Farm Tours

Saturday  10:30 & 2:00 - both farms
Sunday 10:30 - Berg farm ONLY

Produce Farm Tour

Mark and Jen Shepard
Richland County, Wisconsin

It's a long way from a homestead cabin in the Alaskan wilderness to an organic farm in rural southwestern Wisconsin. But for Mark and Jen Shepard and their two "pumpkin-polishers", the distance isn't as great as it seems. After all, the same pioneering spirit lies at the heart of both endeavors.

Mark Shepard grew up in Massachusetts and is a 1985 graduate of Unity College in Maine where he studied Ecology. Jen Shepard, a biochemist-now a certified massage therapist-raised in the suburbs of Boston, found herself increasingly disenchanted with her work at a food science laboratory where the use of chemicals and the development of GMOs were rapidly proliferating. They chose to homestead in the Alaskan wilderness from 1986-1994, and after traveling to Wisconsin to attend a wedding, the opportunity arose to buy farmland near rural Viola, Wisconsin. They settled in the area in 1994. "We saw immediately that it offered us an opportunity to continue to live a self-reliant lifestyle," says Mark.

A long-time student of, and frequent lecturer on, the subjects of permaculture and agroforestry, Mark Shepard also saw the move as an opportunity to create a farm, literally, from the ground up based on principles that restore Mother Nature as chief architect and arbiter of the landscape. "At New Forest Farm we've concentrated on cucumbers, zucchini, green peppers and a wide variety of winter squash as well as some small grains and hay. Most perennial crops that a farmer can plant, won't produce an income for several years. While the perennials are maturing, cash-flow can be maintained by the annual produce. Asparagus and chestnuts were our first income producing perennials."

The Shepards' sons—both botanically well-versed—have already embraced their parents' tree-centric approach to farming. The boys recently planted 150 fledgling Christmas trees, an investment that they hope will pay dividends 'round about the time they're ready to trade their two-wheelers in for four-wheelers.

An Organic Valley produce grower for thirteen years, Mark says that the farmer-owned cooperative conducts its business-both internally and externally-in a way that squares with his own personal ethics and beliefs. "We nurture the earth with organic agriculture and humane treatment of animals. I can't think of a better way for us to live, to market our products, and to relate to each other as human beings. Organic Valley is a band of rather independent, different thinkers who are essentially interdependent."

Dairy and Egg Farm Tour

Darin and Shana Berg
La Crosse County, Wisconsin

As recently as the 70's, there were 13 farms on the stretch of ridge that has been home to the Berg farm for three generations. "Now there's just us," says Darin Berg. "We started talking about going organic in '96. A good friend who's an organic farmer got us thinking about it." Darin is quick to point out that it was his wife, Shana, who really pushed it through. "We're still afloat," she'd say. "If we want to keep farming, let's be proactive. Let's look at what makes sense." Today, the ridge top is in full organic production. Darin's brother and sister-in-law raise organic steers across the road. Down ridge his sister and her husband raise laying hens for organic egg production, and up ridge a cousin raises organic steers.

The transition from conventional to organic wasn't as tough as for some farms, because the Bergs raise most of the feed they use to supplement their pastures. Still, the learning curve was steep. Once the whole farm was in organic production, they started seeing improvements immediately. "The cows were healthier because the soil was better. It's a good feeling to know that you can grow something without all those chemicals and GMO seeds. It's really farming."

And Darin ought to know. He's farmed all of his life. After high school Darin went to technical college for two years and continued to farm throughout because by that time, he was in the process of taking over the home place. Over the course of 6 to 7 years, Darin's Dad gave him each newborn heifer calf. He started out with a quarter of the milk check in 1990, when he was 19. Now Darin milks 65 to 70 Holsteins that produce milk for Organic Valley.

Milk is not the only product coming off the home farm. When Shana married Darin in 1993, she had no interest in giving up her work off the farm. "Before we even walked down the aisle, I said, 'I'm not a farm girl, I don't milk cows, and I have my own career.'" Then a series of personal crises caused Shana to re-assess what was important in her life. She wanted to be home with her kids, but as a professed workaholic, she had to have another job. So a few years back, she started raising organic laying hens, whose eggs fill Organic Valley cartons. "It was the last thing I thought I'd ever do," she says. When her two sons are in school, Shana's favorite place on the farm is her chicken barn. "I manage the birds carefully and I socialize them so they're comfortable with me handling them and moving amongst them. I talk to them when I collect eggs. People think I'm nuts!"

Constantly striving to improve the farm, they recently installed a wind turbine to generate energy for the farm. The Bergs are passionate about organic farming and about educating people on its benefits. "We are so grateful for our lifestyle," Shana says, "and we don't take it for granted. That means making good food choices for our family by being better educated about where our food comes from and making sure we're providing that for other people."