NEWS 8/2/2021: As of August 15th 2021 I will be moving to The Land of Odd full time. Land of Odd Adventure Safaris will be available just about any time. Just contact me (Dave Odd) to inquire about coming out for a FORAGING adventure day or two.
As seen on The Discovery Channel! Less than 60 miles south of Chicago city limits, nestled in the middle of the Kankakee Sands, one of the most unique and expansive wilderness habitats in the Chicago area, lies The Land of Odd, Nature Retreat and Survival Camp.
The property itself is on 2 acres of pristine Kankakee sand prairie and is surrounded on all sides by acres and acres of vacant land you are free to roam on. The cabin on the property is a converted 2 car garage with a bathroom addition where Dave lives now. Inside there is a full kitchen with a fully stocked fridge and freezer, with a dishwasher, chest freezer, a washer/dryer, two full bathrooms with showers, a 2000+ book natural history library, board and card games for rainy days, and more nostalgia than you can handle. On the grounds there are campsites for at least 10 tents, as well as a campsite fire pit, a communal fire pit, a bonfire pit, two wood fired grills, and a massive garden. There is also over 150 pieces of artificial cover, a hibernaculum, and a frog pond to attract reptiles and amphibians and plenty of other creatures.
Campsites are perfect for anyone that appreciates the outdoors or just needs a getaway from the hustle and bustle of the city. Whether you're a birder, herper, fisherman, hunter, wildlife photographer, naturalist, botanist, star gazer, or just about anyone who appreciates nature, The Land of Odd is a haven for you.
Guided foraging tours and wildlife safaris are available upon request.
Some of the animals that have been observed on the property are coyote, red fox, groundhog, moles, white tailed deer, owls, hawks, bluebird, scarlet tanager, bobwhite, herons, coyote, skunk, raccoon, opossum, bullsnake, blue racers, eastern milk snake, eastern hognose snake, western ribbon snake, eastern garter snake, brown snake, fox snake, northern water snake, eastern glass lizard, six lined racerunner lizard, ornate box turtle, gray treefrog, western chorus frog, spring peepers, green frog, northern leopard frog, bullfrog, Fowler's toad, American toad, praying mantis, monarch, over 250 other species of moths and insects and so much more. There have even been bobcats sighted in the area.
Some of the plants that can be observed on property are black cherry, black locust, black oak, sassafras, horsetail, St. Johns wort, blue eye grass, blue vervain, common milkweed, horsemint, prickly pear, and so much more.
There's no light pollution at night and on clear nights you can see the entire milky way. There’s even a telescope you can use and see the night sky like you've never seen it in Chicagoland before.
Willow Slough and JC Murphy Lake are walking distance to some of the greatest fishing and hunting in the area. Hooper Branch Savana Nature Preserve, Iroquois County State Wildlife Area, Kankakee Sands National Wildlife Preserve, Beaver Lake Prairie Chicken Preserve, the Kankakee Sands bison herd, and thousands of acres of Kankakee Sands and Nature Conservancy Land are all within a few minutes drive. There's even a rodeo, a dragstrip, a raceway, several historical cemeteries, and even the dumping site of the Spilotro Brothers (Joe Pesci's character in Casino) bodies nearby.
Fall asleep under the stars with a chorus of frogs, insects, coyotes, and owls singing you to slumber.
Cabin stay: Dave lives in the cabin full time now but it can be made available for special occasions and guests are always welcome inside.
Campground stay with full bathroom and shower $25 night per tent.
Guided nature/foraging tours available: Rates vary depending on group size/length of stay.
Private survival/foraging camp packages available.
There will be open to the public events that you can purchase tickets for on the Events page. You can also book your own private events.
Land of Odd Adventure Safari:
Come on out to The Land of Odd in Beaverville Illinois for the day or camp out for as long as you'd like. Experience a wildlife adventure filled with memories that include not only a foraging tour of all the edible and medicinal plants and mushrooms of the area, but also immerse yourself in up close and personal wildlife encounters with everything from frogs to snakes to the local bison herd, and all the local sites to see and points of interest in between including gangster and haunted history! We can even do a cooking session with what we find! $100 a person (minimum $250), overnight/camping packages available.
Text or call Dave Odd at 847-409-8623 for info or email dave@oddproduce.com