About Us
Welcome to Highland Farm Park and Nature Preserve
A place where community, nature, and sustainable living come together.
Our Mission
Our mission is simple, yet transformative:
To preserve small farms, protect natural ecosystems, and create beautiful spaces where people and nature thrive together.
Highland Farm Park and Nature Preserve is designed to be a living example of what’s possible when a community comes together to collectively own and steward land. Through cooperative ownership, we are redefining what it means to “own a farm” — giving everyone access to fresh food, clean air, vibrant ecosystems, and meaningful connection to the land, all without the burden of labor or massive expense.
We envision a world where owning a share in a local farm becomes as common as paying for electricity or internet — a basic necessity, a lifestyle upgrade, and a legacy for future generations.
MORE THAN JUST A FARM: Highland Farm Park is also an Educational Center allowing people to walk through the History of Farming, Engage in fun learning activities and places to enjoy nature; a place to reconnect to the Earth.
Highland Farm Park and Nature Preserve is a first-of-its-kind eco-friendly farm and nature cooperative located just 30 minutes from Raleigh, Durham, Chapel Hill, Cary, and surrounding North Carolina communities. Spanning 70 breathtaking acres, Highland Farm Park is more than just land — it’s a movement, a lifestyle, and a model for the future of farm preservation and sustainable living.
Owned and enjoyed by people just like you, Highland Farm Park is an innovative cooperative that allows both homeowners and community members to become part of a working farm and nature sanctuary—without having to farm or maintain the land themselves.
Highland Farm Park offers a rare opportunity to protect nature, enjoy farm-to-table living, and preserve local farmland for generations to come
Our Origin Story
Highland Farm Park was born out of necessity — and vision.
Founder Cheri Lynne, a long-time advocate for sustainable farming and farmland preservation, spent decades watching small farms disappear, young farmers struggle, and nature give way to development. Despite years of effort, it became clear that nonprofits and government programs alone couldn’t stop the loss of our nation’s small farms and simply didn’t have the funds to save a large number of farms
She realized that if the community didn’t ‘buy-into’ saving farms, there was little hope.
Then came the breakthrough idea: What if the community could “buy in”?
Rather than trying to save farms with donations or grants, what if everyday people could become co-owners — gaining access to the beauty, benefits, and bounty of a farm without the backbreaking work or massive cost?
This simple idea has now evolved into a game-changing model: the Community Farm Park Cooperative.
Cheri’s mission was years in the making to make farm ownership accessible and meaningful for everyone. This could happen on a small scale or an epic scale like with Highland Farm. Highland Farm Park is the first full-scale realization of that dream. The Crown Jewel of Farm Dreams.
“When a community owns a farm together, it will never be lost to development. The land stays a farm, forever. The farmer thrives. The people thrive. Nature thrives.” – Cheri Lynne
Be Part of Something Bigger
Highland Farm Park and Nature Preserve isn’t just a place — it’s a purpose. A purpose you can own, enjoy, and pass down.
Whether you want to:
● An Educational nature sanctuary
● Own a piece of a farm without moving
● Support local agriculture and ecosystems
● Be part of a movement that protects land for generations
Highland Farm Park is your opportunity.
Join Us
● Buy a Share. Build a Legacy. Live with Purpose.
Our Vision: A Model for the Future
We believe Highland Farm Park is just the beginning. Our goal is to inspire and replicate this model across the country — a movement where everyday people can preserve farmland, support local farmers, and reclaim their connection to nature.
Through our cooperative model, we’re offering a blueprint for other communities to follow — one that protects farmland from development, gives farmers better livelihoods, and makes farm ownership accessible to all.
Jennifer Shumaker
Managing Director, Highland Farm Park
Founder | Corporate Leader | Biologist | Naturopathic Doctor | Connector of People
Jennifer Shumaker is a passionate steward of the land, a lifelong environmental advocate, and a connector of communities. As Managing Director of Highland Farm Park and a founding force behind both the Highland Farm Park and the National Farm Park Association, Jennifer brings unmatched energy, wisdom, and purpose to every corner of this groundbreaking conservation and cooperative project.
Rooted in the soil of her family’s 100-acre historic farm—where every season she still helps tend the land and care for heritage structures alongside generations of her family—Jennifer’s journey is one of deep commitment to land, legacy, and community. Raised in a family of eco-activists, she developed a strong ethic of environmental care and social responsibility from a young age.
Her academic and professional background as a biologist, biochemist, and naturopathic doctor reflects her reverence for both natural systems and human wellness. That unique blend of scientific insight and holistic thinking is the foundation of her visionary work today—crafting spaces that merge farming, conservation, wellness, and community connection in ways that are both practical and profoundly inspiring.
Affectionately nicknamed “The Firefly” by friends and collaborators, Jennifer is known for lighting up every room she enters—bringing warmth, calm, community and clarity to complex initiatives. Her gift lies in her ability to unite people across backgrounds and sectors, turning good ideas into thriving partnerships and shared successes. She is a natural coach, a compassionate leader, and a strategic builder of teams and dreams.
Jennifer’s mission is as clear as it is powerful: to co-create a world where people and nature thrive together, where farmland is preserved, where communities are nourished, and where generations to come will find joy, connection, and healing in the wild beauty of spaces like Highland Farm Park.
You can find Jennifer’s work and collaborations across initiatives like the National Farm Park Association, and Highland Farm Park on LinkedIn, where her passion for people and the planet continues to shine.
Kira Nuviae
Co-Founder, Highland Farm Park – Director of Wildlife and Environmental Design
Environmental Innovator | Conservation Biologist | Sustainability Strategist
Kira Nuviae is one of the visionary co-founders of Highland Farm Park, where her lifelong passion for wildlife, conservation, and sustainable design finds a real-world home. Raised with her hands in the soil and her heart in the woods, Kira’s journey began at just twelve years old when she held a live songbird during a wildlife demonstration at Prairie Ridge Ecostation. That single moment lit a spark that would guide her academic and professional pursuits for years to come.
Kira’s commitment led her to a rigorous double major in Fisheries & Wildlife Conservation Biology and Environmental Engineering at NC State University, bridging the worlds of ecology and urban infrastructure to craft smart, sustainable solutions for the future. Holding a 4.0+ GPA while balancing intensive coursework, fieldwork, and engineering labs, she has immersed herself in everything from invertebrate studies to deer spotlighting, from AutoCAD modeling to GIS mapping—all while continuing to work alongside her family on their farm, building small structures and driving a skid steer with equal ease.
Her scientific training is matched by deep community engagement. Kira has spent years volunteering at the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences, advancing from volunteer to curator of ornithological specimens, and continues to work on multiple bird banding projects in the Uwharries. Her work reflects a profound respect for biodiversity and a precise understanding of how human development can—and must—coexist with the natural world.
Through Highland Farm Park, Kira has found a way to unite her two worlds: nature and innovation. Her focus on the intersection of environmental sustainability and urban design has made her a key force behind Highland Farm Park’s vision—a place where conservation, education, community, and ecological development work hand-in-hand.
Kira’s mission is clear: to reimagine our built environments in harmony with nature, and to make the future greener, smarter, and more connected—for people and wildlife alike.
Park Features & Amenities
Highland Farm Park offers a world-class mix of nature, farming, and community amenities, including:
Nature Preserve Highlights:
Private Hiking & Nature Trails
Butterfly & Bird Migration Habitats
Native Plant Nursery & Pollinator Gardens
Mushroom Education Hut & Forest Fauna Learning Center
Aquaponics Fishing Pond & Natural Swim Pond
Woodland Educational Classroom & Bird-Watching Pavilion
Farm Features:
Organic Botanical Gardens & Bee Conservation Area
Zen Garden & Traditional Tea House
High-End Greenhouse & Farm-to-Table Dining Space
Event Barn & Community Gathering Spaces