Let’s start with something simple and true: rest is not earned — it’s deserved.
You don’t have to conquer the week, please everyone, or tick every box before you’re allowed to slow down. You deserve to rest simply because you’re human.
But somehow, we forget that. We push through, we give until we’re empty, and when someone suggests a weekend away, we say, “Maybe later.”
What if, instead of powering through, you simply stepped away for a while? Not to earn a break — just to breathe, to think, to be. That’s what happens when you give yourself a weekend at Big Raven Farm.
Self-Care That Actually Works
Bubble baths and quick meditations are lovely, but they don’t touch the deeper kind of fatigue that builds up from years of caring for everyone but yourself. Real rest takes time, space, and intention.
That’s exactly what you find here at Big Raven Farm, tucked away in the rolling hills of southern Minnesota — a place where art, yoga, and food work together to restore you from the inside out.
Our retreats aren’t about “doing it all.” They’re about feeling whole again.
The Power of the Mix
Each retreat blends movement, creativity, and nourishment in a rhythm that feels both grounding and freeing.
You might start the morning with yoga in our bright, sunlit studio — the kind of gentle flow that reconnects you to your breath. Breakfast follows, cooked with heart by Chef Darin, who believes good food should taste like joy. Think fresh herbs, warm bread, and coffee that actually makes you pause.
Then comes the art — not the “perfect” kind, but the alive kind. Eco-printing with leaves, folding book pages into sculptures, painting, collaging, or experimenting with texture and color. You might laugh, you might make a mess, you might surprise yourself.
And in between? There’s space. Quiet. The kind of silence that feels soft and full, not empty.
It’s not about one thing — not just yoga, not just food, not just art. It’s the combination that works like alchemy.
Real Women, Real Rest
We’ve seen women arrive exhausted — teachers, nurses, caregivers, business owners — all of them running on autopilot. And we’ve seen them leave with color in their cheeks and light in their eyes.
One woman told us she hadn’t made art since her kids were little. Another said she finally slept through the night for the first time in months. One laughed until she cried at dinner — and said it felt like medicine.
That’s the power of intentional rest. It doesn’t just refresh you; it changes you.
A Women’s Weekend Getaway That Feeds Every Part of You
If you’ve been craving time away that actually restores you — not a jam-packed “vacation” that leaves you more tired — this is it.
Our women’s weekend getaways are built around connection, creativity, and calm. You’ll move, eat, and make things alongside other women who get it — who are also figuring out how to take care of themselves again.
Every retreat at Big Raven Farm has its own focus, but the soul is always the same: art that wakes you up, yoga that grounds you, and food that feels like love.
This is what a creative wellness retreat should feel like — immersive, meaningful, and real.
A Mindfulness Retreat in the Midwest — for Real Life
Here in the Driftless region of Minnesota, surrounded by fields and sky, slowing down happens naturally. You’ll find space to breathe, to notice, to listen — not because you’re escaping life, but because you’re reentering it with a different rhythm.
A mindfulness retreat in the Midwest doesn’t have to be about silence or stillness; it can be about presence — in the laughter around the table, the hum of conversation, the smell of soup simmering on the stove.
This is self-care that actually sticks.
Words from our Guests
Joleen and Darin at Big Raven Farm are among the most special human beings that I have met on this planet! (And I've met alot!). They are so truly genuine, welcoming and passionate about your guest experience when you are with them. Darin's food is like no other - so much scratch made (like the yogurt that is out of this world) goodness and healthy options. And you can taste the love he pours into everything he serves up. And Joleen is just pure magic. She has the artistic genius that I have rarely experienced and she is so loving and patient in her way of sharing it. My experiences at Big Raven Farm have all been amazing and I will keep coming back for as long as I live! -Brenda
This place is truly a gem. It feels like Downton Abbey meets Magnolia. Luxury getaway tucked in a historic farm setting. Loved every minute of this much needed getaway! Owners treat you like family and the food is so good you won't want to leave. Best weekend escape of my year. -Jenny
Experienced an amazing, creative crafting weekend at Big Raven Farm. Joleen and Darin have created a truly magical getaway experience. Their beautiful home becomes your home for a weekend. The meals cooked by Darin are prepared with fresh, healthy ingredients and the presentation is beautiful, it is such a special part of the weekend. The crafts inspired and guided by Joleen were incredible. Joleen is an amazingly inspirational person. She is organized, creative, patient and so much fun to spend time with. Also, the guided yoga by Joleen in their beautiful studio was so relaxing. I would absolutely recommend this weekend at Big Raven and look forward to a return trip in the future. -Dawn
Your Turn to Reset
You don’t need to “earn” this. You don’t need to prove you’ve done enough.
You just need to say yes to a few days of slowing down — to movement that feels good, meals that nourish, and creativity that reminds you who you are.
👉 See All Upcoming Retreats at Big Raven Farm
Come tired. Leave glowing.
Because rest is not earned — it’s deserved.