We get it - self care doesn't always seem attainable. After you overcome the obstacle of limited time, you encounter the budget hurdle. We are hoping that learning more about how we do business and when you can save the most money on our programs helps you in the long run. 

Hike and Heal Wellness was founded by and is owned / operated by one person... me! Moira Farrell. I teach full time at Midvale Elementary School, am a mom of one human and two canines, wife and am still able to adventure on the side to do all things Hike and Heal. All of you participating in my programming are the ones shaping how this looks. Thank YOU for your encouragement, feedback and support in these the last three years. What a blessing it is to be able to serve you, my family and my own self-care needs through nature-based, mindfulness programming. 

What it takes to pull off a Hike & Heal retreat: 
I rent spaces and collaborate with like-minded instructors to put on events. Each space rented has its perks that come at different expenses. While some are monetary, others are labor intensive. The 2020 spring and fall retreats, for example, utilize the MMSD School Forest Campground. What a delightfully tranquil area! I love it because most people don't know about it, it is incredibly beautiful at any time of year and there isn't the steady traffic drone you hear most places in and near Madison. For these retreats, the team I put together and I shop for locally grown, organic food, prep the meals, haul equipment down a 1/4 mile trail in wagons and set-up everything at an open air shelter to deliver a serene, yet rustic retreat experience. It takes about 4 trips in and 4 trips out for three of us to haul the gear when it is all said and done. Driving out there, cooking, schlepping the supplies, setting up, prepping for each instructor's role in addition to leading the retreats, taking down and clean up is a huge time commitment. Each of these particular retreats is truly a labor of love... and I try my best to 1) honor my instructors for their time and expertise while 2) giving all guests the option to keep the retreat cost under $200/person. 

How you can save $ on Hike & Heal self-care: 
All Hike & Heal retreats and programs over the price of $100 are on sale at $20-50 off until 1-2 months before the event date. Why? Because I need to encourage you to register early. The earlier you register, the faster my minimum numbers are met, so bills can be paid and I know I can afford to move forward with the final details. If my minimum number isn't met (typically 6-8 people), I can't afford to run the retreat and it gets cancelled. Luckily, I have only had to do that two times in three years! Many small business start-ups like mine have to cancel a few every year. So... if you're willing to work with me to plan ahead, then I reward you with a lower price. But... if you wait until the month of, you'll have to pay full price. It is still worth that price for certain, as most 2-day retreats offering lodging, meals, and activities such as yoga, sound healing, Reiki and forest therapy are in the $350-600 range. When I rent fancy lodging my price reflects that higher end price range. Camping, however, allows us to heal more while being kind to the pocket book. It is important to me that the self-care I offer is affordable to help the mental, emotional, physical and spiritual health of the community. I know a healthy community is a compassionate one.... and together we can create a more mindful world. 

What's better? Holiday giveaways of course. On Small Business Saturday only, 11/30/19, I am giving away $25 digital gift cards to anyone who registers for a 2020 program that costs over $100. Gift cards never expire and can be used however you like! Give it to a friend to join you on the experience, save on a different Hike and Heal program or use it towards the one you register for by checking out with the 50% deposit coupon code: "50off."

The cliff notes:
Register for programs at least 2 months in advance to save $20-50 on programs that are $100 or more, use the "50off" code to keep more money in your bank each month and benefit from the 11/30/19 $25 gift card deal by registering for a 2020 event. 

Imagine a world where families boycott the Black Friday craze & stay present with one another. Notifications get turned off, phones & other devices are tucked away & the TV becomes covered with a tablecloth as a reminder to press pause. The family spends the day getting lost in page turning books or excited over putting together a big puzzle. Instead of getting frazzled by the flocks of people shopping for deals for things the family likely doesn't need, everyone plays a board game, hide n’ seek (no one is too old to play hide n' seek...) or cooks together. Maybe you decorate the house, go outside to hang lights, hike, do yard work or make art! Maybe you do it all. But without a device telling you to purchase something. You experience the day together as one and remain present. 

Just writing it feels like a big deep breath. In between & amongst those experiences are smiles, big and small feelings, sensory awareness, problem solving, exercise, hard work, benefits of nature, creativity & more. Days like these are memories for families to cherish forever. Do we need to dare you? Okay... we dare you to have a day like this with the fam, even if they groan, and not post about it. Just live it! See what happens. How does everyone feel afterwards? Seems like a fun thing to plan over a yummy thanksgiving meal after an outpouring of family love and a gratitude blessing. 


This season, amidst all of the materialism madness & overloading ads - Hike & Heal Wellness will be chillin' in the corner by our mascot Grandmother Oak grinning, waiting to listen & ready to provide comfort when you need us. We are here if you’d like to give something different this year. Instead of worrying if you purchased the right "thing," give a family member a weekend to focus on themselves for once. Give your mom or daughter a bonding experience where health, new experiences & growing your relationship is at the forefront. Give a friend a day to develop something they are truly interested in - their intuition. Give your family of teens & tweens an overnight camping experience around Earth Day to celebrate your love for nature & each other. Give an adult in your life a weekend to de-stress, recalibrate, ramp up the healing and bury the anxiety in the great outdoors. Give experiences. It can be affordable and life changing. 

The 2020 program schedule is up & running. Registration is open for everything but summer camp (it opens the start of our fiscal year- Jan 1), prices are at their lowest between now & Dec 31 so really, there’s no pressure. We are just here if you need us. We’d love to practice self-care with you, connect deeply with our outer landscape & continue to build a mindful community of great humans with you as a part of our family. 

Breathe deeply, grow together.

Yours Truly, 
Team Hike and Heal