A “story” is a scenario interrelating man, the world, and the gods.”To enact” is to live so as to make a story a reality. “Culture” is a people enacting a story. If you believe that the world belongs to man, you will see all other life as a resource. If you believe that man belongs to the world, you see all other life as partners. On our farm, we are surrounded by annual agriculture and although we grew up eating from this system and have gratitude for that, we also see that annual agriculture is intrinsically unsustainable. Even at it’s best, it is extractive and erosive, leading in time to desertification. We want to enact a new story that puts humans back in partnership with all other creation.
You want to be peasants?!
After reading this piece in The Hand Sculpted House, you may just want to be one too.
“Peasants satisfy their own basic needs: they grow their food, build the houses they live in, often make their own clothes. Most peasants collect medicinal herbs, treat medical emergencies, supply their family entertainment. They experience fully what they do every day; they have time-they feel joy. Their culture is integral, it makes sense. Farmers by contrast grow things to sell. With what they earn from their products, they buy their groceries, building materials, clothes, entertainment and medical insurance. They must also drive to market, pay taxes, perhaps send their kids to agricultural college. Increasingly they must buy machinery, seeds, farm chemicals. Farmers have no time to directly enjoy satisfying their own needs, so they purchase their satisfactions; they buy ready-made clothing and “convenience” foods.”
We feel that food is so grossly undervalued in the american culture that it is often insulting to the grower to sell it. Our aim is fair energy exchange and many times that is not with currency. Our main goal is to sustain ourselves and our immediate community while facilitating a habitat that promotes diversity in the natural community around us. Our surplus will be “banked” in the soil and the life in and above it.
Presently, 4 adults call New Story Farm their permanent home. There are various interns, wwoofers, visitors and friends who weave in and out throughout the growing season. We are in the process of building a 5 bedroom dormitory. Eventually, our goal is to put the land into a communal trust once the operating loan and mortgage are paid off. We are seeking folks who want to be interns and stay for the entire growing season while taking trips to other farms/communities for a deeper immersion into How to Live as an Agrarian.
Join us from May—November at New Story Farm for the entire small diversified farm growing season. You’ll get to be part of the early garden seeding and tending, propagating perennials, pruning, holistic animal care, medicinal herbal medicine growing, harvesting and making as well as, eating 90% from the land. You will also learn how to preserve the harvest, succession planting, sacred animal harvesting, cooking and join all of the workshops that take place here at New Story Farm. Are you ready to build resiliency?
To support a true agrarian community and to help beginning farmers get their start. We have lived at Earthaven Ecovillage and the Possibility Alliance as well as, visited many communities in America and Australia. We struggle living outside of community however, we have not found a community that emphasizes sustainable farming so we endeavor to help create one.
We observe the old traditions that follow the natural seasons and cycles. Personal growth and awareness are greatly encouraged, myriad of tools are available for such and support is given. Heart shares are a regular occurrence. NVC is celebrated as is vulnerability- this is a safe space. We may have lots of experience with these ways of being but we too are very much learning and practicing so we are not here to be your teachers rather, supporters of your own growing journey.
To support a true agrarian community and to help beginning farmers get their start. We have lived at Earthaven Ecovillage and the Possibility Alliance as well as, visited many communities in America and Australia. We struggle living outside of community however, we have not found a community that emphasizes sustainable farming so we endeavor to help create one.
We observe the old traditions that follow the natural seasons and cycles. Personal growth and awareness are greatly encouraged, myriad of tools are available for such and support is given. Heart shares are a regular occurrence. NVC is celebrated as is vulnerability- this is a safe space. We may have lots of experience with these ways of being but we too are very much learning and practicing so we are not here to be your teachers rather, supporters of your own growing journey.
SEEKING AGRARIANS
2- year membership track. The prospective member must be a farmer/grower/producer of some sort as this is an agrarian community that grows upwards of 90% of their own food. Otherwise, we are open to long-term visitors.
Contact us via email or phone or, if local, just drop-in.
A few people (not elected by the broader community) make the major decisions.
Power and responsibility are shared relatively equally among members.
Members maintain separate personal finances with minimal sharing.
Labor required: 22 hours/week
Members with pre-existing debt: Yes
Common House, Garden(s), Greenhouse(s), Vehicle Share, Library, Workshop, Outbuilding(s), Large Scale Kitchen, Tractor & Farm Equipment, Fire pit, Waterfront access, Internet
Countryside locations with significant distance from urban centers.
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