In the early part of the 1900’s, a bachelor named Fred Hoerning homesteaded this land. This is the foundation of his home. The old well is still here, but we have yet to discover where his outhouse was located! (Pictured is grandson John.)

Surrounding his home were many trees: oaks, white birch, red and white pines, aspen. For some reason, a red and a white oak withstood the cutover and weather, and, today, they present an awe inspiring “couple.” A bench and places to sit form a semi-circle at the trees. They surely are the grandfathers (along with the stones) of The Sacred Grove. (Pictured here is Pat, our daughter Becka, her husband, Tim and our grandsons John and Isaac.)

A part of the homestead was a barn. All that remains of it is the foundational stones. It is within the stone perimeter that we had our Millennium Solstice bonfire and have celebrated the Winter Solstice ever since.

Continuing our Sacred Grove tour... The entrance to the Spring Tooth Path is next to the barn foundation. “Uncle” Fred left miscellaneous implements and articles lying on the ground throughout his tenure on this site. There is an abandoned broken spring tooth harrow that now has a tree growing up through it! Other farm implements he used have been collected and are on this path. So, too, is a copy of the 1906 Land Patent Mr. Hoerning received from Teddy Roosevelt!

There is a pond that is vegetation-free in the spring and every year a pair of mallard ducks spend time there. By the fall, it is full of water plants, ferns and water irises.

Needless to say, everyone who experiences The Sacred Grove enjoys the space. We have a guest book and we invite visitors to sign it. Click to the next page to read some of the comments visitors have written.