Dear readers – I’m breaking away from my usual column to share an incredible story about a small family farm in Noblesville that’s making a tremendous difference. I hope you enjoy it!
Heather and Jeff Figurelli’s farm may only be 11 acres, but it’s already made a big impact in its three short years of existence. Their story started thanks to Heather’s love of gardening, pigs, and her family’s farming history.
“Our middle child, Tommy, also likes pigs,” Heather said. “We visited Oinking Acres in Brownsburg and fell madly in love with it.”
The family continued to enjoy Oinking Acres and found a sense of peace unlike any other, especially for Heather, who had recently lost her mother to brain cancer. This led to a strong desire to own a pig of their own. However, they lived in a subdivision in Fishers at the time. Heather had educated her HOA about native plants and had reached her limit with them on their property.
Eventually, the couple began to consider looking for their own piece of land, one they could gradually convert to native plantings that would also nurture small farm animals. In the spring of 2022, they searched and found a property for sale on Atlantic Road in Noblesville. Heather believes her mother’s spirit guided them to it.
“It was just barren farmland with nothing on it,” Jeff said. “We put in an offer and drew up a plan of native beds and spaces for animals.”
As their house and property began to take shape later that summer, the couple would visit the land and have a picnic with their three children, Alexis, Tommy, and Joey. Tommy, now age 9, shared that, “It was the most peaceful part of my entire life.”
They learned about the Hamilton County Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD) and the local USDA after experiencing issues when they planted 100 saplings. Thanks to their guidance, Jeff and Heather hired a company to plant native prairie, who seeded part of their property in the fall of 2022. The prairie is on the existing county drain tile at the back of their farm. They did no-till seeding of three acres, with 13 forbs and six grasses.
The Figurellis love their farm and helping to educate others. (Front) Joey; (center) Tommy, Heather, and Alexis; and (back) Jeff. (Photo provided)
Finally, in March of 2023, the family moved to what they affectionately call “Fig’s Farm.”
Fig’s Farm is a feast for the senses. It features native beds; rescue animals including chickens, mini pigs, bunnies, geese, ducks, and turkeys; a sledding hill; native trees; and a pond.
“We keep adding where we can,” said Heather. “We tried to put wet native plants in with 50 to 60 plugs, but the geese ripped them up.”
True to the “sleep, creep, leap” concept of native plants, the family was thrilled to see how much their efforts have paid off in 2025.
“This year was the coolest! We have massive amounts of dragonflies and butterflies, tons of frogs … our pond is stocked, and we see heron and egrets fly in all the time,” Heather shared.
While Heather knew she came from a family of farmers, she didn’t realize that her maternal grandfather used similar practices on his larger farm in Perry County.
“He was innovative with farming, using no-till and water conservation practices,” she said.
In fact, her grandfather, Justine Etienne, was the Perry County Conservationist of the Year in 1979 and a Master Farm Conservationist in 1992. According to a November 1992 issue of Prairie Farmer, his no-till results spurred widespread adoption. His sons, who inherited and worked the farm later, used those same practices.
The family awards continue to this day. Jeff and Heather were honored at the State Fair in 2025 with the River Friendly Farmer Award for Hamilton County.
“This was the same award my uncles won in 2007 for Perry County,” Heather said.
Jeff and Heather shared that they were surrounded by large family farms at the ceremony and “almost felt guilty.” However, Heather’s work friend reminded her that they were standing on generations.
“She pointed out that we’re creating our generation and legacy from scratch,” Heather stated.
Their daughter, Alexis, age 11, even won the SWCD photo contest in her age group last summer.
The Hamilton County SWCD has been a crucial partner for the Figurellis from the beginning. Together with the USDA, the SWCD helped them with erosion issues around their pond. The entire office toured Fig’s Farm last spring. Jeff and Heather buy native plants and trees during the SWCD’s sale each year.
“I feel like what they’re doing is an awesome example. I wish more people knew about them,” Heather shared. “If we can do this, other people can.”
Fig’s Farm goes beyond their own family by having a farm stand that serves as an educational project for kids; hosting Girl Scout groups; and even helping Oinking Acres by donating a memorial garden for pigs who can’t be saved. Heather plans to continue giving her time to Oinking Acres.
Jeff and Heather share their practices on their Facebook page, Fig’s Farm. Their former neighbors in Fishers were inspired thanks to Facebook and now plant natives.
“Everybody has been supportive,” Jeff said. “We have so many friends that come over because they find it peaceful and amazing. Kids come out to learn about animal rescue and native plants. We’ve made friends through our farm stand.”
The couple loves watching their children play on their property along with friends. They run through the prairies, interact with the animals, and enjoy being out in nature.
Heather and Jeff will continue to expand their practices. Plans include a berm around their pond, reseeding a low spot on their property that geese had destroyed, expanding their beds, buying shrubs from the SWCD fall sale to surround their pool, and creating a diverse winter habitat for birds and other animals. They’ll also do winter sowing to yield little starts of plants for springtime.
Fig’s Farm at sunset. (Photo provided)
Their front yard will eventually be all native, and their prairie is growing on its own thanks to seeds blowing over from the wind.
“My goal is to get a small grower nursery license,” Heather said. “I’d like to help HOA’s accept more natives, such as prairie smoke, which is a smaller plant.”
The couple is certainly busy, since Heather works full-time as a gastroenterologist, while Jeff is a stay-at-home dad/farm/house manager. Both believe that Fig’s Farm will be their legacy.
“When we started, we wanted it just for us. Now, we educate people,” Jeff said. “If just one person can rethink about what they plan in their yard, we’re making a difference.”
Amy Shankland is a writer and fundraising professional living in Noblesville with her husband John, two sons, two dogs, and a cat. You can reach her via email at amys@greenavenue.info.
