What do you create? What are you building or making?
Maybe it’s art. Or a business. Or community. Maybe you are creating a family and memorable gatherings. Maybe it’s a non-profit venture to serve a need you’ve spotted — or value within an organization.
Is it a dream? A home? A life?
I’ll betcha it’s some combo of these.
Wouldn’t it would be great to step back for a day (or two or three!) to reflect and refuel? To connect with other women and learn together?
Because — we are ALL works in progress, balancing, learning, reaching and getting better all the time.
Fireflies at Hameau Farm events offer a relaxed way to connect and learn with fellow women who are creating in all different ways.
We gather at a woman-owned, lovely and gritty working dairy farm over amazing, farm-fresh food and loads of laughter. We learn and work in the natural light of the artist studio above Hameau’s hay barn. We trade stories at long dining tables, seated family-style. We share our visions, struggles and hacks for figuring out our lives over delicious, farm-fresh food.
We laugh — like … A LOT! — and pause often to take in the surrounding views of rust and white Ayrshire cows grazing in rich, green pastures and the mountain ridges blanketed in crimson, orange, rust and yellow foliage. We watch a sunset parade of cows, the goofy antics of Ludwig, (a St. Bernard) and the strut of one very confident peacock. (That’s the exceptionally handsome Pierre.)
The Fireflies at Hameau Farm Fall Retreat, Oct. 18-20, 2024 offers:
• Four workshops balancing self-care, managing (aka getting it done), mindfulness and creativity.
- Sleep better every night. Alissa Yamasaki returns to lead a workshop on improving your sleep habits and help us learn why sleep and mindfulness is so important to our full, busy and creative lives. Alissa is a licensed psychologist specializing in stress, anxiety and insomnia. Alissa owns the Ayama Psychotherapy practice in Lemont.
- Learn the systems, strategies, hacks and solutions that work best for you. Stephanie Desaulniers, owner of Business by Dezign in Thompsontown, leads a workshop on the smart systems and efficient processes that keep your operation humming along and free you up to do your very best, creative work. Stephanie helps makers create consistent income.
- Build your COLOR Confidence. Elody Gyekis, an artist and art teacher, will help us see color and the world differently. She’ll walk us through the basics of the science of color and color theory (turns out what we learned in elementary school is all wrong?!). Then into a better understanding of how color and light dance together. Learn to follow your own personal joy in your color choices.
- Recharge in Watercolors. Sarah Zappe, owner of Kaleidoscope PA leads us in watercolor workshop to play, create and recharge through art — even for non-artists. Soak in all the Autumn color and shapes of the Hameau landscape, then sink into a meditative, restorative zone of playing with color. Sarah is an educational psychologist committed to enhancing mental well-being through the creative process.
Our schedule balances time for learning, fellowship and reflection. FOR TICKETS, via EventBrite.
Delicious, Farm-Fresh Hameau Farm Dinners!
Amazing meals from ingredients from the farm, or local from Big Valley. Plus, pre-dinner “mocktails” (festive, fun, fizzy & alcohol-free) from Friday evening to Sunday brunch. (Two dinners, one breakfast, one lunch & a brunch.)
Fireflies: Your light lifts me. My light lifts you. When we connect and shine brighter, we help light the world. (And, baby, we were made to SHINE!)
“Fireflies” Connection & Inspiration
• Lively, spirited conversation around the table about challenges we have in common — even though we come from different places and are working to build different things in different ways!
• Insight from surprise, special dinner guests.
• Laughter, fellowship and wisdom from fellow creative women who strive to SHINE every day (And, baby, we were made to SHINE!)
This fall retreat is built to nourish, energize and inspire you. Connect and learn with us. Step back, reflect and prepare for the year ahead.
RESERVE YOUR SPOT – GET TICKETS
Ten weekend spots are available for October 2024. The weekend costs $395 per person, or $699 for two. Bring a friend along for a weekend adventure!
Prices including all meals, workshops and materials from Friday evening to Sunday brunch. The fee does not include lodging. Hameau is 15 minutes from Lewistown and about 40 minutes from State College. Local lodging options include a Holiday Inn Express, Reedsville (< 5 mins) or Hill Store Guest Cottage (7-10 mins, Call Tom McNabb: 717-935-2390).
Or — come for Saturday-only or only Sunday morning. We want to make it easy to check out the Fireflies at Hameau Fall Retreat — and to return!
Check out two-for-one prices and discounts for WiNGs members. A discount is available for returning attendees. Signup here for the Fireflies at Hameau Farm email list.
Tickets on sale NOW on EventBrite.
MORE ABOUT THE FIREFLIES AT HAMEAU FARM EXPERIENCE
This is not an auditorium, amphitheater, conference or power-networking setup. Leave the heels behind. Bring the comfy kicks or hikers. This is more collaborative in a rustic, naturally beautiful setting.
Based on comments from previous guests of Fireflies at Hameau gatherings, you will leave feeling energized, inspired and empowered!
Settle in here among mountain ridges speckled in gold, orange and crimson as Ayrshire cows graze below a sparkling Autumn sky.
Soak up inspiration, insight and information from fellow creative women.
Gather to connect and share wisdom, insight and inspiration among the grit and beauty of a working dairy farm and artist retreat, nestled in Big Valley, Pennsylvania.
Together, we learn.
The FIREFLIES AT HAMEAU Story
This event grew out of Lisa’s weekly “Fireflies” check-in group of creative business women who have different goals and creative endeavors, but common challenges — like balancing passions and paying work, balancing creative work and family. Read These Little Lights of Ours on Lisa’s ThanksgivinginFebruary.com website. The fireflies ladies also have a willingness to share what’s worked for them, and all serve as a sounding board and accountability group for each other.
More About the Schedule
Friday
We’ll kick off at 5 p.m. Friday evening with a Hameau Happy Hour (hello mocktails!) and a farm-fresh, Hameau dinner — with some surprises! Lisa will introduce the “Peak Mind” theme of our weekend and has a few tough questions for you. Alissa guides us through a quiet meditation and will share some tips for a good night’s rest. We’ll wrap by 8.
Saturday
Our full day of workshops kicks off at 8 a.m. with a Hameau breakfast.
Workshop I: Tailoring your Systems, Strategies and Solutions, by entrepreneur Stephanie Desaulniers, owner of Business by Dezign.
BREAK
Workshop 2: Sleep better every night, by therapist Alissa Yamasaki, owner of Ayama Psychotherapy.
LUNCH
Workshop 3: COLOR Confidence, by artist and art teacher Elody Gyekis
You’ll have some time to explore on your own, chat, and/or stretch your legs on a walk down the lane or to Kish Creek.
Hameau Happy Hour (with a different cocktail, of course!) followed by a fantastic, farm-fresh dinner.
SUNDAY
8 – Coffee’s on! (And tea, plus a little something to hold us over to brunch.)
9-12 Sunday morning will be a final workshop then a farewell-for-now BRUNCH.
We invite you to carve out this time to focus and learn, delight your senses, nourish and recharge. Envision and plan the year ahead.
Hosted by Gay Rodgers, farmer & owner of Hameau Farm, in Big Valley, Central Pennsylvania and Lisa Duchene, writer, content creator and owner of Polished Oak Communications in Big Valley.
We simply cannot wait to welcome you to Big Valley for Fireflies at Hameau Farm!
Stay on top of Fireflies at Hameau news. Join the Fireflies email list.
Questions? Email Lisa: lisa@lisaduchene.com
Lodging details:
Hill Store Guest Cottage & Events
The 2 BR loft is available for two. $300 for both nights, including tax. Upcharge for additional guests, up to four guests. Call Tom McNabb: 717-935-2390
https://www.hillstoreguestcottage.com
Holiday Inn Express is within four miles of Hameau Farm.
Check Airbnb! We have some great cottages and cabins in Belleville, Pa. and the surrounding area.
About Hameau Farm
Owned by farmer Audrey “Gay” Rodgers, Hameau Farm is a retreat space for artists, girls’ summer camp and working dairy farm known for its Plum Bottom Ayrshire cows, in Big Valley, Pa., 35 minutes from State College and 5 minutes from Reedsville, Pa.
@hameaufarminthebigvalley on FB
@hameaufarm on IG
About Lisa Duchene and Polished Oak Communications
I am a writer, communications consultant and small business owner.
My background is in journalism — writing and teaching news and feature writing & journalism. For print and digital publications, I’ve written stories about: marine science, conservation science, the food industry, supermarkets, travel, global seafood supply trends, and family businesses from L.L. Bean to mom & pops. (Browse my magazine feature stories.)
I now use my journalism training and experience for Polished Oak clients, providing communications and marketing on behalf of companies and organizations that align with my conservation and community values.
Essay and inspirational writing is my creative calling. Plus, building Fireflies at Hameau events.
Read my stories at ThanksgivinginFebruary.com
@lisaduchenewriter on Facebook and Instagram.
Special thanks to Ellen Matis, Founder and CEO of Hello Social Co., for capturing and sharing images from the Fireflies at Hameau Farm dinner in August, 2023.
