Meet the Locals: Caleb Schoeppe & Sydney Sloan, Sacred Hollow Farm
📷: Photography by Meredith Mashburn
Where do you call home in Northwest Arkansas?
Lowell, AR
Where are you two from originally?
Caleb is from Rogers, born and raised. I’m originally from Tulsa and lived in NW Arkansas for a few years before moving to Portland, where I spent most of my adult life. In 2018, I decided to move back to Arkansas to be closer to family.
How did you all meet? How long have you been together?
Social media, sort of. We have around 40 mutual friends who we hung out with, but never crossed paths. Then on social media, Caleb reached out to ask if we knew each other. Then the talking began and didn’t end. Ha!
We’ve now been together for 7 years, married 1.5 years.
What are some of your favorite things about the region?
We love going to concerts. Live music is a must! We often go to the AMP, The Momentary or George’s for fun. We take lots of random day trips to Eureka Springs, just to walk around, buy old records at MoJo’s or pop in the fun shops. We both love kayaking—we go to the Buffalo, Kings or Illinois River quite often. When the weather is cooler, we go hiking. We enjoy Whitaker Point (who doesn’t!?), and you can’t beat most of the hiking trails around Ponca.
How would you describe living in Northwest Arkansas? What advice would you have for someone relocating here?
Northwest Arkansas is a rad place with lots to do, and the people are great. If you’re into the outdoors and the arts, you’ll absolutely enjoy this place. Just be prepared for the humid summers!
Someone that has never been to the region is coming for 24 hours, what should they do, where should they go?
Well, of course, Sacred Hollow Farm for wildflower picking in the summer! Kayaking on the Buffalo and hiking in Ponca are always good calls. And if they enjoy mountain biking, the All-American Trail within the Slaughter Pen trail system is great for riders of all skill levels, and OZ Trails Bike Park is great for more experienced riders.
📷: Photography by Jeff Rose
Describe Northwest Arkansas in three words.
Adventurous, Creative, Inviting
What do you do in your free time?
In the summertime, we don’t have much free time, but when we do, we listen to old records we’ve collected while cooking. We love going to antique shops & flea markets like the Quirky Bird or HWY 102. In the winter, we attend shows and plays at the Walton Arts Center. To recharge, Caleb heads to Roaring River to fly fish, and I’m a homebody who loves snuggling up with our four dogs.
Tell us something about yourselves folks might not know.
Caleb is a sound engineer who now applies his expertise to sound therapy. In his early 20s, he played in a heavy metal band. He’s usually so chill, no one ever suspects this! He now works on the farm and builds mountain biking trails for Trailblazers.
I’m a self-taught artist in various media: a painter, sculptor & creative writer. My work has been in galleries and publications all across the United States. Lately, I’ve been working the farm and learning more about native ecosystems and how to incorporate these philosophies into the farm.
What causes are you passionate about? What inspires you?
We’re passionate about the environment and keeping ecosystems safe and thriving. We do our very best to contribute to the good of the land. Nature inspires us every day. Watching how ecosystems recover, adapt, and support one another reminds us that beauty doesn’t come from perfection—it comes from diversity and resilience.
If you were to give the region a tagline, what would it be?
Nature has a way of bringing people home.
What is the origin story of Sacred Hollow?
We bought our old farmhouse on five acres in 2019. At first, we were just mowing, because the land was full of briars. Then the pandemic hit. I lost my job as a hairstylist, and Caleb was sent home from his corporate job. We quickly realized how good it felt to be home, and we wanted to build something that could sustain us here. At the time we were studying holistic healing, because the world felt so stressful, and we learned firsthand how nature reduces stress in the body. After kicking around a few ideas, we landed on wildflowers. I mean, who can be stressed walking among wildflowers?
Tell us about your vision for Sacred Hollow.
We intentionally keep it on the wild side. Our goal isn’t to create rows of perfect flowers—it’s to recreate the feeling of wandering through a wildflower meadow. We believe beauty is found in the changing seasons, the insects, the birds, and the natural ebb and flow of an ecosystem. That’s the experience we hope people take home with them.
Can you tell us about the most rewarding experiences you’ve had since opening Sacred Hollow?
Honestly, seeing the community embrace our vision has been incredibly rewarding. Watching friends and families make memories together, photographers create art, couples slow down for an evening, or hearing someone say they felt peaceful after spending time here reminds us why we started the farm in the first place.
Any upcoming events that you would like to tell us about?
We are always kicking around new event ideas. The fan favorites are Date Night Among Wildflowers & Sound Healing Among Wildflowers. We host these monthly and they always sell out quickly! Our newest event is Medicine Walk in the Meadow, facilitated by author Brandon Weston, who walks guests through the farm and teaches them about wild medicinal and edible flowers.
