Heaven IS a Place on Earth

Brad at Finney Farm


It turns out, it's very difficult for me to write about my time spent in Skagit County, Washington. I have to ask myself why, and here's the deduction.

I have not seen that many stars in my entire life.
I have not been in such a beautiful place in all my life.
I have never eaten better food.
I have never met so many kids-on-the-level in one place.
Off-the-grid living has never been so directly illustrated to me, and I am overwhelmed with new knowledge.
Honestly educated children is a relatively new concept for me, and meeting kids who are so vastly developed for their age blew me away.
Second-storey greenhouse on bus.
Small town gossip!

We were able to stay on Finney Farm for a week and a half by an agreement to a work exchange, where we worked on projects for and with the farm/ers for at least four hours a day in exchange for food and housing. During our time spent there, work included berry killing and picking, raking, demolishing an old cabin frame, socializing at knitting circles :), and then a day trip to Feral Farm, where we helped out with the construction of a cord-wood sauna. Cord-wood is a pretty beautiful example of unconventional construction, and Matt of Feral Farm mentioned that he likes to explore projects that can not be commodified. The wood used in the project had to be dried for three years before installed into the wall.

While Finney Farm utilizes a lot of sustainable rural practices such as outhouses and wood-stove heating, Feral Farm is completely off the grid, running power off of a solar generator and collecting water by way of a well. Alongside the sauna being built there will be a laundry room supplied by a rain water catchment system.

The community of Skagit County was pretty wonderful to meet up with. Everyone we met was an absolute sweetheart and total freaks and dorks about their lifestyles. Loved it.
So now we're in Portland, we've been here for a day and ALREADY we've made it to a dance party with a fun DJ and walked ourselves into serious leg pains.

Izzy by the Sauna


Leanne's Birthday at a swing in the middle of the forest


Violet and Myself


Birthday cake for breakfast with Demeter


Demolishing a cabin for materials


Leanne


Jennie calls it "rural dumpster diving," picking fruit and mint at an abandoned homestead


Skagit River on Feral Farm


Cordwood building


Gettin out of town