Sept. 12, 2025
GAYS MILLS, Wis. — When Beth and Niels Jensen bought a steep, 39-acre hillside farm in Crawford County in 2014, they didn’t come armed with a conservation plan. What they brought instead was a shared agricultural heritage, a deep respect for the land, and a willingness to learn.
“I had hunted mushrooms and collected gooseberries,” said Beth Jensen, who spent childhood weekends on her grandparents’ farm in Illinois. “But we didn’t know much about land management.”
Niels Jensen, a native of Denmark, grew up farming with his family and later worked on farms in the United States. “We knew it wasn’t good farmland,” he said. “But we saw something special in the layers of the land.”
Those layers hay fields grazed by horses, oak woodlands, and a dry prairie capping a 380-foot rise form a diverse landscape just outside Gays Mills. A small stream winds through the lower corner of the property, feeding into the Kickapoo River only 200 feet downstream.
From the beginning, the Jensens committed themselves to restoring the land. They cleared invasive honeysuckle and Japanese barberry, built a barn, installed fencing and a watering system, and eventually moved a house from Gays Mills to the property, renovating it into their home. In 2020, they tore down the original farmhouse.
“We got involved with Mississippi Valley Conservancy right away,” Beth said. “They helped us understand what the land needed and what it could become.”
Over time, the couple built a network of support that includes the Conservancy, Valley Stewardship Network, Crawford Stewardship Project, The Prairie Enthusiasts, the Kickapoo Valley Reserve, and the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. Through site visits, meetings, and shared labor, they grew into their role as land stewards.
“We’ve met a lot of people who are like-minded,” Niels said. “That’s been one of the most rewarding parts.”
This summer, the Jensens signed a conservation easement with Mississippi Valley Conservancy, permanently protecting their land from future subdivision or residential development. The easement designates zones for agricultural use and a building site for their residence, reflecting years of thoughtful planning.
“The Jensens have an exceptionally scenic property,” said Chris Kirkpatrick, conservation manager for the Conservancy. “It’s entirely in perennial cover, which makes it more resilient to extreme weather events like droughts and heavy rains. Their stewardship benefits not only their land, but the entire Kickapoo watershed.”
The easement also aligns with the comprehensive plans of both the Village of Gays Mills and Crawford County, which prioritize preserving rural character and ecological integrity.
On a recent morning, the couple sat on their patio, looking uphill toward their horses and the woodland beyond.
“We hear the birds right away, every day,” Beth said.
“I always love to see what the day brings,” Niels added. “We have a big project up in the woods, a lot of honeysuckle. It’ll take the rest of our lives.”
Their story, conservation leaders say, is a reminder that stewardship doesn’t begin with expertise, it begins with curiosity, commitment, and community.
“If you do it the right way,” Niels said, “you want it to continue.”
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