About Hawk's Cry Farm
– Mark Alan Osterhaus & Jeanna Davids-Osterhaus
Hawk’s Cry is a family farm and ranch owned and operated by the founders, Mark Alan Osterhaus and Jeanna Davids-Osterhaus. The 120 acres that make up the farm are part of the Ocooch Mountains of southwestern Wisconsin. Missed by the last glacier, this area is characterized by sharp ridges, deep valleys, springs, prairies and hardwood forests.
Richland County is sparsely populated by family farms and by other folks who simply appreciate the natural beauty of the area. Mark and Jeanna feel truly blessed to call Hawk’s Cry their home. As the caretakers of this land, they eagerly accept the responsibility for its care and nurturing. Every effort is being made to maintain, and if necessary restore, the delicate natural habitat that characterized this area in pre-settlement times.
Mark and Jeanna dovetail farming and ranching activities with the natural environment. Hawk’s Cry Farm always strives to produce and harvest high-quality natural foods with minimal impact on the land and the natural habitat.
When the farm chores are done, Mark and Jeanna are actively engaged in a number of creative endeavors. For Jeanna, the Hawk’s Cry stained glass studio fuels her passion for art glass design. Much of her work draws inspiration from the natural energy and beauty of the Hawk’s Cry landscape. If there is any time left over, Jeanna also enjoys quilting, weaving, baking artisan breads, gourmet cooking and sewing.
Mark is once again fully engaged in writing and publishing Haiku poetry. Drawing its concise and distinctive form from nature and the seasons, Mark’s poetry often reflects the momentary experiences resonating from Hawk’s Cry Farm. Occasionally Mark also finds time to design and play board and card games, gourmet cooking, fly kites, launch rockets and many other ephemeral pastimes.
The History of Hawk’s Cry Farm
Hawk’s Cry Farm was established in February of 2005 with the purchase of 85 acres in the Rockbridge Township of Richland County, Wisconsin. A mixture of mature ridge top woodlands and long neglected farmlands become the cornerstone of the farm and ranch. A series of building projects has breathed new life into this rich parcel of vacant Southwestern Wisconsin land. Most of the buildings are located within a 3 acre parcel to minimize the impact on the land that makes up the Hawk’s Cry Farm.
| 2005 | |
| February – | Acquired 85 acre parcel of vacant land. |
| February – | Formed Hawk’s Cry, LLC |
| October – | Completed farm house and moved permanently to Hawk’s Cry. |
| October – | Established the foundation for the Hawk’s Cry beef herd with the purchase of two Black Angus heifers, and the completion of the first grass pasture. |
| December – | Completed construction of the Equipment Shed. |
| 2006 | |
| May – | Completed construction of the Chicken Coop. |
| May – | Completed construction of the Wood Shed. |
| May – | Completed the fencing and watering system for the main grass pasture. |
| September – | Expanded Hawk’s Cry herd of Black Angus Cattle. |
| November – | Expanded Hawk’s Cry herd of Black Angus Cattle. |
| 2007 | |
| February – | Acquired 10 acres of adjoining vacant land for hay production. |
| June – | Completed construction of the Hay Shed. |
| July – | Acquired 25 acres of adjoining vacant land for hay production. |
| August – | Richland County experiences record-setting floods. |
| September – | Expanded Hawk’s Cry herd of Black Angus Cattle. |
| December – | Expanded Hawk’s Cry herd of Black Angus Cattle. |
| 2008 | |
| Winter – | Richland County experiences record-setting snow falls with over 100 inches of snow for the season. |
| Spring – | Richland County again experiences record-setting flooding. |
| July – | Completed construction of the Hawk’s Cry Barn. |
| 2009 | |
| January – | Temperature reaches 40 Below zero on 1-16-2009 |
| July – | 120 year old settler cabin relocated to Hawk’s Cry Farm ridge |
| 2010 | |
| May – | 1000 Hazelnut bushes planted on an acre of a south-facing ridge top |
| June – | 250 Hazelnut bushes planted on ¼ acre of land along Castle Rock Lane |
| 2011 | |
| August – | Completed construction of industrial farm kitchen for expanded food preparation and preservation activities |
Our first heifers, Nicky and Nora
120 year old settler cabin
The Future
As operations and interests grow, so will Hawk’s Cry Farm.
Misty (Nora's calf) and Asta (Nicky's calf) –
the first two calves born at Hawk’s Cry!
The written copy, designs, poetry and photographs on the pages of the Hawk’s Cry Farm, Hawk’s Cry Stained Glass Studio, and Hawk’s Cry Haiku Workshop websites is original and copyrighted and may not be copied or reproduced without written permission of Mark and Jeanna Osterhaus.