COB COMMON COTTAGE
SNOW IN JUNE? IN THE NORTHERN HEMISPHERE?
So long Feel Good Farm, hello Full Bloom. The drive down Highway 5 was uneventful until we drove through Grants Pass, where we stopped to stretch our legs and check out some thrift shops. We entered both The Salvation Army and Goodwill. Jen has set her sights on finding a pair of used overalls and/or multipurpose slip on boots. Both stores had boots and overalls, but none were up to snuff.
Our new hosts at Full Bloom are not technically WWOOF hosts, the way The Barefoot Farmer from TN was not technically a WWOOF host, in that they are not officially affiliated with WWOOF. But there are 280 acres here of forest and farmland, two orchards, chickens, a bakery, and a small community of 7 adults and 3 children (although today there are 2 additional adults visiting with their daughter). Our "hosts" are Aria and Matt, and their farm is Earth and Sky Family Farm. They and their identical 5 and a half year old twin daughters, Tara and Talia, share the property with Joe, Rosie and their 5-year old daughter Ocean, as well as with Ryan and Eden. Joe and Rosie run Rise Up Artisan Bread and Ryan and Eden operate Body Love Raw Foods. Danny, who used to live here but just moved because he fell in love, runs Heart of the Country Organic Flowers. Aria and Matt sell their produce and Joe and Rosie sell their bread to the Ashland Co-Op. Ryan and Eden sell their prepared raw food delights at the Ashland Farmers Market. We're not sure where Danny sells his flowers but we hope to meet him tomorrow and learn more about his flower business. We intend to stay here exactly one week, and hope to help all four businesses. Aria and Matt also have an apprentice for the entire season, who we worked beside this afternoon in the orchard and in the gardens. Waldo, the apprentice, is almost 7 feet tall, and like us, grew up in suburbia and WWOOFing changed his perspective on life.
We're excited to see how this type of communal living works here and discover if it is a viable lifestyle. The other communities we've visited have been very different than this one. It's hard to pinpoint how here is different, but it might have something to do with everyone being a bit independent from one another. Everyone lives in separate homes, and works for separate independent companies, whereas at other communities we've visited, everyone has worked towards the same goal. There is also no fundamental/political/religious affiliation here; it's just a bunch of people sharing their skills and a mortgage on a huge piece of land in a beautiful mountain setting.
life here just doesn't seem quite as exciting as yours right now. while reading your entries and gaining insight into your perspectives on this land and its people, the food we consume and the labor intensive, yet rewarding processes one must undergo for satisfying results gets me thinking....i'm not entirely sure the conclusions i am drawing, but i do know that i wish i could come farm with you, at least for a little while. miss you two! keep learning and practicing so you can pass the great book of knowledge along.
ReplyDeleteHave fun at your new digs! How many does this make now? xx
ReplyDeletehello...we are wwoofing in grants pass right now. how do you like it around here? the weather has been great, and everything is beautiful!
ReplyDeletei haven't been reading your blog for very long so it's quite possible you have discussed this before, but im wondering if you have saved enough money before this adventure to sustain yourself through it or if you are managing to earn income in addition to wwoofing? i am considering wwoofing (which is how i found you) and wonder how others are balancing things. maybe you have sold everything and have no 'bills' per say, but gas, personal items, and food and lodging in between farms is still an expense.
ReplyDeletethanks for the inspiration!
jess