Wednesday, July 02, 2008

Getting off the plastic bags would put us ahead of the game. It's true that they're very handy, but come on. Canvas tote bags, or woven reed baskets, aren't that hard to come by and make a lot more sense. Plastic bags do not recycle well and usually degrade into toxic clutter. Whenever I find one, I like to fold it into a paper football shape and drop it in the nearest kitchen drawer.

I love Jujubes. Forever. If you know where I can get dried out, decent bulk jubjubes I will love you forever, too.

In other news, if you were thinking about wandering around the globe to get your hands and feet dirty, now is a really good time. Americans have this freedom of mobility that we should appreciate, because it ain't necessarily gonna be like that forever. Check out this place in Tennessee. If I had a partner and we were madly in love, we would run away to this place.

Contact: Hector Black
Location: 170 Hidden Springs Ln
Cookeville
Tennessee
38501
Map of area available
Phone: 931-268-9889
Activities: composting toilet, peace activist, farming, gardening, activism, permaculture, cottage industry, community, orchards, forestry, education, energy, retail, marketing, research
Description: Fruit/nut orchard, 12A, very scenic location.
Hidden Springs is located in a narrow valley cut 300 ft. into the Cumberland Plateau by a state scenic wild
river. The orchard covers about 12 acres of food producing perennials - trees, vines, shrubs. We have collected plants from many parts of the world. The main income crops are blueberries, black and red raspberries, blackberries, hardy kiwi and chestnuts, but the field also contains Cornelian cherry (an edible dogwood), Cudrenia, Mayhaw, Azarole, honey locust, pecan, black walnut, aronia , pawpaw, persimmon,mini-kiwi and many more unusual fruits. The area is quite beautiful with 5 waterfalls within easy walk of the house.
We are looking for a single person or couple to take over the orchard
Program: We provide room and board in return for about 35-40 hours of work per week. Most helpers eat with us and take part in food preparation or cleanup. There is a possibility of earning money picking fruit in season. A $50 per month stipend is possible for longer term volunteers. We can accommodate most diets. A small permaculture garden helps with fresh vegetables. Accommodation is in our house for the most part, although camping and trailers are a possibility. The work varies greatly depending upon season. We mulch, fertilize, harvest, weed, mow, prune, plant, propagate by cuttings and grafting, depending upon season. Every Saturday morning is spent at the local farmer’s market during the harvest season. (May-October) There is a Land Trust operating on what was once part of our farm, and an organic nursery next door where extensive grafting a propagation takes place with edible landscape plants. We need help at any time during the year and can meet busses in Cookeville, TN.

Area: 380 acres
Space: Can accommodate 4 people.
Organic Status: 29 years without chemical fertilizer, pesticides or herbicides. None nearby
Active: Year-round

4 comments:

abby said...

Are you trying to read my damn mind? trying to figure out winter plans, at current. getting a little tired of communal life :/

with love, abigail

ps- i am wearing my firecracker dress this holy day on which jesus freed the indians, the fourth of july.

Unknown said...

i hope you're still at MG when i come to cook for the week of yert workshop. we burned a flag and bam, the spirit of dionysis descened upon the Earth First! Rendezvous's roudy circle. we started making out with strangers, and beatboxing while dancing at the same time. this was after the mud wrestling but before the 4 mile run on a muddy mountainous path for a bag of cloves, to flavor the communal breakfast oatmeal

abby said...

I will most certainly be here, as long as Scott from firefly farm doesn't kill us all with sarcastic assholeness, and as long as Joe doesn't kill us for looking un-busy.

Tomorrow I'm going to make red clover and lemonbalm mead, I hope, if it doesn't rain. was looking at yarrow beer today. um, hector black emailed me back and said they would love help over the winter and something along the lines of "come on out."

maybe you can come with us to check it out or something! :D

D. Lollard said...

Damn, Abby, that sounds like it could be some pretty good mead!