About Us

Hi, welcome to the Hokestead! 

My name is Kara Hoke - owner, operator, manager, general laborer, and head of marketing, sales, and customer service! :)

My husband, Tyler, is also instrumental in the business, serving as our apiarist and providing much of the muscle necessary to run a small farm/garden.

We began this venture in April, 2022 as a hobby/side hustle, selling heirloom garden plants and produce at the Monroe County Farmers Market in Waterloo, Illinois. Quickly, we realized the potential our business could hold, and within a year, Kara turned the Hokestead into a full-time job. Since 2022, we've also expanded our products, offering a wider variety of plants and produce, but also flower bouquets, honey, beeswax beauty products, other bath/body products, and dried flower decor.

Our mission is simple:

We strive to provide high-quality, ethical products inspired by our love for all things natural and pure and our desire to make the world a better place.

• When it comes to our garden spaces, we use regenerative agricultural practices, focusing on soil health, crop rotation, increasing biodiversity, and saying "NO" to sprays.
• Our primary goal as beekeepers is to increase local pollinators and we prioritize hive health over honey production.
• Our beeswax and bath/body products are clean, free of chemicals and preservatives, and contain few ingredients.
• We strive to eliminate waste through our own composting efforts, donate leftover harvests to local groups, and find unique and creative ways to preserve our products, for example by drying leftover flowers and utilizing them as decorative pieces. 

We're always learning and growing and love connecting with other people interested in small-scale farming/gardening/homesteading. Feel free to ask any questions or send information our way. You can always reach us at thehokestead@gmail.com

With love,

The Hoke Family