Roaring Lion Ranch & Retreat

09/06/2026

🌿 SUNDAY — A DAY OF REST

Some of our favorite mornings at the Ranch are the simplest ones.

A cup of coffee or tea in hand and a quiet walk along the nature trails while the day is just beginning. ☕️🌿

Checking in on the pasture pets. Watching the deer grazing at a distance. Listening to the birds wake up and catching the last few bats overhead before they settle in for the day. 🦇

Then maybe it’s down to the dock to cast a line for a little while—coffee sitting beside you, pond still and nowhere you need to be. 🎣

No agenda. No rushing.

Just a little time to disconnect from everything else and reconnect with nature and yourself.

That feeling is exactly what we hope to share through our upcoming Create-N-Nature Arts & Crafts Sundays this fall. Come create for a while, wander the trails, visit the animals, fish from the dock or simply find a quiet place to sit and enjoy the Ranch.

Because sometimes a Day of Rest isn’t about doing nothing.

It’s about slowing down enough to enjoy the simple things. 🌿💚

Roaring Lion Ranch & Retreat | Chatham, IL
A getaway that gives back!

09/05/2026

🍂 AUTUMN AFFAIR RESERVATION UPDATE! 🍂

Our $100 Autumn Affair + Exclusive After-Hours Experience was offered on a first-come, first-served basis and has now reached its reservation limit. 🧡

✨ But you haven’t missed Autumn Affair!

We still have $60 Autumn Affair Reservations available for our 2nd Annual Autumn Affair — Private Invitation Countryside Retreat on Sunday, October 4th from 1–5 PM at Roaring Lion Ranch & Retreat in Chatham, IL.

Come spend an autumn afternoon in the countryside enjoying:

🍢 Grill-N-Chill: Enjoy Made-to-order & Korean BBQ & gourmet burgers Dock Side 🎣
🧀 Farmhouse charcuterie & seasonal beverages
🎨 Live painting, art & tropical plant sales by The Plant Lady & Fantom Don Howell Valkyrie Recovery Art Works
🦙 Exotic animal encounters by Autumn's Exotic Animals
🫏 Our rescued donkeys
🌿 Walking trails & time around the Ranch
🎯 Charity Trivia Bingo benefiting Peaceful Valley Donkey Rescue
🎁 Silent Auction — winners announced at 4:30 PM
🌱 CBD Botanicals Charity Bud-N-Bar Cart, education & sampling by CBD Botanicals of Springfield
❤️ And plenty of opportunities to support Peaceful Valley Donkey Rescue via Feral Funders NFP

Good food. Good company. A countryside escape. And a fundraiser that gives back. 🍁

With our After-Hours option already spoken for, now is a great time to secure one of the remaining $60 reservations and make sure you don’t miss this year’s Autumn Affair.

📩 Message us today to request your private guest invitation! Or click on the registration link in pic description.

🦁Roaring Lion Ranch & Retreat | Chatham, IL🫏🫏🫏🫏🫏🫏🫏
🌿A getaway that gives back!

09/04/2026

🎣☀️🍂 SUMMER/FALL FISHING WITH US!

Summer isn’t quite finished yet, but our fishing season is going strong! Whether you’re looking for a FREE opportunity to learn or prefer a quieter private experience, we have two ways to get outside & fish with us.

🌿 FREE PUBLIC FISHING CLINICS
Join us for FREE fishing clinics open to the public and sponsored by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources! Great for kids, families & beginners looking to learn the basics while connecting with Illinois’ natural resources.

🦁 PREFER TO FISH PRIVATELY AT THE RANCH?

🎣 $20/person per hour
Perfect for individuals, families & small groups looking for some private pond time.

🌾 $250 Private Mini Gathering
Bring up to 25 guests and enjoy our private 10-acre countryside retreat with fishing, nature, donkey encounters & plenty of room to relax.

☀️ With the summer heat still hanging around, morning & evening fishing are great options for enjoying the outdoors while skipping the hottest part of the day.

Whether you join us at a FREE public clinic or book your own private experience, it’s all about getting people outside, connecting with the land & learning about the ecosystems around us. 🌎🐟

📩 Message us for upcoming FREE clinic opportunities or to inquire about a private Ranch booking.

🦁 Roaring Lion Ranch & Retreat |
🌿 A Getaway That Gives Back!

09/03/2026

🧄🍂 GARLIC PLANTING WEEKEND — PART TWO!

Remember the garlic we harvested together this summer? Now it’s time to complete the growing cycle and get next year’s crop into the ground! 🌱

Join us at Roaring Lion Ranch & Retreat for a hands-on Garlic Fall Planting Workshop where we’ll dig in and learn by doing.

📅 From: 3:30PM-5:30PM
CHOOSE ONE SESSION:

🍂Friday, October 16
🍂Saturday, October 17
🍂Sunday, October 18

🧄 During the workshop we’ll learn:

• How to select healthy garlic for seed stock
• How to break and prepare cloves for planting
• Proper planting depth & spacing
• How to prepare and mulch garlic beds for winter
• What happens underground through winter and into spring

🌱 BUILD YOUR OWN GARLIC PATCH — INCLUDED!

Every participant takes home 8 planting cloves — 2 of EACH of our four heirloom varieties:

🧄 Korean Red — Hardneck
🧄 Spanish Roja — Hardneck
🧄 Sicilian — Softneck
🧄 Silver White — Softneck

Plant all four at home and see how each variety grows, stores and performs in your own garden next year!

🎟 $40 per participant

Your registration includes:

🌱 2-hour hands-on educational workshop
🧄 8 heirloom planting cloves
📖 Garlic planting guidance
🐴 Rescue donkey encounters after the workshop
🎨 Access to our Sustainable Stable Art Gallery featuring original works by Valkyrie Recovery Art Works. Art sale proceeds support Peaceful Valley Donkey Rescue and veteran causes.

Missed Part One? No worries! This workshop is beginner-friendly and kids are welcome with a parent or guardian.

🌱 COME PREPARED TO PLAY IN THE DIRT!

Please bring a water bottle, closed-toe shoes, weather-appropriate clothing and garden gloves.

🚻 Facilities are available on site.

📍 Roaring Lion Ranch & Retreat — Chatham, IL
Exact location and arrival details will be provided to approved registered participants.

🎟 Space is limited to keep each session small and hands-on.

Due to the preparation, materials and seed garlic reserved for each participant, registration fees are non-refundable.

Text 217-828-0738/DM us to join!

🔗 REGISTER & CHOOSE YOUR SESSION: Registration Link in Photo Description.

Come plant with us this fall and take home the beginning of next summer’s harvest. 🧄🌱🍂

🦁 Roaring Lion Ranch & Retreat
✨ A getaway that gives back!

09/02/2026

🌿🎨 CREATE-N-NATURE | ADULT ART RETREAT. CHATHAM, IL

Slow down. Create. Wander. Reconnect.

Step away from the routine and spend two hours creating, exploring and enjoying the ranch this Fall.

🌿🎨 Our CREATE-N-NATURE | ADULT ART RETREAT is a 21+ self-guided art retreat designed around creative freedom and time spent in nature. This isn’t an instructor-led class and there’s no project everyone has to recreate.

Instead, explore our collection of art supplies, mixed-media materials, decoupage, botanicals, shells, paints, beads, pearls, vintage & steampunk embellishments and more!

✨ No rules. No pressure. Just create.

Make something completely your own — a keepsake, a beautiful piece of home décor or a meaningful handmade gift for the upcoming holiday season.

And remember: the purpose isn’t perfection. It’s the experience. 🌿

When you’re ready to put down the paintbrush, wander the ranch:

🌳 Walk our nature trails
🎣 Enjoy dock fishing, weather permitting
🫏 Spend time with our rescue donkeys
🖼️ Explore our Barn Art Gallery featuring a private collection by Valkyrie Recovery Art Works — artwork is available for purchase benefiting Peaceful Valley Donkey Rescue and veterans

🌿 Our CannaFriendly Charity Bud-N-Bar Cart sponsored by CBD Botanicals of Springfield will also be available during your retreat.

🧺 BYO snacks & drinks
💧 Bring a reusable water bottle — complimentary Fill-Your-Own Water Station available
❄️ Shared Community Barn refrigerator & freezer available
🚻 Facilities & hand-washing station on site
🌦️ Rain or shine — our creative space is inside the Eco-Barn

🍂 FALL 2026 CREATE-N-NATURE | ADULT ART RETREAT

AVAILABLE SESSIONS:
☀️ Saturday 9/19 | 10 AM–12 PM
🌙 Friday 9/25 | 5–7 PM
🌙 Friday 10/9 | 5–7 PM
☀️ Saturday 10/17 | 10 AM–12 PM
☀️ Sunday 10/18 | 10 AM–12 PM

🎟️ $40 per person | ALL creative materials included
🔞 21+
🌱 Dress for farm & outdoor conditions
🔒 Private property • Attendance intentionally limited
🎟️ Advance registration required • No refunds

Choose your date & reserve your spot here:
BOOK YOUR CREATE-N-NATURE ADULT ART RETREAT → https://square.link/u/j8N0LDHf?src=sheet

Check-in details will be provided to approved registered guests.

Sometimes reconnecting with nature doesn’t require a grand adventure.

Sometimes it starts with a couple of hours, something beautiful to create and permission to simply slow down.

Explore. Create. Wander. Reconnect.

🦁 Roaring Lion Ranch & Retreat
🌿 A getaway that gives back!

21+ Self-Guided: Create-N-Nature Art Retreat. Includes art supp, mixed media+take home crafts. Nature trails, dock fishing & meet rescue donkeys (weather permitted) Shop & enjoy our Charity Art Gallery+ CannaFriendly Bud-N-Bar Cart. Rain-or-shine. Dress for farm/outdoor conditions. Book a session: 9...

09/01/2026

🌱 PROPAGATION STATION | VENDOR SPOTLIGHT: Soil Food

Come take a quick look at how our Propagation Station uses Soil Food products to create healthy root systems!🪴

In this video, we’re showing off some of our cuttings and giving them a little boost with liquid nutrients from Soil Food. Take a look at those vibrant leaf colors & beautiful white roots — one of the signs we look for when checking for healthy new root growth.

One of the fun things about growing this way is being able to actually watch what’s happening below the plant. And propagation doesn’t have to stop once those roots take off! 🌱 Plants can continue growing hydroponically and, with the right conditions, can even flower while growing in water. 🌸💧

It’s a simple little glimpse into another way we enjoy growing, propagating and learning from our plants here at the ranch.

🌿 Soil Food Formula:
A little good nutrition + healthy roots = happy plants! 🌱

🪴 Visit Roaring Lion Ranch’s Botanical Market & Apothecary
🕙 Monday–Saturday | 10 AM–6 PM

🌿 Come shop, explore & get inspired! Botanical goods, garden favorites and more located inside CBD Botanicals of Springfield

08/31/2026

Dreaming of Living off the Land? 🌱 BEFORE YOU BUY THE LAND
It starts with Dreaming about owning acreage, homesteading, or creating a more sustainable lifestyle someday?

Before you make the leap—come live the lessons.

Our new 3-Day Homestead Discovery Retreat is an immersive educational experience designed to introduce future landowners to the realities of land stewardship, growing food, managing natural resources, working with animals, and creating a homestead that fits their life.

Because we believe modern conveniences and sustainable practices can coexist. 🌿

📍 Roaring Lion Ranch & Retreat | Educational Eco Center
🌱 Thursday–Saturday
👥 Limited to just 10 students per retreat
📅 Spring 2027

💌 Message us to join our waiting list and receive our Founding Student rates when 2027 enrollment opens!

Before you buy the land, come live the lessons.

08/30/2026

🍂🦁 FALL IS COMING TO ROARING LION RANCH! 🦁🍂

Cooler days, fall colors, fishing, workshops and some of our favorite outdoor experiences of the year are almost here!

At Roaring Lion Ranch & Retreat, we’re all about connecting people with the land and helping preserve the ecosystems that sustain us. 🌎🌱

Fall gives us so many ways to do just that!

HERE’S WHAT’S COMING UP 👇

🎣 SEPTEMBER–NOVEMBER | FREE FALL FISHING AT WASHINGTON PARK

That’s right — FREE fishing returns this fall at Washington Park, sponsored by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources! 🎣 All IDNR sponsored fishing clinics are FREE at public ponds.

Get outside, enjoy the changing season and spend some time along the water while learning more about fishing and our local aquatic ecosystems.

🐟 SEPTEMBER—OCTOBER | BASS HARVEST + IKEJIME WORKSHOP

Fishing meets conservation! Learn how responsible selective harvest can be part of managing a healthy pond ecosystem.

We’ll cover bass harvest, Ikejime, filleting and vacuum sealing — with an optional Grill & Chill pond-to-table experience afterward. 🔥🎣

🍁 OCTOBER 4 | 2ND ANNUAL AUTUMN AFFAIR — CHARITY EVENT

Our private adults-only countryside charity event returns — and we have a full afternoon planned!

🔥 Local Food Vendor: Korean BBQ + Gourmet Burgers — fresh to order
🧀 Farmhouse charcuterie & fall drinks
🌿 Tropical plant education & sale
🎨 Live painting by Fantom Don Howell & Valkyrie Recovery Art Works
🖼️ Silent auction items
🦎 Exotic animal encounters by Autumn's Exotic Animals
🫏 Donkey encounters
🎣 Fishing & Grill-N-Chill at the Dock
🎯 Charity Trivia Bingo
🌱 CBD Botanicals of Springfield providing holistic education & sampling plus our Charity Bud-N-Bar cart.
🔮 Optional exclusive after-hours group reading by Damon Bridges
…and MORE!

Come spend a fall afternoon with us while helping support a meaningful charitable cause. 💚

⚠️ Guest registration is required to attend our 2026 Autumn Affair.

🧄 OCTOBER | GARLIC WORKSHOP

Get your hands in the soil! 🌱

Learn how to plant garlic in the fall, work with its natural growing cycle and prepare now for next year’s harvest.

🏕️ FALL PRIVATE RETREATS + CAMPING

Sometimes connecting with nature is as simple as spending more time in it.

Book the ranch for a private Mini Gathering or overnight camping experience and enjoy outdoor education on fishing, wild forage walking trails, rescue donkeys, and plenty of room to simply slow down for mental clarity & connection.

🍂 AND WE’RE STILL ADDING MORE!

Whether we’re teaching someone to fish, growing food, managing our pond, caring for wildlife habitat or simply giving people a place to spend time outdoors, it all comes back to the same purpose:

🌎 Connecting people.
🌱 Connecting with the land.
🐝 Preserving our ecosystems.

Because when people have the opportunity to experience and understand the land around them, they’re more likely to value it, care for it and help preserve it for generations to come. 💚

💌 INTERESTED IN JOINING US?

Send us a Facebook message and tell us which event, workshop or ranch experience you’re interested in. We’ll send you the details, dates and registration information!

🍁 Some experiences have limited availability, so reach out early.

🦁 Roaring Lion Ranch & Retreat
🌿 A getaway that gives back!

Ranch Bookings are on Private property • Advance registration/bookings required.

08/29/2026

🍂 FALL WEEKENDS AT THE RANCH ARE FILLING UP! 🦁🌾

Want a private retreat oasis all to yourselves this Fall?

Skip the crowded campground or traditional venue and escape to 10 private acres at Roaring Lion Ranch & Retreat in Chatham, IL.

STAY YOUR WAY. ADVENTURE YOUR WAY.

☀️ $250 — Private Mini Gathering great for parties or intimate gatherings
🌙 $250/night — Private Camping
👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Up to 25 guests perfect for friends and family trips!

Your ranch getaway includes:

🎣 Fishing, swimming & floating in the pond (weather permitted)
🔥 Grill & Chill dockside
🫏 Donkey encounters
🥾 Walking trails
🎨 Use of our private barn & art gallery hangout space equipped with with electrical outlets, wifi, wood-burner, comfy seating, standard fridge & restroom.
🌱 Optional 1-hr outdoor education or Add-on a custom workshop activity
🏕️ Primitive camping and/or small pop-ups allowed

Bring the family. Gather your homeschool group. Celebrate a birthday. Plan a friends’ weekend. Or simply disappear into the countryside for a little while. 🍁

REMAINING AVAILABLE FALL WEEKENDS:

🍂 Sept. 11–13
🍂 Sept. 25–27
🎃 Oct. 8-10
🎃 Oct. 16–18
🎃 Oct. 23–25
🍁Nov. 6-8
🍁Nov. 13-15

DM us or Contact 217-828-0738 to arrange your private booking.

Once a weekend is booked, the entire ranch is reserved privately for your group. We are not open to the public.

📍 Chatham, Illinois
🦁 Roaring Lion Ranch & Retreat
🌿A Getaway That Gives Back!
🎨 All Art Sales benefit Peaceful Valley Donkey Rescue 🫏

Private property • Approved Registration required