communities an opportunity to invest in both

Educate about sustainable living and demonstrate what is possible to encourage new ways of living

Encourage community connection by providing a space to come together around food/music/adventure

Offer a stop over for travelers and vacationers - meeting new people allows all of us to learn and grow

Provide connection to the land for the next generation of conservationists

Collaborate with community groups and education institutions to address the huge disparity in access to the outdoors in SE Wisconsin

Food

Coming together around a table to share a meal and conversation has been found to increase social bonds while learning where our food comes from makes us better stewards of our food systems and the land from which it comes.

Local Food Incubator

Our primary food-focused goal is the development of a local food economy incubator. With a focus on regenerative agriculture and historically underserved populations, we aim to provide access to land and infrastructure, mentorship, on-site residency, and resources for individuals aspiring to start new agriculture/food economy endeavors. If you are interested in partnering with us on this endeavor, or know someone who may be, please contact us!

Hobby Farm

Our family operates a hobby farm (garden plot, orchard, chickens, goats, bees, etc.) on the property. We sell surplus harvests through our social media. Follow us!

Food-Focused Events

We also offer use of our property for small-scale (less
than 100 people), food-focused events such as farm to table dinners. Check out the Space Rental page for more details.

Art

Telling the stories of life and culture through art plays a vital role in shaping communities. Music, for example, has been found to be the most powerful form of collective joy and this kind of joy has thepower to transcend division. Storytelling helps us see no stranger byallowing us to wonder about the ‘other’ and granting them humanity.

Metal Workshop

The spark for our art related offerings, and the origin of the Pearl Forge Conservancy namesake, is the Pearl Forge metal fabrication/blacksmith workshop.

Check out our portfolio of custom-made pieces and

Art and Wellness Space Rental

To expand our creative reach, we have indoor and outdoor spaces on the property where creators can host art and wellness classes/events/sessions (acoustic music, performing arts, yoga, painting, photography, etc.).

Check out the Space Rental page for more details.

Sanctuary

We all need spaces that nurture contemplation, compassion, and healing, allowing use to grow as individuals and a broader community.

Rustic Camping

For those looking to get away and spend some time in the outdoors, we offer rustic tent camping. By definition, rustic sites are carry-in/carry-out and do not include any amenities.

Glamping

If rustic is not your vibe, we also have a camper that we rent out for short-term stays.

Farmhouse Stay

Want to experience the farm, but prefer sleeping indoors? We have you covered too!

Indoor/Outdoor Retreat Space
We also rent out dedicated parts of the property (barn and surrounding outdoor space, pond area) as a retreat space for business strategy sessions, team building, etc.

Check out the Lodging and Space Rental page for more details on all of these Sanctuary offerings.

Education

Providing space and opportunity to learn about ourselves and others fosters genuine connection. And involving youth in these endeavors acknowledges the truth that sustainable community building is a generational labor of love.

The education component of our model solidifies our mission to strengthen community connections. We aim to use profits from our various activities to support education programs that inspire the next generation of conservationists and address disparities in access to the
outdoors, healthy food, and artistic outlets.

Rather than create our own programing, we look to partner with local/regional community groups and leverage the facilities created for our other programs to support these partner initiatives.