I met Shedd and Caroline in Denver about 30 years ago. Through a mutual friend, I learned that they moved to Madison. My friend and I attended the 2016 summer feast, and I enjoyed the Madison Japanese Taiko Drumming Group concert this year. I visited the Farley Center website, read about their wonderful programs and wanted to work as a volunteer there. I work at Exact Sciences, which has a volunteer-time-off benefit for employees to support organizations that enhance and serve their communities. Our company understands this impact and the importance of supporting our communities, as a stronger community creates a stronger Exact Sciences. Under the guidance of Jeanne Meier, I helped weed and expand the garden near the house. It was a great way to create new relationships when coming together around a shared interest and doing good. I hope to do more volunteer work next year.

I was introduced to the Farley Center by my dear friend, Janie Ocejo. We have been volunteering to help sell tickets for the summer concerts. It has really been a joy to be outdoors, hearing live music, and meeting the people who come to the concerts, the musicians, and the many other wonderful people associated with the center. I grew up on a farm in central Wisconsin, where my father’s big garden, farm fields, and woods were my summer playground - so the Farley Center feels a little like coming home. I live in Madison, and my work life is spent at Access to Independence, where I provide independent living services to help people with disabilities maintain their active lives in the community. I am looking forward to this summer, when Janie and I will once again be greeting you for some great live music under the oaks!

I met Shedd and Caroline Farley at one of the International's Women's Day events. It turned out I actually had met and known of Shedd's parents, Gene and Linda Farley through my work with Madison Community Health Ctr (now known as Access Community Health Center) here in Madison, WI.

The minute we met, it was like we had known each other for a long time. We were immediately connected in many ways. One way for sure was through the love of food, long-life learning, and quirky things. It also turned out they had been engaged with my place of work, Just Dane (previously known as Madison-area Urban Ministry) in supporting our youth and Just Bakery programs.

I began to visit Farley Center events and became in love with center and land. It brought so much peace to my life. During COVID, I was experiencing a stage of depression I couldn't get out of and I immediately sought refuge at the Center. I sat out by the Bur Oak Welcoming Area, under the sun surrounded by nature and all kinds of living and beautiful things. I'm not an "outdoors" person but this was exactly what I needed.

I have attended almost every event and have spent my past 3-4 birthday weekends here with friends. I enjoy volunteering and meeting everyone who has come to the events.

In late August 2021 I moved from Colorado to Madison. I began volunteering at the Farley Center, working with Jeanne Meier as her assistant gardener/landscaper! We worked together to spruce up the numerous metal sculptures in the grounds by weeding and laying down mulch. I enjoyed Jeanne’s company, the physical activity, and being outside.

The fall was a busy time as the Center hosted several events. I helped out at the Farley Center Land Dedication and 10th Anniversary Celebration, the Fall Festival, the Environmental Land Art Exhibit, and one of the many outdoor concerts. It was a great way to meet many wonderful and interesting people. Volunteering at the Farley Center has enriched my life tremendously. Furthermore, it is a place of natural beauty and tranquility, for a picnic under the oak tree, strolling around the organic farms, and admiring the art installations in the Nature Path Sanctuary. I feel blessed to be a little part of the Farley Center.

Kyle Ma is Spartan Youth Service (SYS) Board Member and Chair of Summer Volunteering

Spartan Youth Service (SYS) is the largest volunteer organization at James Madison Memorial High School (JMM. For more than 20 years, SYS's mission is to not only represent JMM high schoolers in the community but also to help individuals in the Madison community by volunteer service.

With the leadership solely run by high school scholars for more than two decades, SYS has assisted a diversity of organizations and people, ranging from community-based parties, environmental, homelessness, education, retirement, and so much more! These agencies include PBS Wisconsin, Second Harvest Food Pantry, Middleton Outreach Ministry, Reach-A-Child, Pregnancy Helpline, Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, the Farley Center, the Ice Age Trail Alliance, Oakwood Village, and so much more!

Even during a global pandemic, SYS is still committed towards helping the unfortunate and needy during times of great turbulence and stagnation.

Since 2009, Eric has directed the Prairie Farm Corps, a job training program that immerses area high school students in sustainable farming, backyards gardening and farm-to-table cooking while developing people skills necessary to success in any field. He also runs the Farm Business Development Center, both programs located on Prairie Crossing Farm in Grayslake Illinois, where Eric serves as Education Director for Liberty Prairie Foundation.

Eric believes there is no better place for high school students to find themselves than on a farm where all hard work turns into food!

Before he was a teacher on a farm, he worked with homeless people until an epiphany in the garden compelled him to pursue farming. He also went to seminary (Chicago Theological Seminary) hoping one day to combine church and farming. Maybe someday that will still happen, but for now Eric is gathering as much information and experience about natural burials and listening very carefully for guidance on what comes next.

And in his own words, “I love volunteering at the Farley Center, a place that provides healing to many on many, many levels!”

For more information go to: www.libertyprairie.org

The Farley Center thanks Volunteer Pat Slagoski for helping us distribute flyers for our upcoming events. She is currently distributing our flyers for our "Bridging Borders" presentation on July 18 and Food Fest on July 27 at the Center (see comment section for more information on the two events).

"Thought I'd share this photo with you. I recently began using this alpaca fiber purse when I distribute flyers. I bought the purse for my mom years ago. My sister gave it back to me last Wednesday." - Pat

Pat has two pet alpacas - Sabrina and her son Ziggy.

When I heard about the Farley Center the whole idea of the place interested me. I offered volunteer time and was happy to work on the following projects: “Purses for a Purpose”; creating a piece of art for the Sanctuary 2017 Environmental Land Art Exhibit; baking a pie for the 2017 Fall Harvest (at the request of Caroline…for which I thank her…I have since made about 6 pies…a big deal for someone who never bakes); and directing people at the “We Are Many–United Against Hate” event at Monona Terrace.The people I have met through the Farley Center are fun to be around, so I do enjoy the get-togethers at the Center. Caroline and Shedd are hard-working, devoted people, and it’s great to be in the company of these dedicated friends.

I hope to spend more time at the Farley Center. There are many projects and ideas and I’m happy to join in for a great cause.

I became aware of the Farley Center when I received a call to artists for the 2015 Earth Sculpture art project. Since then I participated in a second project, Sanctuary 2017. It is in art, specifically wood working, that I became engaged. The idea of using natural materials seems natural to woodcarving, but many of the kinds of wood used are not harvested sustainably and many of the paints, stains and sealers are not friendly to the environment. So these have been great places to explore what I know, woodcarving, in a way that shows greater stewardship of the earth. Now I am working with volunteers to transform the trunk of a fallen oak into something yet to be determined. This is art as collaboration, tied to this specific land and its uses. As this is a work in progress, it will be interesting to see where that goes. At the least we hope to bring life back to a dead tree.

As I have walked the grounds it is clear that the Farley center has a wide portfolio – from incubating farmers to providing a place for natural burials, and a meeting place for lots of other groups. I am glad to do my bit to contribute to the work of the center.

In my regular day job, I am a pastor in Madison. I try to receive from the book of scripture and the book of nature. More on my art can be seen at twobookretreats.com/

I became aware of the legendary Linda and Gene Farley about 15 years ago when I worked at HospiceCare Inc. (now Agrace). It was then that I learned about the Farley’s involvement in creating that. It wasn’t until 2010, however, that I began to fully understand the magnitude of the contributions these pioneers made to our community. As part of my job with Rainbow Hospice Care in Jefferson, I visited the Farley Center to interview Kevin Corrado in advance of a presentation he was going to make on natural burials for our staff and volunteers.

I remember vividly the feeling of wonder I had as I drove up to the house. Gene’s sculptures and the amazing beauty of the valley left a powerful impression on me. As an artist, gardener, mindfulness practitioner, and lover of the land, I knew immediately I was entering a sacred, special place. After meeting Gene and Kevin, learning more about the Center and Natural Path Sanctuary burial grounds, I felt strongly that I wanted to offer my support in any way I could.

Since then, I’ve had the great privilege to be involved with the Farley Center in several ways. As a death awareness educator and end-of-life doula, I’ve had the good fortune to collaborate with Shedd and Caroline in ways that increase awareness about natural burials and other end-of-life matters. Together we’ve offered monthly presentations and experiential opportunities around a wide range of topics related to illness, aging, death for a wide range of participants. I’m also very honored to have been one of the contributing artists for the environmental art projects in the Sanctuary over the past few years. And I’ve thoroughly enjoyed participating in other events hosted there.

I’m happy to say that the more I do with the Center the more I want to do, and look forward to being actively involved for many more years until one day, my bones too will be blessed to rest amongst the serenity of the Sanctuary.

All throughout Katrina's life she has found great pride in helping others enrich their lives every day. To her, even the smallest gestures can make a large impact. That is why she offers her head, heart, and hands to causes that are important to the greater well being of all. Katrina has interests in sustainability, environmentalism, social justice, art, and holistic wellness.

Presently, Katrina owns and operates The Wander Parlour, a small suite based salon focusing on beauty artistry. She strives to use sustainable practices in her business and supports others that do as well. There she was able to collect donations for The Farley Center's "Purses for a Purpose" donation drive. With the help of all of her wonderful clients and colleague, she was able to donate a substantial amount of goods for women and teens in need in the surrounding area. Katrina participated in "Purses for a Purpose" in 2015 and 2017 and looks forward to being apart of it in years to come.

Aside from being a beauty artist, Katrina has a deep passion for creating all types of art. Her passion for it began as a small child. She has had her hand in various art forms such as painting, sculpture, music, and writing. Katrina participated in the Sanctuary 2017: Environmental Land Art Exhibit hosted at The Farley Center. There she created a sculpture using only biodegradable materials that represented the concept of Sanctuary. Katrina believes that there is a large correlation between nature, art, and human interaction. Through her participation, she was able to portray that concept through her sculpture.

Katrina plans to propel her mission through her art and volunteer work in the following years. She hopes that by maintaining activism, she will assist in uplifting and connecting our world positively.