Welcome to these6acres!
The journey to these 6 acres spans the length of my life so far and, now that I'm here, I'm honoring the deal I made with the land and the trees and that screeching squirrel: I'm doing my best to restore balance to this dynamic yet damaged ecosystem. And I invite you to join in (keep reading for a special invitation to build something special with us!).
Together we will plant trees and maintain trails. We will observe birds and grow food. We will create art and nurture spaces where all life, including humans, can heal and learn and connect. It's time to return to real relationship with the land, guided by the wisdom of our ancestors and inspired by "the more beautiful world our hearts know is possible*."
There's such a stark difference between the world we want to live in and the way it's going right now. At times it feels defeating to look at the future. At times it feels impossible to know what to do.
But the answer is always the same: Live in conscious relationship with one another and the land that birthed and sustains us. We are inherently entangled in the mystery of oneness and being connected to everyone and everything is the most beautiful and challenging blessing that could ever be.
So, in a world of toxic individualism, let's be a healthy ecosystem.
I've been at this sweet and sweaty sacred work for several years now, but suddenly there are so many new ways for you to become involved in the life of these 6 acres: provide expertise, join work parties, walk the trails as a prayerful blessing or a citizen scientist, ‘buy me a tree’ or become a member, or just spread the word about this little project bravely believing in that "more beautiful world," and bringing it into being through conscious relationship with the life and land of these 6 acres.
Trystin and I have so many wonderful ideas, inspired by the land herself, and it requires a community to make them happen. And right now, we are inviting you to build our first big idea with us: A Greenhouse!
Food and water represent our sacred connection to the land through life and circularity. We are born from the land, live from the land, and return to the land. That sacredness and circularity has been deeply disrupted, leaving few of us with the knowledge and experience of growing and harvesting food. We cannot return to a healthy and balanced relationship with the Earth without restoring a healthy relationship with our food.
The Greenhouse will become the inaugural symbol of the work we are doing together here on these 6 acres. It will be a place to connect with the Earth through growing and nurturing plants and medicine, and it will be a place for us to connect with each other by growing and sharing that food and medicine together.
And this isn’t just any Greenhouse. It is 140 square feet of cedar-framed space where you can immerse yourself in nature in every season. Trystin and I can’t wait to pot plants with the rhythm of rain on the roof panels or sit in that filtered light with a pencil in hand and blossoms all around. And we can't wait to share the food and medicine we grow here with you.
Here are some ways you can support this special project on these6acres:
‘Buy us a tree' or become a member on this platform (or on Patreon); those funds will help us buy and build this greenhouse.
Provide expertise or resources (knowledge, referrals, books, websites, etc) to help us grow and share food and medicine by messaging me on this platform, on Instagram, or at these6acres (at) gmail.com.
Join our Greenhouse Work Party and literally build it with us! Become a member on this platform or join our email list (message me your address or provide it here) to receive updates on the work party date and details.
Share this project with your friends and family by telling them about it or sharing this post on social media or via email.
Trystin and I are really excited about this. It feels good to be building something together that connects us to the Earth and one another. It feels good to be doing something that defies the narcissism and cruelty that plague our country and our world. It feels good to be creating the world we want to live in, right here on these 6 acres, and with you.
Send us your questions and your ideas, and connect with us on this platform, through our contacts, and here on the land. We can't wait to grow good things together with you, and we are excited to welcome you to these 6 acres.
In gratitude,
Zach & Trystin @these6acres
.........................................................................................
*Thank you, Charles Eisenstein, for this beautiful phrasing. And most importantly, thank you to the generations of elders that have nurtured the wisdom of our relationship with the land and sea, in the face of destruction and dispossession, and maintained the pathway to abundance and balance and a more peaceful world.