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About Kinstone

At its heart, Kinstone is a land restoration and human rejuvenation project. This 30 acre site is a modern megalithic garden on the bluffs overlooking the Mississippi River in the Driftless Region of Western Wisconsin. It is a place of art and creative expression on a grand scale. Love of the earth and wonder at the mystery and beauty of the story that we find ourselves in is at its core. Founded by Kristine Beck in 2010, Kinstone is a deeply energetic place where people come and find they are “re-membered” and transformed in some way by the land, stone, sky and natural world.

Many visitors come to see the natural buildings, the megalithic art, walk the labyrinth or to make a pilgrimage along the Way of the Stones. Others come to participate in various events such as healing sound concerts, drum circles, group meditation sessions, celebrations on the holy days on the great wheel of the seasons (i.e. solstices and equinoxes and others), and more. This private property is open to the public on a published schedule. There is an admission fee to enter. Details can be found here: Plan Your Visit. Kinstone is also available for rental for various events such as daytime retreats, yoga, meditation, martial arts groups and for small weddings, small group gatherings, and meetings.

During self-guided visits you can expect to spend a couple of hours wandering a wonderland that seems as if it is from another time and place. Private, guided tours are possible by special arrangement.

At all times, visitors should come prepared for a walk in the elements. Bring a water bottle, sunblock for sunny days, a walking staff, dress for the weather (sun hat, rain coat, umbrella for sun or rain, etc), wear sturdy shoes and be prepared to walk rough and sometimes steep terrain. There is not much shade just yet (the trees are still quite young); plan accordingly. Find more information here: Plan Your Visit and find us here: Directions.

Kinstone is simply stunning, full of wonder and beauty and is unique in all the world. It has been said that Kinstone may feature the largest privately owned stone circle in the world. There are literal tons of granite boulders, standing stones and sculptures. Visitors come to enjoy the beauty of the space, see our gardens, stones and natural buildings, find a spot for quiet contemplation and re-connect to nature, or take a circuitous walk around to visit the various features.

Amongst the diverse plantings, pond, natural buildings and food forests, this 4th generation family farmland has a stunning array of artistic megalithic settings including three stone circles, a dolmen, labyrinth, dry-stacked stone sculpture, and many standing stones. There are hidden meanings, symbolism, intentional numbers, angles, and alignments throughout. Various stones mark the cardinal directions and the passing of the seasons.

Kinstone is managed using permaculture as the foundation for the design and care of the place.  The steep, highly erodible, north-facing property offers many integrated examples of permaculture techniques and approaches including natural buildings, a pond, acres of  woodland, terraces, various types of swales, plantings of nut and fruit trees, restored native prairie and oak savanna, food forests, garden beds and more.

Vision / Mission / Values

Vision: We envision a world where all beings have access to sacred spaces where the interdependence of all creation is recognized and life is affirmed.

Mission: Kinstone blends conscious care of Earth with art to form sacred spaces that invite and inspire people to connect with and experience the creative power of the land to transform, energize and ultimately revive the whole person.

Values we hold dear:

  • Love
  • Wonder
  • Gratitude
  • Relationship
  • Kindness
  • Compassion
  • Hospitality
  • Transformation
  • Creativity
  • Care of earth
  • Care of people

Founder

Kristine Beck is the founder and creator of Kinstone. She purchased this 30-acre section of the original family dairy farm she was raised on from her parents, Roman and Angeline Bork, in 1994. She is the 4th generation on her father’s side to work on this land. An entrepreneur at heart, she returned to her family land to build Kinstone after successfully selling a software company she had started in 2001 with a business partner. Kristine now dedicates her time and energy to Kinstone where she is blending conscious care of the Earth with art to form sacred spaces that invite and inspire people to experience the life-giving power of the land to transform, energize and revive the whole person. She manages all aspects of Kinstone as well as facilitates sacred walks there and hosts monthly women’s circle gatherings, group meditations and more. Kristine is an amateur photographer focusing on the beauty and wonder of nature, especially as seen at Kinstone. Her current, self-appointed title is Land Listener a job requiring her to listen to the land and help it fulfill its apparent mission to exchange life-giving energy with all beings.

Kristine began learning about permaculture in 2010. She earned her Permaculture Design Certificate (PDC) in 2011 and has since been fully engaged in creating Kinstone as a peaceful place of beauty using permaculture principles as a guide. She is well aware that the moving of so much granite using trucks and large equipment is not the most environmentally friendly action. Also, extensive disturbance of the land was necessary to create the stone features, buildings and various earthworks. All of this great work is seen as necessary to fulfill her vision of manifesting sacred sculpture and megalithic features to help others come to feel the powerful energetics found here on this point on the earth. These energies invite people to transform,  heal, and revive. Bringing people back to life – helping them re-member themselves and that they are one with the earth, this is of utmost importance here, now.

Team

Kinstone is currently managed by Kristine Beck and seasonally one or two part-time persons who help take care of the grounds, gardens and gift shop.

There have been many key persons who have helped manifest this amazing place since Kristine started planning in 2010 and building in 2011. Each one has been woven into the story and is an integral part of the overall pattern that is Kinstone. Thank you to each one for his or her inspiration, work and weaving.

Clare Schoenfelder is Kristine’s sister. Ever since Kristine was a child she has been influenced by the creative spirit that is inherent in Clare. As she grew, no matter what Kristine put her mind to, Clare was there cheering her on and helping however she could. When Kristine planned a “research trip” to visit stone places in 2010 – Clare (and another sister, Betsy) came along to dream and wonder as we wandered through English moors, blooming Cornish countryside and the green isle of Ireland. Clare was the first one to volunteer her time and talents to help Kristine manifest a “place to be”. Together, they visited granite quarries many times, hunting for the stones that would eventually come to Kinstone. Clare created a half-inch scale clay model of every stone that was a possibility for bringing to Kinstone. These models were used to plan the stone circles, dolmen, and other settings and the alignments between stones and stars. When it came time to build the labyrinth, Clare was first on the scene bringing shovels, wheel barrows and more. On the day the first truck arrived with a delivery from the quarries, Clare was there to welcome the first stone to Kinstone. All along, she has been here doing the hard work of being an unceasing support and creative inspiration for her little sister… and she cooks!

Clare is a fabulous cook. She has been in charge of food services for all events, classes and workshops held at Kinstone. When Kristine purchased a food truck, Clare was the manager of all that as well. The food truck was sold in January 2018; however, her recipes are still sought after.

Kevin Kihslinger is Kristine’s nephew; the son of her eldest sister, Linda. Kevin introduced Kristine to permaculture and later, to Wayne Weiseman. Kevin’s creation of his own permaculture-inspired homestead inspired Kristine. He spent time with Kristine working on the design of the stone circle and is the inspiration behind the Equinox Sunset alignment between the stones known as Lancelot and Atlas. Kevin and his family helped plant the first planting of 200+ trees at Kinstone in May 2011. They helped build the labyrinth and were there to dance and stomp to tamp down gravel around standing stones as they were raised in October 2011. Kristine refers to Kevin as a “pebble in the pond” – their initial discussions and sharing of ideas have rippled out across the place and are still doing so.

Wayne Weiseman is a permaculture designer, teacher, consultant and author based in Carbondale, Illinois where he is the director of The Permaculture Project, LLC. In October 2010, Kristine hired Wayne to create a permaculture master plan for the property. Wayne worked closely with Kristine for 7 years as a permaculture consultant as various features of Kinstone were created and earthworks and plantings were designed and installed. He has a gift for recognizing the “spirit” of a place.  Further, he was able to help Kristine find her own spirit in relation to the place providing inspirations, recommendations and spiritual insights. As work progressed in the early years, Wayne suggested that he would teach if we would start a school for permaculture. Kinstone Academy of Applied Permaculture was created in 2012 to share what we were implementing here with others. Kinstone became a living permaculture classroom. Wayne taught Permaculture Design Certificate (PDC) courses, plants courses, natural building, advanced permaculture design, and permaculture teacher training courses here from 2012 to 2017. Hundreds of students studied and learned here during that time. Wayne has generously donated hundreds of books (perhaps even over 1000) to the Kinstone Library. He also donated tepee and supervised its setup (it was removed in 2019 due to decaying canvas). Besides teaching and designing, Wayne built a solar dehydrator, top bar hive and bat boxes and helped implement many other projects at Kinstone including:

  • mulching and planting the original food forest plantings
  • building the light-straw-clay cabin
  • building the solar shower
  • cordwooding on the chapel, Dragon’s Keep, and sauna
  • making glass bottle-bricks for the cordwood buildings
  • creating mushroom logs
  • building the post and beam frame of the sauna
  • building the platform for the yurt and yurt set-up
  • creating the cob oven and the shelter over it
  • stacking stone on the dry-stacked stone walls of The Three Witnesses
  • he also brought his wife Frances and daughter Halima to Kinstone to help with several projects (Chapel, Dragon’s Keep, Three Witnesses, & various classes and workshops!)
  • and the list could go on…

Wayne no longer actively provides consulting or teaching services at Kinstone (as of 2017). He can be contacted through his business at this link: The Permaculture Project, LLC.

Ivan McBeth is a druid, geomancer and authentically magical human being. Kristine found out about Ivan through the world wide web. She later saw him featured in a book called “Stone Circles: A Modern Builders Guide to the Megalithic Revival” by Rob Roy. She called him up to find out if he was still consulting on building stone circles – and he was! Ivan first came to Kinstone on April 15, 2011 to meet Kristine and see the land. He put the center stake of the circle in the ground on April 16, 2011 and then promptly told Kristine to move it. He said that he could not locate the center of the circle, that had to be done by the guardian of the circle to be built – and that was Kristine. So, she moved it!  Ivan returned to Kinstone for the raising of the stones October 18 through 28, 2011. He oversaw everything about the standing of the stones including which side of the stones faced in, which end was up, how deep each was buried, and generally how close they were put together and how they were aligned to the various seasonal dates. Ivan blessed each stone as it was raised and anointed each with all-heal, gold flakes and another potion. It was pure magic. Every stone has a token buried under it, Ivan contributed his special compass to be placed beneath the North Stone. 

UPDATE: Ivan McBeth passed away on September 23, 2016 from sudden cardiac arrest, may he rest in peace.

Bob Baures is an earth artist. His tools are heavy equipment like bull dozers, backhoes, excavators, scrapers, skidsteers and big trucks. He operates Tom Baures Excavating, LLC, based in Fountain City, WI – just down the road from Kinstone. Bob grew up next door to Kristine’s family and is like a brother to her. Bob has personally done or supervised the doing of all excavation projects at Kinstone. He created the foundations for all of our buildings, he leveled the land for the labyrinth, stone circles and other stone structures, he dug sockets for all the standing stones and placed gravel around each, he hauled 200+ tons of limestone building stone for the building of The Three Witnesses sculpture. Bob has moved boulders, rock and soil by the tons for many purposes here at Kinstone. Under his experienced eye, a pond, many terraces and swales have been created to hold water high in the landscape and slow it down as it travels across this steep land. The landform here has been sculpted by this artist and this work is, in the most literal sense, the foundation of Kinstone.

Warren Booth is a wizard with a 90-ton, all wheel drive, rough terrain crane. This crane operator was new to the task of raising stones when Kristine called Modern Crane in Onalaska, WI in 2011 asking for help to create a stone circle. Warren was assigned to the task. He proved to be a master of his craft with a superpower of being able to see spatially how things need to be picked up and manipulated before actually taking action. Under his guidance, the work to stand the stones of Kinstone Circle went smoothly, safely, and took much less time than anticipated. His professionalism and utmost patience was showcased several times when Kristine decided to change her mind and move or remove stones that had already been raised. Warren was fearless! He bravely drove that huge crane down our steep hills to stand stones below the labyrinth. That day was a nail-biter for Kristine, but Warren was cool as ever as he descended the hill and ascended again without incident.  Warren has been the operator of cranes and large forklifts for the movement and placement of all but about 10 of the 185+ stones that have been intentionally set here at Kinstone.

Richard Kuisle was the life-partner of Clare Schoenfelder and like a brother to Kristine. Richard began helping at Kinstone during the planting of trees in May 2011. He was a willing worker and an angel in disguise helping Kristine with all things construction, plumbing, mechanical, electrical, etc. A true “jack of all trades”. Some of his contributions to Kinstone include:

  • helping plant trees
  • building a big sandbox to use as a base for a scale model of the stone circle
  • helping draw the lines on the labyrinth and helping build it out
  • helping raise the stones of the large stone circle (he helped stand and place many, many more over the years)
  • helping plan the layout of the office/education building
  • planning and facilitating the resources for many cordwood workshops and volunteer work days (i.e. Planning what kind of foundation, helping figure materials. He split the majority of the logs, mixed the majority of the mortar, cleaned out the majority of the rotten logs that give us the beautiful curvy pieces in the chapel, he hauled and prepped sawdust, he set up and took down scaffolding, he strung out seeming miles of hoses to get water to our worksites, he assembled tools, generators and equipment, he moved pallets of cordwood and huge pine pole rafters and bundles of thatch, … )
  • building out the inside of the utility building including the storage loft, stairs, and the wood shop workbenches; created shelves, cubbies, and places for organizing tools, lumber and other resources
  • building our chicken coop using wood scraps, tin scraps and some new materials – complete with egg boxes
  • mowing acres of grass in preparation for prairie plantings and during early days while the newly seeded prairie established its roots
  • helping create the Three Witnesses Sculpture from the ground up – moving huge blocks of limestone with the tractor forks, moving smaller blocks with his bare hands.
  • taking care of the grounds with consistent and dedicated mowing and trimming
  • operating Esther Cordelia – the Kinstone Kitchen food truck. He stood in that truck for super long events with Clare and made fresh sweet potato chips, lamb brats, pulled pork, chili and veggie burgers – while also keeping the grilled cheese sandwiches browning nicely. Then he would still shoot the breeze with the customers at the service window.
  • and the list goes on and on and on…

UPDATE: Richard passed away on November 4, 2017 from sudden cardiac arrest, may he rest in peace.

Everyone that came to Kinstone knew who Richard was and many saw him immersed in his work of keeping this place running smoothly.  He is greatly missed.

A standing stone was raised in his honor on June 23, 2018. It is called the Richard P. Kuisle (RPK) Memorial Standing Stone. This stone is placed strategically in a number of respects. First of all – it stands where all of his hard work is within view. The stone is also set as part of an alignment to celebrate the summer solstice sunset – a perfect time as it is the longest day of the year – he spent many long days working right up to sunset and beyond. Finally, it stands in alignment with the Reflection Stone in the Stargazer Circle and Triangle Square, the stone that represents Clare in the large stone circle. Clare and Richard were life partners and aligned themselves in all ways. Now, Richard and Clare are aligned in a new symbolic way for eternity by an alignment through the Reflection Stone in the Stargazer Circle.

It is fitting that the seam face on the RPK Memorial Standing Stone is red – red is an accent color at Kinstone. It appears in many places, but as bright pops of color in places where things otherwise may be drab. That is how Richard was. A bright spot of color moving about Kinstone on a regular basis. Red is found in the red nebula in the star wall, the red dots in the stained glass windows of the chapel, and was even found in a surprising vein of “rich” red clay beneath the ground at the center of the large circle. It is also a granite color that does not exist elsewhere on the property – so this is a unique feature. Just like him.

Mona Bork is Kristine’s sister. She is as selfless and giving as they come. She has been a pillar of support for Kristine.  Mona has spent many hours baking bread, prepping food, chopping veggies, peeling and prepping fruit for dehydrating or canning, and generally doing any task that needs doing relative to food and preservation of the harvest. She even spent hours shucking hazelnuts, then cracked them and shelled them, too! She supported many work projects by providing meals and treats. When Kristine needed a handbook of procedures and policies for interns, workers, and volunteers, Mona stepped forward and wrote one up. Whenever Kristine needed a morale boost, Mona was right there to offer it – unconditionally and fully. Everyone needs someone like Mona on the team – a “get it done” kind of person with a heart of gold, brimming with enthusiasm and joy.

Carolyn and Kent are friends of Kristine. She met them in 2006 through her business in her “former life”. These two have donated more volunteer hours and helped with more of the big projects than most others! They spent 8 days here during the building of the stone circle and helped stand the majority of the stones. They were there to put special tokens in the pit in the center of the circle under the stone called Beauty. When it was time to build the chapel, Carolyn and Kent made time again to come for a week of cordwooding!  They brought special tokens and talismans with them to put into the chapel including Fort Bragg beach glass, pieces of California redwood, sacred earth from El Santuario de Chimayo in Chimayo, New Mexico, and other wonders. Fast forward a couple of years and they were back for another 10 day stint to learn dry-stack stone wall building skills and help construct The Three Witnesses sculpture. Again, they brought a lovely token from California to place in the walls – this time a lovely piece of granite!!  These two people are very special and are forever written into the heart and history of Kinstone.

Jarad Barkeim appeared out of thin air in 2011 when Kristine was looking for help. He visited, unbeknownst to Kristine, during a design session that was held at the family farm before there were buildings at Kinstone to meet in. He was a friend of another person (Kaitlyn O’Connor) sitting in on the session and he must have come in while Kristine was not looking and she did not notice him at first. While discussing the benefits of cordwood and thatch for a possible chapel, Kristine wondered aloud who would be willing to harvest all that thatch. Jarad piped up from behind Kristine with and enthusiastic, “I’ll do it!”.  He was the absolute right person and the absolute right time. Kinstone would not be what it is today without his know-how and hard work. Jarad became the project manager at Kinstone up until fall of 2014 and during that time he stepped up to complete many, many projects. Most notably:

  • built the tent platforms in the pines
  • helped build the platform and erect the yurt
  • built the stone stem-walls on the chapel and the Dragon’s Keep
  • led all efforts to harvest over 900 bundles of Phragmites australis reeds from the Mississippi River over 2 winters
  • participated in every workshop and every volunteer work day and more to complete the cordwooding on the Kinstone Chapel; the final (monumental) task there was to clean up every log-end and polish every bottle-end in the finished walls – both inside and outside
  • making glass bottle-bricks for the cordwood buildings
  • helped build the frame of the Light Straw Clay Cabin and then led the efforts to infill with light-straw clay-slip and finish with earthen plasters and multiple layers of lime wash; taught during workshops about building with light-straw-clay
  • cobwooding and cordwooding on the Dragon’s Keep and cordwooding on the sauna
  • worked with Thea Alvin and Michael Clookey to lay stone and helped teach others the art of dry-stacked stone wall building during the construction of The Three Witnesses sculpture
  • helped set many stones at Kinstone including those in the Circle of Mystery, Dolmen, the Monks, the 4 megaliths in The Three Witnesses sculpture, and more
  • helped mulch and plant the original food forest plantings on the terraces near the Education Center building
  • helped build the cob oven and helped teach others about its construction
  • built the raised garden beds
  • built the compost bins
  • helped plug mushroom logs
  • helped design the stone setting called the Serpent of Transformation
  • led field trips – talking to large groups of kids of all ages
  • coordinated and led volunteer work days
  • created the megalithic stone walkway from the East Entrance gate to the Dragon’s Keep
  • and the list goes on and on and on…

Jarad is a local – he grew up just fifteen miles downstream from Kinstone on the Mississippi River. He travelled quite a bit and did much trail building and numerous natural building workshops and trainings. He is a permaculture designer and a certified instructor of Iyengar Yoga.  Jarad holds a Bachelors of Science in Science Education from the University of Wisconsin-LaCrosse and a Permaculture Design Certificate (PDC).  Jarad now lives in LaCrosse, WI, and operates his own nature friendly permaculture design and landscaping business called Coulee Region Ecoscapes, LLC.

Jim Kampa is the builder/owner of Kampa Construction, based in Arcadia, Wisconsin. Whenever Kristine requires a builder, Jim is the first person she calls. He is a master at his craft, kind and considerate, punctual and an excellent communicator. So far, Jim and his crew have been responsible for the construction of the following key components of Kinstone:

  • the interior finishing of the Education Center building: kitchen, bathroom, storage, car siding, etc
  • the post and beam frame of the Kinstone Chapel as well as it’s steeply pitched pine pole rafters
  • the post and beam structure over the Dragon’s Keep including the 800+ sq foot living roof and pavers on the floor
  • the completion of the animal shelter with a space for hay, goats, and chickens
  • the deck around the yurt
  • the pergola over the granite picnic table

If and when Kristine ever decides to build a home here, Jim will be building it!

Sara Gabrick is Kristine’s sister. She and Kristine share the same birthdate, just one year apart. They grew up together and now have adjacent properties that were once part of the original family farm. Sara owns the place across the road from Kinstone. Throughout the building of Kinstone, Sara has been a supporter and adviser in ways she may not even realize. There is a gate specifically set in the fence just for her: Sara’s Gate. Sara is a master quilter. She took time to design and create curtains for the Education Center building based on the elements, there are two each for fire, water, air and earth. They are just beautiful!

Richard & Becky Flatau are two amazing people who teach cordwood around the USA. They are based in Merrill, Wisconsin and are the good folks behind the company called Cordwood Construction. Kristine first met Richard Flatau at the MREA Energy Fair in Custer, WI where he was giving a talk on Cordwood. He seemed like a good guy. Later, when Wayne Weiesman suggested using cordwood to build the chapel we were discussing, Richard’s name came up again. When it came time to run a cordwood workshop to begin the chapel construction, Kristine called upon Richard to teach it. Since then, Richard and Becky have taught 12 cordwood workshops at Kinstone. Richard himself put in the first mortar and log ends in the chapel and he was there to put the very last ones in as well. He went along with the idea of using cobwood when we started the Dragon’s Keep, but was likely pleased when Kristine scrapped that idea and switched to traditional cordwood for that build as well. The sauna workshops included his 2-day basic post and beam building workshop as well. That building went up so quickly and smoothly it was amazing. So many students have attended these workshops, learned all aspects of building with cordwood and put their hands and hearts into the building of the cordwood structures at Kinstone. These buildings are not just shelters, they are communal works of art. Richard and Becky are so good at this that a large portion of the students that have come to these workshops have gone on to create their own cordwood structures!  Kristine may not be actively building with cordwood now, but if it should come up again in the future, Richard and Becky will be right there to lead the efforts.

Kenny & Darlene Frie are a retired couple from rural Arcadia, Wisconsin with a magical gift for working with metal. Kristine first met them in 2013 when the chapel was completed. Kenny had been commissioned by Jim Kampa to create some custom metal components for the chapel construction. Kenny made the collar tie at the top that holds all the pine pole rafters in place. He also made the tension ring and associated tension rods that radiate out from the walls at ceiling level (a feature needed to hold the structure together before the walls were filled in with cordwood). When Kristine was gifted a 180-lb piece of Petrified Wood to be placed in the chapel, she called on Kenny and Darlene to help construct something for it to sit on. After a few design sessions they created a beautiful cylindrical center pedestal with a hexagonal top and six points at the base. They also worked with Kristine to design “flames” to hold the centerpiece stone in place. These flames were designed based on the quilted flames that Sara Gabrick made on the “fire” elemental curtains in the Education Center. (Fun fact: The first flame he made was not quite right for the pedestal, he gave it to Kristine as a keepsake and a couple years later it ended up being the fire coming from the fire-breathing dragon’s mouth on the outside wall of the Dragon’s Keep!).

Thea Alvin designed the Three Witnesses Sculpture. She and Michael Clookey led the dry-stacked stone wall building workshop that resulted in the creation of The Three Witnesses sculpture at Kinstone in October 2014. Together they taught 12 of us who to build a dry-stacked stone wall and we all worked for 10 days to create this amazing artwork. Thea Alvin designed the sculpture with input from Kristine who was set on having megaliths integrated in the walls and also at least one of Thea’s signature gravity defying circular windows. The limestone building stone and the megalithic columns and center table were all found and sourced by Kristine. Thea and Michael have become legendary here as they are named, acknowledged, honored and remembered during nearly every tour and talk.

Greg Zahn has been a long time friend and supporter of Kinstone. He has taken several courses and workshops here, has volunteered many hours and donated hundreds of trees. He spent many hours cordwooding in the Chapel – including doing the intricate designs of the wood and quartz mandalas in the doorway. An architect by trade, Greg created the basic design of the stained glass windows in the Chapel of Creation and spent time with Kristine brainstorming about ways to put a cover (roof) on the Dragon’s Keep. Always upbeat and smiling, he has become part of this place and his name comes up in the story during every Chapel tour.

History

A Brief History of Kinstone

Early Aerial View of Kinstone (2011). Photo by Kristine Beck.

Early Aerial View of Kinstone (2011). Photo by Kristine Beck.

Kinstone was founded in 2011 by Kristine Beck upon the Wisconsin farmland where she grew up. This land has been in Kristine’s family for 4 generations and there are deep roots here. Her family had farmed it with hay/corn/oats fields on top of the ridge and using the steeper, lower areas and the woods to pasture young cattle. She bought the land in 1994 and let it rest until she started planning in 2010 and brought the first stones here in 2011.  The idea of Kinstone originated as a personal place, a “place to be”. Kristine went off to work as most of us do but then, around her 48th year, decided to come back to the land. She wanted to build a stone circle and create a peaceful sanctuary for herself to retreat to. Having visited many stone places in the world, she felt compelled to create one she could inhabit. Kinstone has become Kristine’s life work and she continues to create her mega-art here adding features as they wish to be created. Kristine says that she is now a professional “land listener”; her job is to listen to the land and help it fulfill its apparent mission to exchange energy with all beings to invite and inspire all to grow stronger in body, mind, and spirit – to transform for health and happiness – to awaken to our One-ness.

Kinstone is the manifestation of Kristine’s vision for a place to “re-member” and strengthen her connections to the land, Nature, God, self, and community. As it has grown, Kristine has realized that the magnitude of this special place has proven to be too great not to be shared. Kristine envisions Kinstone as a place for all beings to reconnect with what is important to them whether that means connections with earth and stone or with soul and spirit or (more likely) both. Using the resources available, with the help of several key people, and relying upon the master teacher we have in Nature, Kinstone has evolved into a sacred place of peace and beauty; a power-place that will transcend time. It will stand as a legacy to future generations.

A VERY BRIEF SUMMARY:

  • 2010: Started Planning
  • 2011: Built the Stone Circle and the Labyrinth; set Atlas & Lancelot, Energy Stones, the Summer Solstice Corridor and others
  • 2012: Started the Chapel, built the Circle of Mystery, the Family & the Traveler, and the Dolmen; built the Kinstone Education Center building; began teaching natural building workshops here
  • 2013: Completed the Thatched, Cordwood Chapel, began building the Light-Straw-Clay Cabin; built the utility shed; began teaching permaculture courses here
  • 2014: Began the cordwood Sauna, began the Dragon’s Keep as a cob-wood structure; built the Three Witnesses sculpture; restructured the Stargazer Circle, continued work on the Light-Straw-Clay Cabin
  • 2015: Completed the cordwood Sauna; completed the Light-Straw-Clay Cabin; built the Rocket Mass Heater, continued work on the Dragon’s Keep – changed to traditional cordwood
  • 2016: Continued work on the Dragon’s Keep
  • 2017: Completed the Dragon’s Keep; completed the Star Wall
  • 2018: Set the Harp Stone and the RPK Memorial Stone; created the “megalithic walkway” from the Dragon’s Keep to the parking lot; added information kiosks with message boards and payment boxes for visitors; began charging a fee to enter and be at Kinstone

Click on the following links for additional information and slightly more detailed timeline of events each year in the design and development of Kinstone. Note: THIS IS A WORK IN PROGRESS.

2010

  • Labor Day: Kristine Beck is introduced to the concept of permaculture through her nephew Kevin Kihslinger; Kevin earned his Permaculture Design Certificate (PDC) through classes taught by Wayne Weiseman of The Permaculture Project, LLC
  • September: Kristine contacted The Permaculture Project to inquire about consulting services; she and Wayne correspond and agree to begin with an Initial Assessment (i.e. a 2-day consulting session and brief physical assessment of the land)
  • October 29: Wayne conducts an Initial Assessment of the land from a permaculture perspective; Carolyn Standow flies in from California to participate and support Kristine
  • February: a Master Plan is created during a design charette with Wayne Weiseman and architects Stan Sersen and Lacy Brittingham of Phase2Architecture
  • April 25: the property is keylined with the help of neighbor Joe Wantoch; Wayne is on site to supervise
  • April: Kristine begins planning the stone circle and reaches out to two known modern stone circle builders: Ivan McBeth and Rob Roy
  • April 15: Ivan McBeth visits the land for a 36 hour visit; the centerpoint of the circle is marked; Ivan teaches Kristine about stone selection and the placement of the circle; general timing is decided with a goal to build the circle in October
  • April 29: Kristine and Wayne visit the Coldspring Granite Company granite quarries in Rockville, MN and Saint Cloud, MN for the first time
  • May 6-8 & 14-15: Kristine and many family members and friends plant 210 trees on the land, Kristine adjusted the center of the future stone circle to its final location
  • June 17-18: Kristine and Wayne attend the Midwest Renewable Energy Association (MREA) Energy Fair in Custer, WI; met with Rob Roy, a stone circle expert and a cordwood masonry expert and author to review Kristine’s plans for the stone circle and seek advice
  • June 19-26: Kristine earned her Permaculture Design Certificate from Wayne at a PDC offered at Crazy Rooster Farm in Mondovi, WI
  • June 25: Wayne and Kristine drove from the PDC in Mondovi back to Kinstone early in the morning to mark the Summer Solstice Sunrise as seen from the point marked as the center of the future stone circle (it was too overcast June 21 – 24)
  • July: diseased pines are removed from The Pines area and the brush along the woods edge is cleared
  • August: the stone circle area is excavated
  • September: the labyrinth area and surrounding terraces are excavated
  • September 24: the Kinstone Labyrinth is built with the help of 26 family members and friends
  • October 18: the first stones are delivered to the property for the stone circle
  • October 28: the stone circle, the stargazer circle, and several other stone features are completely installed
  • November: deer fencing is installed around the property to protect the trees
  • December 2: the Summer Solstice Corridor stones are delivered and installed in the newly excavated (and still empty) pond
  • December 3: the High Seat (a.k.a. Two Foot Square) and the Inner and Outer Guardian Stones (part of the Summer Solstice Sunrise Corridor) were installed (they were delivered Dec 2 with the pond stones)
  • December 8-10: a design charette to discuss the built environment is held with Wayne Weiseman and Cliff Davis (director of Spiral Ridge Permaculture); much is discussed but no reports are produced and no decisions are made
  • December 15: plans for a natural building workshop are developed in conjunction with  building a small chapel; Richard Flatau is contacted for the first time
  • January: the property is dubbed “KINSTONE” and the circle is named “Kinstone Circle”
  • January:  plans for the first workshop to be held at Kinstone are discussed; a Natural Building Workshop will be held in July focusing on Thatching and Cordwood Construction; The Chapel will begin
  • February 24: the Fountain Stone is delivered and installed in the Pond; the Pond is filled with water for the first time
  • February: Kristine decides to create a separate organization to focus on Permaculture education, with Wayne Weiseman as the primary teacher and education director
  • March: the initial Kinstone website (www.kinstonecircle.com), is launched
  • March: Kinstone staff (Jarad and Kristine) and volunteers harvest nearly 400 bundles of Phragmites australis, an invasive water reed, from the marshes of the Mississippi River for use in the July Natural Building Workshop
  • April: it is decided that a utility shed is needed
  • May: a large pole structure is built, initially intended to be a utility shed; it has become instead a home to Kinstone’s main office, library, and classroom:  The Kinstone Education Center
  • June: terraces are completed below the Kinstone Education Center
  • June: the Kinstone Chapel is designed and the foundations and framing are completed; the stone for the stem-wall is selected; plans for the related July Natural Building Workshop are finalized
  • June: Kinstone staff (Jarad, Kristine, Wayne) attends the Midwest Renewable Energy Association (MREA) Energy Fair in Custer, WI
  • July: a Natural Building Workshop is held at Kinstone with a focus on Thatching and construction with Cordwood Masonry
  • July: an online Kinstone newsletter is launched to keep followers up to date on happenings at Kinstone
  • July: Kristine commissions the creation of two special doors for the Kinstone Chapel; they will be created by an Amish door maker, Chris Hostettler, of Hidden Acres Woodworking in Cashton, WI
  • August-October: work on the Kinstone Chapel continues; three walls are completed by the end of October
  • October-November: additional stones are delivered and set at Kinstone: Venus, the Monks, the Circle of Mystery, the Family, the Signal Hill Stone with the Wizard and the Red Fox and others
  • December: Wayne, Kristine, and Jarad meet to finalize plans for Kinstone Academy of Applied Permaculture for 2013
  • January: the doors for the Kinstone Chapel are completed and brought to Kinstone
  • January: Kinstone is visited by Roger DeClement of Castle Magic; discussions about the design of a stone tower are held
  • January: a design charette is held with Kristine, Wayne and Jarad Barkeim to focus on access paths and gardens at Kinstone; the Master Plan is updated
  • February:  A new website is commissioned for Kinstone Academy of Applied Permaculture
  • March: the new website for Kinstone Academy of Applied Permaculture is launched

June 13: Thea Alvin visits to plan for the October Art of Stone workshop

September 24: The Pangea stone is delivered in 21 pieces; the three columns in the Three Witnesses are erected and the center table set; the line to the Equinox sunrise is established from the center column to the point on the property the sunrise is first seen

October 1-10: the Art of Stone Workshop is held and The Three Witnesses walls are built

2015 information coming soon…  this historical summary is a work in progress…

2016 information coming soon…  this historical summary is a work in progress…

2017 information coming soon…  this historical summary is a work in progress…

2018 information coming soon…  this historical summary is a work in progress…

Articles / Press / Weblinks

The Kinstone Chapel is a unique, beautiful, artfully constructed building made of cordwood and covered with a thatched roof. The chapel took about 18 months of calendar time to complete (we did not work during the cold months of November – April). Over 110 people helped to make this building what it is today! The construction began in July 2012. The walls and roof of the chapel were completed by October 2013. Final touches were added even up to July 2015. We now believe the Kinstone Chapel is done and oh, but it is lovely!

In the early months of the year 2015, Richard Flatau and Kristine Beck collaborated on creating two articles that describe the Kinstone Chapel from a cordwood construction perspective and from a symbolic perspective. The results are now posted here for your reading pleasure. Click on the links below to see each full article.

1) Kinstone Chapel: Cordwood, Stone and Thatch

2) Kinstone Chapel: Signs and Symbols

The first article tells much of the story of the construction of this post&beam, thatched, cordwood structure. A version of this article appeared in the 2015 Cordwood Conference Papers which are produced in conjunction with the annual Cordwood Conference. That publication has many articles about various cordwood buildings… all very intriguing! For those interested, click on this link to Richard Flatau’s website, Cordwood Conference Papers, where you can purchase a copy of those if you wish.

The second article contains an initial overview of some of the symbolism that can be found in the designs embedded in the walls of the Kinstone Chapel.  Cordwood construction, a natural building method that is very wonderful for our climate here in Wisconsin, lends itself to creative expression. The 110+ people who worked on the construction of the chapel have put their hearts and souls into making it a timeless work of art. This article gives quite a bit of detail about the meaning behind the bottle end designs. New meanings are always being found, so the article is just a teaser! Come visit this wonder and find your own meaning; add to the story!

IMG_4867IMG_2464_29R88122013-08-10-IMG_5122

Throughout its history, various feature stories, blog posts and articles have been published about Kinstone.  Some of the ones we know about are listed here and as new ones are known they will be added:

2018-JUN-20 – News 8 Eye Piece – Kinstone – VIDEO NEWS FEATURE

2017-OCT-04 Roof Thatch portfolio – Kinstone Chapel Thatched Roof – VIDEO POST by Tom Sweeney

2017-OCT-03 – Life at the End of the Rainbow Valley – Kinstone – BLOG POST by Chaseburgmama

2017-OCT-01 – Explore To Grow – Kinstone, Oasis de Vie – BLOG POST by Laura (American) and Agathe (French) – travelers who volunteered for a day

2017-JUN-24 – Cordwood Construction at Kinstone –  BLOG POST by Richard Flatau of Cordwood Construction

2017-APR-26 – Kristine Beck, Megalithic Art at Kinstone, Winona Daily News – ART COLUMN (part of River Arts Alliance)

2017-MAR-17 – Winona State University (WSU) Improving Our World – BLOG POST by Lisa Daraskevich (learn sustainability at Kinstone)

2016-AUG-16 – WXOW – Hometown Tourist Feature Story – VIDEO NEWS FEATURE

2015-JAN/FEB – Articles written by Kristine Beck about the Chapel

1) Kinstone Chapel: Cordwood, Stone and Thatch

2) Kinstone Chapel: Signs and Symbols

2014-JUN-12 – LaCrosse Tribune – Cordwood Homes offer DIY Housing – NEWS FEATURE

2014-MAR-28 – Great Lakes Permaculture Portal – Kristine Beck of Kinstone Toward the Future by Connecting With the Past – BLOG POST by C. Milton Dixon (no longer available!)

2013-SEP-11 – Winona Daily News – Kinstone aims to teach people how to learn from and love the land – NEWS FEATURE

2012-AUG-22 – New York Times, Made by Druids, Loved By Dragons – NEWS FEATURE (Your Own Private Stonehenge)

2012-JUL-22 – Bluff Prairie Hollow – Natural Building Workshop at Kinstone – BLOG POST by Kaitlyn O’Connor

2011-JUL-27 – New York Times, Permaculture Grows From Underground – NEWS FEATURE (references Kris Beck envisioning a megalithic sanctuary!)

In addition, there are several travel and tourism websites as well as websites of artists and designers  that include pages about Kinstone. Here are some of them:

TRAVEL/TOURISM WEBLINKS:

Travel Wisconsin: Kinstone

Wisconsin Great River Road – Kinstone

Fountain City Wisconsin Business Pages – Kinstone

ARTS WEBLINKS

River Arts Alliance – Kinstone

Fox and Swan Arts, Rick Swanson – webpage about Kinstone and photographs

HISTORICAL WEBLINKS

The Permaculture Project portfolio – Kinstone

FAQs

We find that many persons have similar questions as they meander through Kinstone. Here you will find brief answers to many Frequently Asked Questions related to Kinstone and permaculture. If you have other questions, please contact us and we will be happy to get back to you with answers as quickly as we can.

What Other Megalithic Features are Found at Kinstone?

This is a partial list of the megaliths at Kinstone. (There are many other stones not yet listed here.)

Basin Rock – this beautiful Rockville Beige granite stone is hollowed out like a cupped hand or clamshell. It is intended to hold water and often does. It offers water to the land in a gesture of openness and giving. This rock sits to the south of Kinstone Circle and overlooks the Stargazer Circle.

The Stargazer Circle – a small elliptical or egg-shaped circle of stones to the west of Kinstone Circle with ties to the darkness – a place to gather around a bonfire or enjoy a night of stargazing. This circle was originally set in 2011 but was significantly changed in 2014. It consists of 9 stones in an elongated circle with a fire circle in the middle. The black slate rock is called Night, next to that is the table-stone and benches that is a portion of the Pangea Stone, then the two star-gazers, followed by the tall reddish stone called the Reflection Stone (it reflects firelight), then Three-Scratch Boudler, a large gray stone, The Milky Way, and the White Seat.  [Note: This circle was originally built in 2011 and described like this: The black rock called Night, the variegated rock called Milky Way, the western sentinel called Pyramid Rock, and the two Stargazer rocks (recumbent stones that are perfect reclining spots from which to gaze at the stars) are interspersed with sitting boulders.]

The Energy Stones a.k.a. The Mosaic Alignment – these three stones, also called the Energy Alignment, stand on the true north meridian between the center of Kinstone Circle and the center stone of the Labyrinth and it goes through through the North Stone. This alignment is an energy pathway connecting the Circle to the Labyrinth. These three stones were all part of one larger stone called Mosaic. Mosaic was split into these three separate columns which now stand apart. [Fun fact: these three stones were intended to stand together in the same order as they were when they were one stone, but the first and second stones were accidentally switched. This was not discovered until much later and so, they now stand out of order.]

Greensleeves and Cosmos – these two stones sit below the Labyrinth and to the west of the Watcher and Purple Crystal. Greensleeves is also called the Anchor Stone. It is a Rockville Beige granite stone with a greenish hue on its face. It stands below the Labyrinth on the same north line as the Energy Stones and acts as an anchor or backstop for your gaze as you look to the North from Kinstone Circle down to and beyond the Labyrinth. Cosmos is a Rainbow granite column with a swirling beauty reminiscent of cosmic dust. Cosmos is a brother to Grace (near the Pond); Grace and Cosmos were part of a single stone at one time.

Purple Crystal and The Watcher – below the Labyrinth, under a red oak tree, rests Purple Crystal, a recumbent Purple Crystal granite stone that reminds one of a bison or cow lying at its leisure in the shade. This stone is a special guardian of Kinstone and is representative of Ivan McBeth, the stone circle builder who assisted with the building of Kinstone Circle. Behind Purple Crystal stands The Watcher; a Charcoal granite column which looks as if it may be a house or home. The Watcher attends to Purple Crystal and the area around and below the Labyrinth. [Fun fact 1: Ivan McBeth was here for the setting of Purple Crystal. He did not want to have “his” stone lying down, instead he wanted to be a standing stone; however, often when he was at Kinstone during the building of the Circle, Ivan could be found lying on the earth, propped up on one elbow, waiting for the next time he was needed. Kristine saw Purple Crystal as a reflection of that. So, she decided to keep him lying down. Further, Ivan loudly protested that he would be all alone lying under that oak and needed a companion – this is the sole reason the Watcher was placed where it is – just to be with and watch over Ivan.] [Fun fact 2: The Watcher was originally erected as a standing stone in the stone circle – it was where “Cave” is now. Ivan and Kristine simultaneously determined that it was just “not right” where it was. So, it was removed. When it became “The Watcher” it was erected in the opposite way (upside down) from how it had stood in the circle. The stone had a crack in it on the end that was now pointing up – this crack was expanded during the first winter and the back half of the stone calved off. The Watcher still stands as always, but that other section was moved and became the last one to join the Monks near the chapel.]

Limestone Lane – in the Pines near the Labyrinth, a series of limestone rocks form a lane one can wander down under the pine canopy. These chunks of limestone came out of the fields of Kinstone in past times and were removed and set to the side by my grandfather, my father, and my brother. It seemed fitting that these limestone lovelies would find a place to be enjoyed by the kith and kin of this place. There are four flat stones on the southwest side of the lane: The Turtle, The Giant’s Footprint, The Pigstone, and The Moonstone. Across from these are two standing stones to the northeast: The Anvil and The Howler. Finally, at the head of the lane on the northeast is the boulder called The Heartstone.

Atlas and Lancelot Marcél (a.k.a. the Wise One) – a special pair of stones that are part of an Equinox Alignment and that represent a metaphor for the world. The large block of Carnelian granite, Atlas, is the largest megalith at Kinstone, weighing in at 70,000 pounds. Lancelot Marcél (also called the Wise One), a Charcoal granite pillar with 19 drill holes perforating it from head to toe stands nearby. The beautiful but cracked and broken Atlas represents the world while the knightly figure of the Lancelot represents the teachers and wise ones whose knowledge and insight fairly shines through them and enlightens the world. Lancelot is aligned such that the setting Equinox sun casts its shadow onto Atlas and the light shines through its perforations and illuminates the shadow on Atlas with an intriguing row of lights.

The Borderlands – two stones evocative of the shapes of the states of Minnesota (Rainbow granite) and Wisconsin (Rockville White granite) with a beautiful Autumn Brown granite column resting recumbent between them representing the Mississippi River. After a rain, the uneven surface of the Mississippi River stone holds puddles of water which lends credence to its river theme. This Autumn Brown column is a sister to Beauty, the Autumn Brown stone in the center of Kinstone Circle, these two were once part of a single, larger stone.

The Summer Solstice Corridor (a.k.a. The Corridor Stones) – there are six columns in the pond which form a corridor to usher in the Summer Solstice Sunrise to the center of Kinstone Circle. There are two Rockville White granite columns, two Carnelian granite columns, and two Charcoal granite columns each pair of which were split from single stones – making them kin. Far beyond the pond and to the east are two more pairs of Rainbow granite columns forming more of this same corridor. One pair is inside the gate and one pair is on the very edge of the property. They stand as Guardians and Ushers to the sunrise on the Summer Solstice. These four Rainbow granite pillars all came from a single stone and one can still see how the characteristics of each stone line up with similar characteristics on its sisters.

Grace, The Hedgehog and The High Seat – near the pond and the round Rockville White granite picnic table stand three stones. Grace is a lovely Rainbow granite stone full of movement and swirling stone flows. She is a sister to Cosmos (near Greensleeves below the Labyrinth) and stands next to the Hedgehog near the Pond. The Hedgehog is a Rainbow granite stone remindful of the hedgehog, complete with an inquisitive eye. The Hedgehog is surrounded by small, rounded granite river rocks. The High Seat is a Rockville White granite monolith with a triangular seat. Sit upon this seat to enjoy the Kinstone vista. [Fun fact: the High Seat was originally supposed to be in the outer ring of Kinstone Circle, but was determined to be too small for the space; the stone known as Twenty Two now stands there instead.]

The Water Dragon (a.k.a. Pier Rock II) – this large, 44,000 pound wedge of Carnelian granite is cantilevered out over the edge of the pond. Although it looks like a diving board, it is not! The pond is not deep enough for diving!! Instead, this is an artistic pier that beckons you to walk out where you can view the pond from above.

The Fountain Stone (a.k.a. Rainbow Fountain) – this 28,750 pound Morton gneiss stone is shaped with a smooth and sloping face which makes it perfect as a fountain. A hole drilled through this stone to allow a water pipe to pass through it to form a running water feature in the pond. The stone took its place on February 24, 2012 on which day we began filling the pond. The cold weather following its installation caused it to temporarily become a stunning ice fountain with sheets and folds of windblown ice all around it.

The Chair Rocks – these two large Rockville Beige granite chairs are two halves of what was a single large stone bench. They sit to the east of Kinstone Circle and frame the Winter Solstice Sunrise. These chairs represent Kristine’s parents, Angie and Roman Bork. The larger one to the south represents Roman and the smaller one to the north represents Angie. Just as the gentle farmer, Roman, waited and watched for the Winter Solstice and celebrated when the days would begin to lengthen, so he waits here. Together these stones oversee Kinstone Circle and connect all of the kin.

What is Kinstone Circle?

Kinstone Circle is a large stone circle built by Kristine Beck. A circle of megaliths measuring 81.6 feet in diameter (30 megalithic yards, 1 megalithic yard = 2.72 feet or 82.96 cm). There are nineteen (19) stones in the ring that forms the circle. There are nineteen (19) smaller boulders that form an inner ring. There are three stones in the center of the circle. Nineteen is an auspicious number in sacred geometry; it symbolizes the spiritual nature of a place. Kinstone Circle is a sacred space that is dedicated to family and connections with generations before us and those that will come after us.

The stones in the circle are a mix of granites from Coldspring Granite Company including Carnelian, Charcoal, Rockville White, Rockville Beige, Autumn Brown, Mesabi Black, and Rainbow granite. Four stones mark the cardinal directions, North, South, East, and West. Two stones frame the Summer Solstice Sunrise and two frame the Winter Solstice Sunrise. Ten of the stones represent Kristine and her siblings. Others represent other alignments. The inner circle of boulders, called the Sitting Stones, offer a place for those that wish to sit awhile in the Circle. All of the Sitting Stones are rounded boulders except for the one in front of the North Stone – that one is flat and is meant to be a place where visitors can lie down in the energy of the North Star. The three center stones, called the Trinity, represent the Source of all life energy, God, or whatever one might name that Nameless Oneness. We are all of and one with the Source and Kinstone Circle is a monument to our connections.

Starting with the North Stone (Castor) and going clockwise around the circle, these are the stones as Kristine named them at the quarries: Castor; Twenty-Two; Cave; Gandalf the Grey; Betelgeuse (the East Stone); Curved Monolith; Pollux; Obelisk 2; Human Figure; Zeus (the South Stone); Triangle Square; Moby Dick; Obelisk; Mountain Mist; Artemis (the West Stone); Sister Stone; The Red Dragon; Wavy 3; and Mountain Sister.

Many of the stones in the circle are siblings with another stone; i.e. they are stones that were once part of a single larger stone. This is true of Mountain Mist and Mountain Sister; Obelisk and Obelisk 2; Eternity (a.k.a. Wavy 2) and Wavy 3; Gandalf the Grey and The Watcher (below the Labyrinth near Purple Crystal); Castor and Pollux; and Beauty (a.k.a. Autumn Brown 1 in the center) is a sister stone to the Autumn Brown recumbent column in the Borderlands that represents the Mississippi River.

The North Star Energy Stone is the flat, fish-shaped, Rainbow granite slab of stone lying in the inner circle between the Trinity and the North Stone (a.k.a. Castor). This stone represents a place where one can sit or lie down in the energy of the North Star. It is a place where the North Star can be found to be shining (day or night – whether visible or not) directly above the tip of the North Stone. This feature was a suggestion of the stone circle builder who worked with me to raise this circle, Ivan McBeth. Great care was taken to ensure the alignment was correct. [Fun fact: during construction, a couple of days after we had set the North Stone, we checked the alignment of this stone with Polaris as seen from the center of the circle on a crisp and clear starry night – it was not quite right; so, we actually moved the North Stone to the right about 16 inches – a major operation but very much worth it!]

Eternity, Beauty, and Illumination are the three center stones in Kinstone Circle. They were originally called Wavy 2 (Rockville White granite), Autumn Brown 1 (Autumn Brown granite), and Ke-Mesabi (Mesabi Black granite). It is an interesting fact that these stones, which seem to be only about three to four feet tall, are really over 14 feet, 12 feet, and 7 feet tall respectively. The majority of these stones is buried in the earth. This was a design decision that was unexpected and unplanned but that turned out perfectly! These stones were originally planned to stand tall like the other stones in the circle. After seeing the circle nearly complete, Kristine decided she did not want to stand tall stones in the center that would obscure the view from one side of the circle to the other. Ivan McBeth suggested that we set them in the earth very deep to get them well below eye level. Just like an iceberg of which only the tip is visible; so it is with these special stones – their real mass and power are below the surface. These three have come to symbolize the power of the invisible. It also is a metaphor for that old saying “as above, so below”. These stones are mirror images of the stones in the outer ring.

What is a Megalith?

A megalith is a very large stone. The word ‘megalith’ comes from the Ancient Greek μέγας or megas meaning ‘great’ and λίθος or lithos, meaning ‘stone’.  According to Wikipedia: “A megalith is a large stone that has been used to construct a structure or monument, either alone or together with other stones. Megalithic describes structures made of such large stones, utilizing an interlocking system without the use of mortar or cement.”

There are over 100 megaliths of various sizes at Kinstone.

Is There Parking Available?

Yes, there are two designated parking areas at Kinstone. When you arrive, please look for signage and follow posted directions. Please do not park on the road. Please do not turn around in neighbor’s driveways.

If you have any questions about parking when you arrive, please inquire in the Education Center building.

Is the Facility Accessible for People with Disabilities?

The Kinstone property has limited access for persons with disabilities. We are committed to helping everyone have the best experience possible while visiting or attending an event course at Kinstone. If you use a wheelchair or have any other mobility impairment or specific requirements please let us know in advance of visiting or registering for events to ensure we can meet your needs.

What is Permaculture?

Bill Mollison, an Australian ecologist, coined the word permaculture in 1978, with input from and collaboration with David Holmgren, one of his students at the time. It is a contraction of “permanent agriculture”, or “permanent culture”. Permaculture is a system of design for creating sustainable human habitats that mimic patterns found in nature. It is based on relationships. The fact that all things are interconnected and interrelated is an underlying foundational concept. We are all KIN!

Permaculture is guided by the following three overarching ethics:

  1. Care of the Earth: includes the care of all living and non-living things, plants, animals, land, water, air
  2. Care of People: promotes self-reliance and community responsibility and access to resources necessary for existence
  3. Reinvesting the surplus: setting limits to population and consumption; and giving back any surplus yield to earth and people.

Yield is an important concept in permaculture. System yield is the sum total of surplus energy produced by, stored, conserved, reused, or converted by the design. Energy is in surplus once the system itself has available all its needs for growth, reproduction and maintenance. Unused surplus results in pollution and more work.

More information can be found about permaculture on our Permaculture page and/or our LINKS page.

What does KINSTONE mean?

The word KINSTONE is a concatenation of Kin + Stone. Kin means family, whether by blood or by other bonds, it refers to all those that you are related to. Stone means just what it says, STONE. This place is dedicated to connections between us – all generations past, present and future as well as the interrelated and interdependent connections we have to the earth and all the animals, plants, minerals, and elements – everything. All are KIN! The stones and geometries here are symbolic of many things including stability, grounding, soaring, cycle of life, seasons, beginnings and more beginnings… on and on. Each person may find their own meanings as they come to know this sacred place.

  • Kinstone Chapel

What’s Happening @KinstoneCircle

Our Mission

Kinstone blends conscious care of Earth with art to form sacred spaces that invite and inspire people to connect with and experience the creative power of the land to transform, energize and ultimately revive the whole person.

Read More About Our Vision, Mission, & Values

Visitor Comments

“What a wonderful, magical place!” ~Marcy K, Madison, WI

“Tranquility and amazement. Thoroughly enjoyed the energy.” ~Martha L., Eagan, MN

“This place is a blessing to all those who enter.” ~Cecilia M.

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