History and Mission

Our History and Mission

We are the descendants. We are the fifth/sixth generation of inheritors.  We have known that through the years, more than 150 years, our family has relied upon this one small piece of land for sustenance, inspiration, security, and identity. There have been struggles with clearing the land, heart breaks with premature deaths, disputes, and lawsuits to the point where a farm once without debt became one with much financial threat.  There have been droughts and wet years so devastating that not a crop was harvested without mold.  There were herds that failed with illness until it was necessary for our father to do something he was ashamed to do, and that is to cross the picket line of the famous Kohler strike of 1955. Paying the yearly taxes was a struggle. When he died in 1958 without a will the court awarded the farm to the widow and children, 1/3 to 2/3rds.   We, the children began to take over the maintenance of the property.

With the help of Grandma Josie’s discovery of the Soil Bank program ( Later re-named Conservation Reserve Program), and individual contributions, we managed for many years. This land became our anchor, and we felt that it was a part of us, a part of our family.  It was with this feeling that the partnership became our uniting vehicle. In 1983 we first looked for ways we could unite in order to maintain it.  We made some good decisions and some not so good.  Eventually we worked it out and began to see a direction.  Now we cherish our unity and our goals, with the hope that it will be valued by succeeding generations as the very special place that it is.

Very few families can say they have some small piece of earth that welcomes them and is open to the needs of our spirit as well.  With our history and a lot of care we can say there is a place, a special place that is part of us.  We hope to be able to pass this on to many generations to come.

Mission Statement

We, as a family company, value the sacred trust given us to care for and preserve the land known as Misty Mountain Acres. We are grateful for the beauty, rich memories and sustenance this land has provided for our family and countless generations of living beings before us. With respect for its living creatures, plant life and natural beauty; we acknowledge our roles as caretakers who will make conscious management decisions to preserve its physical and spiritual well-being.

We envision this property as a living sanctuary in which we dwell in harmony with all of God’s creation. We are deeply grateful for its gifts of renewal, inspiration and balance to our everyday lives, and seek to pass on its priceless value to the generations who will follow after us.