Honoring the Early Supporters of Thistle Farms
27 years ago, the seeds were planted for what Thistle Farms is today. These early Thistle Farmers, now called Pioneers, believed in the idea that love, when put into action, can truly heal the lives of women survivors and our greater community.
On May 13, 2025, the Education Room of The Café at Thistle Farms was full of familiar faces, overjoyed hugs, and deep laughter as a group of Thistle Farmers came together for lunch. To the outside eye it had all the feeling of a reunion as individuals sat together and celebrated with gratitude and reflection at the inaugural Pioneer Luncheon.
It was this group of Pioneers who showed us the love between 1997 and 2010 that made it possible for a five-bed housing program to grow into a national and global movement that provides safe housing and meaningful employment.
Supporters and volunteers picked thistles along highways for our Paper Studio, hosted home parties to sell candles, mowed lawns and replaced plumbing, and gave generously to help make payroll possible in those beginning stages. They were also the first group to start our tradition of coming together for a meditation circle, a practice so important that we continue it today, every Wednesday at our café.
The Pioneer Circle is our way to recognize those who - whether through time, resources, or financial giving - planted the seeds and built the foundation of who we are today. This event was just the start of saying thank you to the early supporters who have made our mission possible.
Hosted by founder Becca Stevens, CEO Tasha Kennard, Thistle Farms graduates, and Pioneer Circle volunteer Kacky Fell, conversations around the room were filled with beautiful memories and visions of what’s to come for our community.
To our original Pioneer Circle, we say thank you.
As Thistle Farms continues to grow and expand our reach, the heart of what we stand for remains the same and has been made possible by our community.
If you were a part of early Thistle Farms during the years of 1997-2010, please reach out to marlei.olson@thistlefarms.org. We would love to reconnect with you.
