Gardens and Gazing on St. Joseph's Ridge

ALL SPOTS ARE NOW FULL. If you would like to be added to a cancellation list, please email [email protected].

On Saturday, August 17, 2024, the popular Franciscan Sisters of Perpetual Adoration (FSPA) grounds tour with ridgetop hike and stargazing will again be offered by Mississippi Valley Conservancy, in partnership with the FSPA and the La Crosse Area Astronomical Society.

Located at Villa St. Joseph on St. Joseph’s Ridge, this event is part of the 2024 “Linked to the Land” series of outdoor activities sponsored by Olson Solar Energy and WXOW News19. This annual event offers a family-friendly experience with the unique opportunity to visit the Franciscan Sisters of Perpetual Adoration property and enjoy the views and night skies of the ridgetop. There will be a garden tour, a hike, and an evening with a guide who will enlighten us about the wonders of the night sky. Participants who tour the beautiful, private hilltop property will learn about the organic horticulture techniques that produce thousands of pounds of fruits and vegetables for the Sisters.

We will have a table with some activities for children. Attendees are encouraged to bring lawn chairs and snacks or a picnic supper to enjoy while relaxing on the grounds before stargazing begins. Attendees are also encouraged to bring their own telescopes and binoculars for enjoyment of the spectacular ridgetop views. 

Meet our Guides:

Siena Muehlfeld is the Land Sustainability Coordinator for the Franciscan Sisters of Perpetual Adoration. She has 6 years of professional experience in the field of conservation biology. Siena is responsible for stewarding the 200 acres of FSPA land on St. Joseph Ridge, including care for the forests, prairies, natural burial cemetery, and trails. She also helps coordinate tours and environmental education activities so that sisters, their affiliates, community partners, and the public can enjoy and learn about the FSPA land and explore their relationship to the natural world.

Meredith Hink is the garden coordinator for the Franciscan Sisters of Perpetual Adoration. She has an educational and experiential background in dietetics and food science, but her true passion is in gardening. In her spare time Meredith is a volunteer garden educator with the Kane Street Community Garden and enjoys working in her backyard micro fruit farm with her family and dogs. She considers herself a true “foodie” from field to fork.

ADVANCE REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED for this FREE event by August 12th by filling out the form below. For any questions, contact Karen Solverson at [email protected] or call 608-784-3606 ext. 8. 

(PHOTO: Participants enjoy the ridgetop view on a prior Gardens and Gazing hike)