03/10/2026
This is a long read but VERY important. Please consider helping our county fight!
My name is Rickki Wallace, and I own and operate Cackleberry Hollow, a small working farm located in Peru Township.
Cackleberry Hollow is not simply a residence. It is my home, my livelihood, and a place that serves the local community. I produce small-batch homemade jams, grow produce for a CSA that feeds local families, and operate a roadside farm stand. Over the years I have also hosted small community events that connect people to local agriculture and rural life.
My late husband, Scott, and I built this life together. After his passing, I made the decision to remain here and continue the farm on my own. The stability of this property is not just an economic matter for me. It represents the life we built and the future I am trying to carry forward.
The connector proposal that would run near my property raises serious concerns about the long-term viability of my farm and the character of this area. Even if my land is not directly taken through eminent domain, the placement of a major roadway immediately adjacent to the property would fundamentally change what this farm can be.
A highway in this location would introduce constant traffic noise, safety concerns for customers visiting the farm stand, and significant changes to the rural environment that makes small agriculture possible here. Instead of being part of a rural community, my farm could become a narrow strip of land between highway infrastructure and commercial development.
I understand the importance of transportation planning and growth. However, projects of this scale should also consider the lasting impacts on existing farms, homes, and rural communities. Once farmland and community character are lost, they cannot be easily restored.
I respectfully ask that the remaining alignment options be evaluated carefully with full consideration of the long-term impact on the residents and farms that remain in this area.
In addition to the practical concerns about my farm and livelihood, I would also like to share the personal impact this project is having.
I want to be honest about the personal impact this project is having on me.
Since learning about the proposed connector routes, I have found myself facing questions about the future of my home and farm that I never expected to confront. The uncertainty alone has created a tremendous amount of stress and instability.
After losing my husband, I have been working to rebuild my life and keep our farm going. Now I am again faced with the possibility that forces outside my control could fundamentally change or undermine the place that holds my home, my work, and the life my husband and I built together.
This situation has forced me to confront the possibility that everything I am trying to rebuild could be altered by a decision made far away from the daily reality of living and working here.
I know infrastructure planning is complex and affects many people. I simply want it understood that behind the maps and routes are REAL LIVES, REAL HOMES,and PEOPLE who are already carrying more than their share of heartbreak.
No-hwy.com
