Retreating A Different Way

---

Four thoughtfully hosted days, outside the hustle and bustle of your daily life, with room for the unexpected. We'll take care of the details and curate a collection of micro-moments you might enjoy—good food, interesting activities, places to wander or curl in, and time to linger. There is no prescribed outcome for your time on an LTM retreat. You don't need to arrive hoping to change, improve, recover, connect, disconnect, or accomplish anything in particular.

Maybe you'll do something you've never tried before. 

Maybe you'll wear pajamas much longer than you normally would. 

Maybe you'll have a cookie with your morning coffee, just because. 

Some things you'll choose. Some you'll skip. 

And some of the best parts of the weekend may be things none of us could have planned.

We invite you to be curious about what a few days like this might become.

Four days and three nights to have nowhere else you need to be.

Your stay includes:

• Four days/three nights of accommodations at Big Raven Farm, with the entire retreat property available to our small group.
• Fresh chef-prepared meals, made from scratch and served from Thursday dinner through Sunday breakfast.
• Room to settle in however you like — sweeping patios and porches, fireplaces, comfortable couches and chairs, and quiet corners where being alone doesn't mean being left out.
• A dedicated art and crafting space, available throughout the weekend whenever making something sounds good.
• Exceptional Wi-Fi, because sometimes rest looks like finally watching that movie you've been saving, FaceTiming someone you love, or scrolling under a blanket without apologizing for it.
• Everything you need for the weekend's optional shared experiences. No supplies to buy. No homework beforehand. No experience required.
• Plenty of genuinely unscheduled time. Not "free time" between workshops. Actual time that belongs to you.

LTM will have a handful of micro-moments scattered through the weekend. 

You can join every one, none of them, or decide five minutes beforehand.

Perhaps:

• A birding walk for people who've never identified a bird — including your host.
• An evening making something small to carry home (supplies and instruction provided by LTM).
• An hour exploring scent, memory and curiosity.
• A completely unserious mystery Oreo or regional potato-chip tasting.
• A stretching session in which you skip directly to everyone's favorite part - laying on the yoga mat completely relaxed.

Nothing is mandatory. No preparation needed. Nothing needs to be mastered. 

And there will most definitely not be a quiz.

Our time together begins Thursday evening and carries through Sunday morning.  Guests are welcome to arrive around 6:00 pm, with time to find your room and settle in before we gather for our first dinner at 7:00 pm. On Sunday, we'll share one last meal before the retreat ends at 11:00 am. 

Meals will provide the gentle rhythm to the days - mostly because the executive chef needs set times to prepare and service them, and trust us, they will be worth showing up for! 

The rest of our time together will be less scheduled.  LTM will offer a handful of optional micro-moments scattered throughout the weekend, alongside plenty of time that belongs entirely to you.  Dive into a book you've been saving. Join a puzzling session. Create something with your hands. Wander outside. Take a nap. 

There is nowhere you're supposed to be and nothing you have to do.

We will gather at Big Raven Farm, a 15-acre retreat property in Minnesota's Driftless region. For four days and three nights, the property will become our shared home—a place with room to gather, wander, eat together, curl up somewhere quiet, or simply have nowhere else to be.  Big Raven Farm is a fully functional bed & breakfast with a retreat center, yoga studio, nature trail and summer house. 

The farm house has a beautiful rooms with couches and chairs, nooks for curling up, a dining veranda, patios with tons of seating and incredible views of the surrounding landscape and the stars at night are a whole other story waiting to be discovered. There are tons of places to settle in and enjoy the serenity of the farm.

**Venue photography on this page is courtesy of Big Raven Farm.**

• Yourself - just as you are.
• An appetite for tasty meals and desserts.
• An open mind and a desire to relax — this is your time, no performance, no need to be on.
• You will have a dedicated space to use for any craft/art project you want to bring and work on while you're with us. A few options will also be provided if you want to try something new.
• A book you’ve been trying to find time to read, a magazine (or ten) that have piled up because you want to leisurely peruse them, your favorite game on your phone, or maybe just your sleeping eye mask to help you nap.
• Your personal music playing device and a pair of headphones.  Imagine sitting by a giant window, watching the sun set over the horizon...while your favorite music plays.
• Comfort is a priority so please bring comfortable clothes - wearing pajamas the whole weekend is absolutely acceptable!
• House slippers! There is no requirement to remove your shoes, but a flock of beautiful and inquisitive free-range chickens roam the property, so having a pair of slippers can be handy.
• An extra pair of walking shoes in case you choose to walk the property or birding trails. Depending on the weather, having a pair of walking shoes can provide comfort.
• A light jacket or sweatshirt, Minnesota mornings and evenings in September can get cool.

LTM is committed to creating a respectful, welcoming, and considerate retreat environment for all participants.  Every activity is optional, always. You're welcome to modify, skip, or step away from anything, at any time, without explanation. 

LTM will collect an emergency contact for every guest at registration, and a host is present throughout the retreat.

What’s LTM’s refund policy? 

Transfer of registration and payments will be considered on a case-by-case basis, but due to upfront commitments and costs, we don’t offer refunds for our retreats in the case guests need to cancel. In the so far unheard of rare case LTM must cancel, guests will receive a full refund.

What’s is LTM's weather policy? 

The retreat will be held regardless of weather. We wish we could provide refunds due to inclement weather, but the tables are set and the beds made in advance of your arrival.

Can guests use the kitchen to prepare meals? 

Guests are welcome to store items in the refrigerator but are unfortunately not allowed to cook or prepare food.

Can guests bring pets? 

Unfortunately no, we ask you leave your pets at home for this trip.  You won't be without a four legged though, Big Raven Farm is home to a family dog, Auggie, who loves to play ball.

Will I be able to watch my favorite TV show or Movie? 

Excellent wifi is available for guests who wish to stream from their personal devices.