Our Staff
Beth
Beth has lived and explored the Mississippi River Ecosystem her entire life. Her background includes decades of experience in the construction trades and she is an expert in almost any skill involved with shaping, painting, fabricating, and finishing wood, stone, or clay.
Beth experienced some personal tragedies including the sudden death of her mother from a heart attack and her former husband from suicide. These events influenced Beth to reevaluate her life goals and lifestyle.
In 2019 Beth became certified in Canine Massage Therapy, Myofascial Trigger Point Therapy, Lymphatic Massage, and Acupressure. In addition she is also trained in Canine Oncology Massage and Hospice Care.
Beth is a State of Illinois Master Naturalist and is a FTHUB Nature Connection Specialist.
She is very active in a number of organizations in West Central Illinois including the West Central IL Native Plant Guild and the “Ripple Effects” Mississippi River based curriculum program for the Quincy Public School System. She leads bird walks for the Quincy Park District. She is a self-described “Nature Nerd” but brings a down-to-earth, practical approach to anything she teaches or does. This includes crafting, gardening, kayaking, and sharing the great outdoors and seeing someone make that nature connection.
Bill “Professor” Schwieler.
Bill, AKA “Professor,” has worked at Culver-Stockton College as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Physical Education and Health (Char 1997-2008) since 1994. He is also a Red Cross First Aid and CPR Instructor. In addition, Bill worked at both the ESPN Summer and Winter “X” Games from 2018-2019 in operations and event management.
The Professor is very involved in our community. He is the event master of ceremonies for the Quincy Region’s “Fishing for Freedom” event, the largest guided fishing tournament for veterans in the Country. Bill is also the Vice President of Western Illinois Field Archers, volunteers his expertise for Young Life of Quincy, and Southern Illinois University School of Medicine.
Bill is perhaps most well known in the area for his love of the outdoors and his involvement with athletics. He was an honor student athlete in high school and college. He is an inductee in three separate institution of higher learning sports halls of fame. He has decades of collegiate coaching experience in soccer, tennis, and golf, was Coach of the Year of the Heart of America Athletic Conference in 2000-2001, and has worked as a caddy in three PGA Tour events.
The professor is as at home in the outdoors as he is in the classroom or athletic field. He has a vast amount of experience on both the Illinois and the Mississippi rivers…and he can fix almost anything mechanical if it breaks.
Hank “the Tank”
“Hankopotumus” R.I.P. was a 120lb (allegedly) full breed chocolate lab who loved everybody. At one time when Great River CSA Food Coop was based at Windy Hills, Hank was consistently listed as “one of the best things about the coop that I love” on our annual survey.
Hank’s bones rest in the lad but his spirit is forever in our hearts.
Ranger “Old Man”
Ranger is a 34-35 year old gelding Arabian Horse, pictured here with his human “bestie” Lizzie, who has resided at Windy Hill farm & Stables since he was a colt. His “BFAM’s” Sundance, Scooter, and Scout have all passed. Their bones rest in the land but their spirits remain in our hearts.
Ranger has his “Phd” in people communication. He teaches us “horse talk” but requires fresh apples (Honeycrisps are his fav) and “behind the right ear” rubs as payment.
Matt Tobias and Clutch Livengood
Matt grew up near Loraine, IL, in a farming.family. He went to school for Civil Engineering at Southern Illinois University of Edwardsville and worked in St. Louis for a railroad consultant firm surveying railroad bridges and tracks across the United States after graduation. He then moved back to Quincy and is currently employed with the Missouri Department of Transportation where he designs new roadways and improves existing roadways.
While in Quincy, he and a group of trail builders and the Quincy Park District worked together to design, construct, and maintain hiking and mountain bike trails and facilities. He helped design the hiking trails through the Quincy Park District parks along the river, the All America Bike Park, and Nature Trails East in Quincy. The newly constructed Nature Trails East has mountain bike specific flow trails, hiking trails, and is the location of first ANFT certified forest therapy trail in the central Midwest. Matt was pivotal in the design, engineering, communication, and implementation aspects at Nature Trails East. Matt also works with the Quincy Park District to promote events related to the nature trails and has a vital role in communication between multiple parties to make the nature trails a success.
He is constantly accompanied by Clutch his Border Collie trail dog. Clutch and Matt designed the “Stick Library,” unique feature at Nature Trails East that allows dogs to check in and check out a stick while on their walk there. In his free time, Matt is an avid mountain biker, snowboarder, hiker, has rode and raced motocross since age 15, loves traveling, and is an overall outdoor enthusiast. He loves building things, improving the community around him, and sharing his passions with others around him. He maintains a property with a motocross track and a cabin just north of Quincy and has multiple bee hives there too. Matt is also trained as a state of Illinois Master Naturalist and a Forest Therapy Hub Connection Specialist.
Fred Lansing
Fred is a certified Landscape Architect and has started a number of successful landscaping and outdoor lighting companies in Illinois and Florida. He grew up on the Mississippi River and is highly skilled in almost any outdoor bushcraft skill.
Fred has extensive experience working with students of all ages, from grade school to college age including medical students and resident physicians. Over a decade ago Fred suffered a major stroke, he underwent extensive rehabilitation to get back to his current robust state of health.
He “acquired” a new set of skills after this event. Fred went from being an amateur wood carver to rapidly rising through the ranks where he is today, competing on an international stage for the title of world champion wood carver.
Berty
Berty lives over by the Illinois River with his Mom (E.D. Nurse), Dad (retired peace officer) and to Labrador Retrievers (Augie and Ruby). At a very young age it became apparent that he had a proclivity for the outdoors and for solitude. He has regularly been on the river or in the forest since the age of three and is very proficient in both water-crafting and woodland skills.
Berty comes to our training sites when his school is not in session and with permission of his parents to teach skinning skills and pet care. His main strengths are his free nature and endless enthusiasm.
The Boyz
Woody (Lab), Yogi and Bird (Wolfhound Mix)
The Red Thread Greeters, Protectors, and Consumers of Treats. They reside at Windy Hill but often show up anywhere there is a friendly voice or the smell of food.
Toni
The six foot black snake.
In many traditions, snakes hold a special place in the culture. Toni has resided at Burton Creek in various structures for a numbe of years (we have at least 3 confirmed skin sheds from her over the years).
She is stealthy, gentle and will not harm. She mostly resides in our machine shed.
Rusty
Rusty took up residence under the deck of the main cabin during the construction of “the Big Green Thing” wigwam-styled meeting house. She has raised a number of litters since then.
Kate & J.D.
Kate Schell Daniels
Kate worked as a public defender for approximately 20 years, then for Land of Lincoln Legal Aid office before transistioning over to full time community leader and advocate. She currently holds leaderships in a number of non-profit organizations on both the regional and State level.
Kate started Great River CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) Co-op in 2010, the first one of its kind in the area. She is an avid gardener, “field to table chef,” and an accomplished knitter, crocheter.
James “JD” Daniels MD, MPH
JD worked over three decades as a physician and educator at Southern Illinois University School of Medicine. He is board certified in three medical specialties and has authored/presented over one hundred publications including five medical textbooks in a variety of disciplines. He was the inaugural recipient of the School of Medicine’s Outstanding Teacher Award. He has been acknowledged by Quincy University with a Doctorate of Humane Letters (PHD, hon.) and an honorary membership by the National Association of Athletic Trainers for his educational and community work. JD is a State of Illinois Master Naturalist and Climate Steward. He is certified as an ANFT Forest Therapy Hub Practitioner and Nature Connection Specialist Trainer, ANFT Forest Therapy Guide, and ANFT Forest Therapy Trail Consultant.