Our Team
Harry & Gwen Carr - Co-founders, Farmers, & Owners
Harry has plugged along organically farming in Illinois for over 20 years now. He has long been a believer in the power of perennial pasture to counteract climate change & add resilience and biodiversity to our region. Always striving for a challenge and a dream, Harry continues to be the fearless leader of the farm. Gwen, an owner, caretaker, and advisor to the farm, mainly spends her time these days teaching elementary Montessori School. She also cared for hundreds of pasture-raised chickens this summer, and greatly enjoyed it. Hailing from East & West Coasts originally., Harry & Gwen met in Stelle, IL, and here they settled down to form family, farm, and business together. Harry & Gwen have always shared a love for and interest in nature, the outdoors, and organic food & agriculture. When they bought land together in the early 1990s, they dreamed of restoring the native prairie. Harry, a self-taught entrepreneur and idealist business man who grew up hunting and gardening in rural New Jersey, quickly had ambitions towards a farm business. Gwen, a painter, writer, Montessori teacher, & homemaker from southern California, imparted her love of good food and nutritional research on the farm.
Nicole Stresak - Sales Manager, Office Guru, & Artist
Coming from a background in photography & sales, Nicole joined the farms' market sales team in the autumn of 2012. Since then she has become key to an ever increasing list of operations at the farm. Nicole is the point person for many administrative tasks, from completing meat cutting instructions, vendor applications & staffing for the Chicago area farmers' markets Mint Creek attends, sales strategy, marketing, & inventory. Nicole is an artist, responsible for many of the farm's sharpest brochures, pictures, & online promotions. Nicole also finds time to help out with occasional livestock & poultry care at the farm. She doesn't hesitate getting her hands dirty, a true farm girl at heart.
Mihreteab Gilleland - Farmer
Mihreteab chose to work for the farm because he loves the farm animals, and he’s saving up money to buy his first car. Before joining the team officially, Mihreteab--who also lives right by the farm--has kindly lent a hand with herding the sheep--and other critters--into their paddocks when they have escaped unexpectedly.
Jared Clemens - Farmer, Events
Jared has been a full-time farmer with Mint Creek since May 2018, and worked with the farm for several years prior as a market salesperson, driver, and running farm dinner events. Valuing a direct sense of connection to his work, Jared is dedicated to how unique and values-focused the farm is. In his free time, Jared reads extensively and builds art installations in a Chicago loft space. In addition to many other farm chores, he has a knack for building and repairing portable shelters for livestock & poultry.
Yan Yang - Admin Support, Advisor
Yan found Mint Creek at Green City Market and she has been a repeat customer, CSA member, & friendly face at the market booth for many years now. Yan is an actuary by training. She deals with a large amount of data and uses spreadsheets extensively in her regular job. The skills come handy when she wants to help Mint Creek folks sort through orders to compile packing lists and delivery lists. Yan is very into the local food movement. She hopes one day she can be a farmer providing the same quality food as Mink Creek.
Jonathan Carr - Bookkeeper, & Solutions Architect
Jonathan grew up on Mint Creek, and is passionate about organic land stewardship and the environmental impacts of farming ecologically. He has been a vital part of Mint Creek for decades now but not just in one capacity. Jonathan has acted as farmhand, farm manager, and also worked doing organic-certification paperwork, business planning, grant-writing, bailing hay, and soil & pasture maintenance through prairie restoration. Jonathan has been the farm’s bookkeeper for over a decade now, and recently completed his degree in Computer Science. As solutions architect, he is taking a broad view of the family business, and honing in on solving the biggest potential issues and risks at hand. Jonathan loves playing music on piano and accordion (and just about any instrument you put into his hands).
Raya Carr - Shepherdess, Events & Project Coordinator
Raya began farming at the age of 4 when Mint Creek got its first two sheep, one of which she named “Jackie.” Through her work in farming, food, & preventative healthcare, Raya’s goal is to help heal, restore, and regenerate people's connection to the powerful & delicate ecological balances we exist within. After growing up as farmhand at Mint Creek, Raya spent most of her twenties doing sales management, event coordination, & marketing for the farm, while she also completed her massage therapy license. Since then, Raya has branched out within the intersection of organic farming & finance and works for Iroquois Valley Farms (organic farmland REIT). On top of that, Raya still spends time during early mornings, evenings, & weekends supporting Mint Creek Farm’s staff in sales & marketing, events—& on very special days—sheep care.
Rejeana Gilleland - Farmer, Vet Tech, Administrator
Rejeana is an experienced vet tech who oversees care of the sick and injured animals on the farm. She is an avid chicken keeper and enjoys caring for the flocks of laying hens on the farm, as well as helping with other farm chores and record keeping. Aside from her farm work, Rejeana is a wife, mother, and part-time college student. She serves in a variety of capacities in her church, distributes mail for her community, and serves as the Recording Clerk for the board of the local phone company.
Sean Winters - Farmer
Sean found Mint Creek through his mother, Christine, who worked for the farm, as well. Sean started at Mint Creek some time afterwards, and took well to the hard work and heavy lifting. Sean has now been farming with Mint Creek for years. Sean and his family also raise a few of their own animals on a nearby farm.
Carly Feldmeier - CSA Coordinator, Marketing
Carly discovered us after beginning her journey as a holistic nutritionist in Chicago in search for the highest quality meat offered in her area. As an advocate of conscious meat eating for her community and clients, she felt deeply connected to the mission of Mint Creek's farming philosophy. Carly is excited to be working behind the scenes of this truly unique farm and is passionate to spread the word about their mission in the nutrition and holistic health field.