Steve’s journey has been guided by a curiosity and responsiveness to what the universe has placed in his path; from the restaurant world in his youth, education in entomology with a focus on plant and insect interacts in perennial crop systems and organic farming, into artistic ventures in calligraphy before the days of digital art, to decades spent running Acorn Designs, a 100% post consumer recycled paper products company with a focus in wildlife and nature based art works. Over the past 30 years, Hawk Meadow Farm quietly unfolded in the background because for Steve, disappearing into the woods was a reprieve from the hustle of other ventures. Though his taste for exploring new and interesting projects was never completely at rest. 

Steve was first introduced to the mighty Shiitake in the 80s when he was involved with a group wanting to start an intentional community and shared business. It was that business venture which led him to purchasing the property where Hawk Meadow Farm now resides. Though the community and shared business never came to fruition for Steve, the ripple effects of that time remain. The people he was working with were really invested in something called the Macrobiotic Diet. This diet was informed by Japanese perspectives on food, health and attitudes about cultivation. A focal point of this way of eating involved eating a bowl of miso soup and one shiitake mushroom every day. At that time mushrooms did not hold much of a presence in the American diet, so they mainly got dried shiitakes imported from Japan. When a Mother Earth News article came across his path about how to grow shiitake in the Japanese style, outdoors on hardwood logs, it was an obvious jump to begin to grow their own. It was never intended as a commercial venture and continued to be a home scale crop for many years as life grew in other directions. 

In 2006 there was a huge wind shear event in the woods that took down hundreds of trees. Many of them were oaks - the preferred substrate tree for shiitake. Though Acorn Designs was the main focus of their economic pursuits at the time, Steve saw an opportunity that couldn’t be missed. They inoculated hundreds of logs and when mushrooms started to come in they would take their harvest to the Ithaca Farmers market where they sold artwork. Though the shiitakes were primarily a food crop sold to individuals and restaurants at first, it wasn’t a big leap to start getting into tincture making. With a background in chemistry and a growing interest in Traditional Chinese Medicine Steve was intrigued by the powerful adaptogenic properties of the mushroom and the implications for health and well-being associated with it. Turning the food into medicine was a natural next step. 

It is important to recognize when something isn’t quite the right fit anymore, even though it can be difficult. In the mid 2010s it had become apparent to Steve and Anne that it was time to let go of Acorn Designs. However, as they were letting go of the art business that had been their main focus for decades, they were struck by how the mushrooms had been quietly waiting for them the whole time. Opportunity for expanding into growing and wild crafting other species of mushroom became available. A life long collaboration with the woods and landscape gave birth to natural building projects using the wood, stone, and clay found right on the property - one such building that was built is now the center of operations for tincture making and educational classes. Most importantly, a growing community of people interested in the healing power of mushrooms and a desire to reconnect with the earth are bringing increasing numbers of individuals to their door for educational lectures, workshops, and camping retreats. 

Life is about balance, and the mushroom’s main therapeutic benefit is its ability to help the body deal with stress by getting back to homeostasis. Steve takes that idea to heart in many ways. When he isn’t throwing mushroom logs into a creek or dreaming about his next building project you can find him happily in “the zone” with his bowling league, practicing chi-gong or getting ready for the next Rutabaga curl - an event he founded years ago from his love of games and heart for humor. He feels it's important to remember that enjoying a powdered doughnut is good for the soul and that living in harmony with yourself and the world can be as simple as taking a leisurely walk in the woods. 

When Anne was thinking about what sort of job she wanted in life, it boiled down to one thing. The desire to be outside. Whenever thoughts led her to this or that career option the refrain would remain - “Oh, but I can’t do that, then I would be inside all the time.” Following the call of her own inner voice ultimately led to the life she has now - on a woodland farm that prioritizes holistic management and a strong connection to the land. 

Anne would spend all her time planting flowers everywhere if she could, but as important as beauty is for the soul, there are many things that need doing. Anne has a knack for feeling into the flow of life. While she enjoys making various products from soaps to face cream, growing a vegetable garden and tending chickens, you will often find her orchestrating various behind the scenes goings on at the farm and creating the environment for everything to run smoothly. This process of bringing harmony to a space reflects an intuitive ability to create movement where there once were blockages. 

Life has a way of bringing the lessons we need to learn and grow. During a difficult period in her life that left her in great emotional and physical pain she experienced a profound mental shift. While going from doctor to doctor looking for relief, she was simultaneously experiencing an opening up to a side of her that had been dormant from childhood. A window into the spirit world. As a child she had many experiences that demonstrated her sensitivity to the subtle realms, but it wasn’t until this trial by fire that the connection was truly opened. This time in life set her on a road that led to Shamanic healing work. This work has grown and evolved in many ways since then, but the basis for pursuing it remains the same. In our world people often find themselves boxed in to prescribed roles and ways of being that don’t actually suit them on a soul level. The core of Anne’s spiritual work with others is to help uncover those buried murmurings of the spirit and create enough space for them to emerge and speak their truth

Along with her work supporting all the goings on at Hawk Meadow farm, Anne is constantly expanding her spiritual tool kit by deepening her understanding of healing modalities. By offering one-on-one sessions, Anne hopes her work can be of service to those who are looking for assistance navigating through life’s difficulties. You can find out more about Anne’s healing work on her website, www.annesierigk.com

Bio coming soon!