Crab Tree Falls

I am about to go hike Crab Tree Falls which is a close drive with one of the other WWOOFers. The we are going to drive and visit many other local farms for the Family Farm Tour.

P.S. I milked a goat yesterday at a near by farm. It was spectacular.

Off the grid at Mountain Garden Herbs

I have been here for a two days now, and I could probably write pages about everything and everybody I have met. I do not know where to begin. I am borrowing a computer at the Celo Community Center, so I do not have lots of time to write.

Mountain Garden Herbs is completely off the grid (I am glad I already liked cold showers). It is like a sanctuary here. The farm is about three acres on the side of the mountain backed into the pisgah national forest. The water is run off of a gravity system from our own spring up above us in the national forest. Every thing is so lush, I can not stop enjoying the freshness of this air. I walk barefoot everywhere because the ground is so moist and soft. I have been working in the garden planting and cleaning up the farm for the annual NC family farm tours this weekend (on Sunday I am going on the tour to see other farms further away from us, the local ones are all friends and get together regularly.) I also made my first herb decoction for personal use. I also am going to try to milk as many animals as I can while I am away. I have my sights set on some goats near by... I will keep you posted.

Apparently I happened stop here in a very interesting community called Celo in NC. It is a 1,400 land trust originally owned by the Quakers. No one owns their land but you have to go through the trust to be involved in the community and build a house, etc, etc. Everyone is very connected, very community oriented, lots of art, dancing, and such. It is so different to feel a community so connected in the middle of nowhere. The closest gas station is about a twenty minuet drive and the closest restaurant is 30 minuets. There is a big music festival here in Celo tomorrow that should be fun.

Last night I went to a cow tongue roast. Which was DELICIOUS one of the WWOOFers (world wide opportunities on organic farms) at a homesteading site cooked the tongue for three days. A group from around local farms got togeather ate tonge and drank blueberry moonshine and then we all drove into Ashville to see Saharan Desert Guitar Music and then to a blue grass jam. We danced all night.

Today after working in the gardens we went swimming in a river with a rope swing off this huge bolder. The water was so much colder than I am used to since it flows down from the mountain.

I have been enjoying that everyone makes their own beer, mead, and moonshine here. They are all really good with wild crafted herbs.

Here are a few pictures, I only got a few pictures to load before my camera battery died (I guess I will get better at this as I go on).

rocket stove we cook on at mountain gardens

a very small portion of tincture's salve's

(by the way this place has an amazing libray filling an old log cabin with books rainging from primitive archetecture, paper making, folk art, cooking, gardening, herbs, bee keeping.... I could spend years trying to read all these books).

outdoor eating area on deck

cob cottage on site

mountain side shed

"chicken coop" cottage on site

front of cottage

I must go, I about about to get a lesson on rolling baguette bread and cooking bread in a cob stove by a retire baker living in Celo. Now he teaches at the local Folk school.

Ashville, North Carolina

I arrived in Ashville, NC around 6 pm yesterday. I am at Bon Paul and Sharky's Hostel in West Htistroic Ashville. I like it here... a lot. Old houses, local markets and pubs, ayurvedic medicine and acupuncture shops, restaurants with gardens in the back, parks by the French Broad River,etc.

The drive in was beautiful, green, and mountainous. (this computer will not let me add photos, I will try to add some later)

I found Anusara yoga class this morning with Joe Taft at Ashville Yoga Center. Practicing with new teachers is hard and makes me appreciate Becky even more, and the deep place she teaches from within herself, her honesty, and power. I am thankful I have gotten to spend the time I have at her studio.


I am leaving now for Mountian Gardens Herbs. Located here.

I can not wait to come back and explore more of Ashville.

Here I am in Memphis

I am staying at the Pilgram House Hostile. It is in the back of an old church and they have a cooperative bike shop downstairs.

I walked down the street and happened upon some old blues... guitar, harmonica, and a guy beatboxing. It took my a couple of songs until i realized that is what he was doing. I liked it.

On the Road

Its all in the Civic.... even a spot for Sonny.

Beginnings. Denton, Texas