Green Island Preserve—Wadena, MN
FARM SUMMARY
Green Island Preserve is a 60-acre agroforestry woodland inside the city of Wadena in north central Minnesota. The name comes from it’s situation as an island of green surrounded by homes and retail. While the high tree canopy shelters a resident herd of deer, a rafter of wild turkey, grey fox, owls, skinks, and a myriad of forest birds, there is a Burger King, and AmercInn right across the street.
This urban proximity instructs on mankind’s ceaseless domination over earth without affecting the air, water, and soil inside Green Island. In fact, it remains a fresh haven much like Central Park in New York.
Interspersed throughout the forest are three small apple orchards, a hill of crab apple trees, trails, a flower garden, home, meditation kuti, sculptures, a pond, and 1000 ft of creek. The grounds are offered as a community and visitor resource with an open door policy, even while it is still a private residence. It’s larger purpose is the development of a legacy green space rich with fruit, herbs, wildlife, and clean water for a positive area future. While the land is highly productive that fertility has not been marketed for income, yet. The best reasons for adopting the path of land stewardship are not only income; they embrace: self-sufficiency, wellness, family, peace, environmentalism, education, future-building, sharing, and ahimsa.
​
​
FARM SETTING
Green Island had been an 80-acre family dairy farm through the 1930s to1950s when encroaching Bangs disease shut down the herd. The land has not been tilled or sprayed since then, yet, it has continued to be tended and treasured by three generations. This permitted continual improvement following a common
lineage of values and aesthetics.
There is no blood family remaining to carry-on the land’s care and receive its benefits, and the owners refuse to have it pass to a developer, a busy professional, or big ag. It must remain as rich forest and a unique resource for foods, medicines, and wellness. So, the search for the right solution begins and the options are very open to innovation and creativity.
ASSETS
-
40 acres of fresh, beautiful, park-like pine forest
-
An abundant and clean surficial aquifer under the entire property
-
Fruit, medicinal herb, and firewood harvests
-
Walking distance to shopping or work
-
Nearby farmers market, schools, restaurants, supermarket, and hospital for farm-to-table.
-
Potential to innovate: an agroforestry career, or specialty cropping, a retreat, a destination B&B, co-housing community, or forest therapy destination.
-
Personal access to: land, nature, privacy, and forest medicine
-
And, eventually, the picturesque family home plus storage building
For more information please reach out to:
Kent Scheer, owner
Green Island Preserve
850 Scheer Drive NE Wadena, MN 56482
218.631.3084