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Commenced:
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01/04/2014 |
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Submitted:
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15/03/2015 |
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Last updated:
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14/10/2017 |
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Location:
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5755 Twp. Rd. 143, Somerset, ohio, US |
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Phone:
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740 591 7585 |
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Website:
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https://www.facebook.com/Fern-Hollow-Farm-333154346879811/?ref=br_rs |
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Climate zone:
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Cool Temperate |
A 10 acre educational and community centered permaculture based farm site with forest garden, greenhouse, annual garden, agroforestry projects and much more!
Our farm is located on a township road in Somerset, Ohio, in the rolling foothills of Appalachia. We have a four acre meadow and are fortunate enough to be mostly surrounded by 6 acres of woodlands rich in biodiversity. Beyond our little oasis, the land is under cultivation for GMO corn and soy. This is a nice reminder for us of the work that needs to be done! We will need a lot of time, energy and love to craft our masterpiece, and we welcome any well meaning help in co-creating it. We will be building a yurt and super adobe eco-dome this year, which we will eventually move out of and designate for WWOOFers, visitors and interns when we build our straw bale dream home. This means that currently, we can only offer camping to interested parties, but there will be access to hot showers and lodging in case of inclement weather. Wi-fi and charging are available next door to our land when needed. If you already have experience with biodynamic farming, then you could be of great help to us -- that is something we are currently looking into. This also applies to building skills – if you are competent in building, carpentry, electrical work and so on, please let us know, as this would be of great assistance. Many hands make light work! For the first few years of our farm, we will be expending a lot of our time and energy in getting our perennial systems in place, infrastructure built, and annual beds laid. Projects we’re aiming to complete by the end of 2018 early include; building and raising the yurt and super adobe eco-dome, installing a 1/2 acre native wetland and natural swimming pool, further diversifying our perennial production, tending to the annual garden and our crew, developing our agroforestry projects further and so on... As you can see, we will have plenty to do. We will also be raising more chickens, ducks, rabbits, bees, and more mushrooms. We are ethical omnivores and can accommodate all diets for visitors.There is a growing local food scene here in Appalachia and it’s truly an exciting time to be beginning a farm in the area. We are very involved in our community and are helping the village facilitate many sustainability initiatives, with 12 community events such as workshops in 2017, also there is work to be done with community gardens, the food pantry, the commercial kitchen/small business incubator, and bike-share programs. If you have any interest in learning about those programs and getting involved we can probably arrange that as well. Learning to re-think, re-imagine and re-build community in rural areas is a much needed skill. In a small town like Somerset, one person can make a huge difference…Somerset is a largely conservative small village of 1,481 people in Appalachia, so the entertainment options are pretty limited. There’s a movie theater 20 minutes away, and Columbus and Athens are about a 45 minute drive if we ever find ourselves looking for a night out on the town. Otherwise, you’re welcome to enjoy the quiet nights however you like here. We tend towards those get-together-kind-of- meals, music making, campfires and star gazing.Our aim is that our farm will become a sanctuary in time. That is to say, a place for restoration, of inclusion; a place for quiet, for reflection, learning, healing, for good food, music and for joy. If you’re interested in helping our growing farm, let us know and we can go from there!
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MemberA member is a permaculturist who has never taken a PDC course. These cannot become PDC teachers. Members may be novice or highly experienced permaculturists or anywhere in between. Watch their updates for evaluation. |
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Community ProjectCommunity projects are projects that help develop sustainable community interaction and increase localised resiliency. |
