| Sustainability is an important concept that we have taken seriously all of our life. Our home was built by Don’s grandparents in 1920. We have carefully remodeled to add amenities that guests expect, but we have maintained the small footprint. We added innkeeper quarters in the lower level. Following are some of the sustainable practices we adhere to: THE BUILDINGS - wood floors of local hickory, pine, oak and original maple with low VOC water based finish
- new energy efficient windows throughout all buildings
- Rock wool insulation from the 50’s provides high R value insulation in the foursquare house top dressed in the attic
- original cedar and pine siding maintained with paint on all buildings
- Trane Energy efficient furnace and AC in 2001
- scribed log cabins that utilize all of the local log (not milled to perfection) built by a local builder with large overhanging roof and ceiling fans
- recyled the machine shed into the office/lodge/restaurant/pro shop by a local builder
- recyled the chicken coop into the Comfort Coop for massages and small meetings by owners
- recycled the dairy barn basement into Don’s woodworking shop by owner & "handyman special" guests
- Recycled the Granary, an original farm building into guest lodging by local builders
SPORTS - promote and support human powered sports on our land: hiking, disc golf course, mountain biking, snowshoeing, snowtubing (without a tow rope) and cross-country skiing
- provide two llamas, two Siberian huskies, a pygmy goat and several cats for companionable recreation for guests and ourselves
THE LAND - native plant landscaping including vegetables for personal and guest use
- member of a Community Supported Agriculture(CSA) and two Food Coops to provide oganically grown food for personal and guest use
- three large silver maples and a huge white pine for shade around the buildings
- shovel and sweep the snow off walkways (no noisy, gas polluting snowblower)
- feed the birds, maintain barn swallows and bats for insect control
- maintain strip cropping begun in 1970 to prevent erosion on higly erodible land
- no-till plant corn/soybeans since 1980 to prevent soil erosion
- selective timber harvest with professional forester to provide homes for wildlife, scenic trails
- support and participate in the purchase of electricity from renewable sources
INKKEPING - 100% Egyptian cotton 18# towels
- Whirlpool front load washer for low water use with warm wash and cold rinse
- cards offering reuse of sheets and towels
- use of compact florescent light bulbs
- commercial dishwasher completes its cycle in 90 seconds with 2 gallons of water per load
- bulk purchasing of flour, oats, nuts, spices, sunflower seeds, coffee
- private sewage treatment that does not use chemicals
PERSONAL - sell or find a new use for no longer needed equipment, machines, furniture and linens
- own one motor vehicle, a 2001 F-150 Ford truck for hauling and pleasure
- choose vacations that are educational as Avatar helping to create an enlightened planetary civilization, Farm Progress Days, Renewable Energy Fair, Native Plant Restoration, Wisconsin Rural Leadership Program and study tour of Rural Tourism and Branding to Ireland
- use homeopathic doctor for a healthy life
- short commute to work, we live on-premise
However, we do not purchase expensive non-bleached recycled toilet paper and paper towels. In accordance with the Wisconsin Department of Health and Family Services we are licensed as a bed and breakfast for the foursquare house, a tourist room house license for the cabins and a restaurant license for our food service building. Donna is certified as the Restaurant Manager having passed a course in food safety with bi-annual one day up-date class. Justin Trails Resort, Sparta, Wisconsin, has been in the Justin family since 1914. Gustave and Appolonia Justin, Don’s grandparents, hired Phillip Connelly and his sawmill to cut lumber from the farm. This lumber was used to build the dairy barn in 1919 and the foursquare house in 1920. Ray and Kathryn Justin, Don’s parents, purchased the farm in 1940. They added electricity, indoor plumbing, phone service and several small farm buildings and upgraded access to the farm to a town road. Don and Donna Justin purchased the property in 1970. They continued to farm and Donna to teach, while researching other activities to provide an income allowing for a change of careers. Adding Nordic ski trails in 1985 and acquiring a bed and breakfast license in 1986 began the development into a resort. The resort lodging includes log cabins, a cottage, and suites each with a whirlpool, fireplace, kitchenettes, and deck/patio or porch. The grounds have been landscaped with several acres of gardens, open areas for softball or volleyball. The Lodge and Comfort Coop are available for meetings, classes, and social events. The resort is open to day use for the trails and disc golf. Don and Donna’s career is the Resort and they are here to pamper you. They continue to live in the foursquare house on the land they love.
A quote from an article by Heitman on October 16, 2005
"In fact, after you see the inside of your cabin, you might not even venture out to see the shops & delights of the historic town of Sparta. This remote escape is first-class luxury all the way." Following the example of Wisconsin Pioneer Land Stewards, John Muir and Aldo Leopold, we believe as Leopold, "When we see land as a community to which we belong, we may begin to use it with love and respect."
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