From Plow Creek to Hungry World: A Legacy of Faith, Farming, and Hospitality

 In 1971, a group of Christians inspired by the radical community described in Acts 2–4 left urban life to form Plow Creek Fellowship on 175 acres near Tiskilwa, Illinois. Closely connected to the Mennonite tradition and rooted in the teachings of Jesus, they practiced intentional community, shared finances, and opened their lives to others. At its peak, the Fellowship welcomed over a hundred people to common meals, worship, and seasonal rhythms grounded in faith, farming, and service.

Plow Creek became known not only for its U-pick strawberries and produce at farmers markets but for its spirit of welcome. The community attracted refugees, weary city-dwellers, artists, theologians, and seekers of all kinds. Families came for retreats, walked woodland trails, shared in campfire worship, and experienced what it meant to live in solidarity with the land and one another. Plow Creek was also a member of Shalom Mission Communities and once hosted more than 700 guests for a teaching and music festival.

Yet as the decades passed, founding members aged and several key leaders passed away, including beloved pastor and columnist Rich Foss. By 2017, only a dozen members remained. They discerned that their season had ended — but they hoped their legacy might live on.

That legacy continues today through Hungry World Farm, a nonprofit launched by local leaders including Dennis and Calvin Zehr. Sam Ingersoll, who grew up on the farm as a teenager in the 1980s (see 2nd pic below), is now the Executive Director,

“While Hungry World Farm is not a religious organization,” says Sam, “its heartbeat still echoes the core values I grew up with here — radical hospitality, care for the poor, and living simply in tune with creation. Whether you come from a faith background or not, people who visit this place often find something deeply spiritual in the land. It’s a place where you can reconnect — with the earth, with food, with community, and maybe even with something bigger than yourself.”

Today, Hungry World Farm builds on that rich heritage by teaching regenerative agriculture, offering hands-on education, and hosting thousands of guests who come to experience farmstays, soil workshops, and wood-fired pizza nights under the stars. It remains a place of connection — rooted in the past, cultivating hope for the future.

👉 Come visit and continue your journey of faith, hope and community.