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About GreenRetreat
Who we are
GreenRetreat is a family-owned and operated agri-business launched in 2006. Our family members have lived all across the United States and now choose to live and work back in beautiful Southern Illinois where we are from. We have experience in many fields including teaching, information technology, psychology, alternative medicine, environmental studies, farming and business.
We currently employ eight local people and between all of us there are 9 children ranging in age from 8 months to 12 years old.
What our vision is
We are creating a "green" retreat destination that will offer various lodging and recreational choices in a rural setting. We have a total of 97 acres of forest, cropland, ponds, and horse paddocks. Our cabins and Bed & Breakfast will provide the first child-friendly and environmentally sound accomodations in this area. By combining the fields, garden and greenhouse of our working farm with "green" technologies and environmental education opportunities we will reach out to many diverse groups.
What's here to see and do
Outdoor tourism in this area includes the Shawnee National Forest and other parks, the National Bicycle Route, hunting, fishing, and horseback riding. Other tourist destinations include the wine, barn and art trails, Southern Illinois University, many local festivals and the historical sites found throught Southern Illinois.
Our projects...
As of the summer of 2007, our 97 acres include many current and future projects. Almost 30 of our wooded acres are in a government "CRP" conservation program. We have planted almost 300 native trees and removed overgrown and invasive scrub growth to create 5 small lakes and ponds. The largest 2 will be stocked with native fish by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources in the Fall of 2007 and Spring of 2008. We have created an organic garden and are erecting a solar-powered greenhouse for year-round produce. We hope to plant vineyards on many of our south facing slopes next season. We currently have 3 horse paddocks and stalls for our private horses. In the future we will build a horse barn and possibly a kennel for our guests who travel with large animals. A large outdoor pavillion and an old-fashioned bandstand/gazeebo will be available for parties by the spring of 2008. Both will have solar-powered lighting for evening events. The fall of 2007 will see the completion of our geothermal-supported office/machine shop and the exteriors of our two first cabins. The cabins will be completed over the winter and we plan to be open for business by SIU graduation weekend 2008. The Bed and Breakfast will be a large 5 bedroom (bath en suite) Victorian home with many rooms available for small parties and meetings. All of our buildings will be highly insulated, and employ "green" technologies such as geothermal, solar, wood/biomass burners, and possibly wind power. Our goal is also to reduce consumption by employing low-E windows, energy-star appliances, low-flow faucets, etc. Our hope is that staying in our buildings will be not only fun and comfortable, but educational as well.
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