I’m a lifetime Art and Eco Activist on a mission to plant, care and share knowledge about permaculture forest farming on three remote acres in the northern Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia. Construction of the farm spaces has been underway since 2024 after two years of learning the rhythm of the natural forest and planning integrated gardens amidst a central amphitheater for gatherings in support of visiting farmers, healers, artists and activists. The house has been converted to a private one bedroom cottage that will serve as your lodging and includes sleeping accommodations for up to three WWOOF volunteers plus outdoor spaces for more. An acre of the property includes rock outcroppings with pure mineral springs that cascade down mountain. They are the headwaters of the Rappahannock river that gathers other streams on its way to the Chesapeake Bay. Work is underway to clear the pure streams of debris and create irrigation and plunge pools for good health. In 2025 we dug a spring well that gives us 1000 gallons of pristine* waters daily. (*Analyzed by National Testing Laboratories for quality and safety, results available.) Considering our current drought conditions we are more than fortunate and as a drinking and bathing resource the health benefits are tremendous. We are working on a number of projects in 2026 aside from tending the seasonal gardens. Projects include wildlife fencing a secure orchard, bee and chicken safe space including tree bed terrace preparation and soil construction, Microgreens Lab construction and system build out, fall planting of permaculture starts and formation of garden beds integrated with amphitheater log seating and a gray water system now in use at the house. A saw mill is on site and logs gathered to mill into lumber for use in projects and the construction of seven meditation/yoga/campsite decks scattered in the forest to accommodate future retreaters. Exciting news! I’ve purchased the missing link, a half acre that separated my holdings! This gives me the right to expand the orchard and begin planning for an Earthship that will take us off grid and provide the indoor gardens for year round CSA member returns in addition to the micro greens and mushrooms! In off times, local activities include the Appalachian Trail within walking distance up mountain, floating and fishing the Shenandoah, bike touring and hiking the National Parks including the Blue Ridge Skyway five miles across the valley. Washington DC is an hour away for those interested in Museums and Monuments.
Still in the early phases of clearing and preparing for plantings, WWOOFers will learn how to install wildlife fencing, install gray water irrigation lines, mill trees gathered from the surroundings, help construct terraces and an outdoor kitchen for campers and retreat attendees. We will plan and construct a chicken tractor to house a dozen laying hens for eggs on the daily. They will learn indoor micro green and mushroom production and participate in wild planting ginseng seed in the mineral stream fields as well as fruit trees and berry bushes in protected gardens.
WWOOFers will stay in the private air Bnb with full kitchen and bath facilities. I keep an adequate supply of groceries on hand for meals communally or as desired. Depending on season, there are foods to forage and as we advance the gardens those fruits as well.
For those musically inclined the guest cabin includes a piano and twenty plus guitars, six amplifiers, a trombone and clarinet! A turntable and a wide collection of LP’s are also in house and there are Roku TV’s and internet for communications. It’s a cozy place to escape from the rigors of city life.
Environmental research and activism top my list during downtime, I am a volunteer producer with a tv and radio show on the community airwaves in Arlington outside DC. I’m an active design/build contractor so my weekdays are often away on projects so there is considerable autonomy for the visiting WOOFers to complete tasks and privately enjoy their stay hiking the nearby trail networks, floating the Shenandoah river, visiting wineries, cider mills and craft breweries as well as visiting Washington DC 60 miles to the east. All participants in this project receive membership for life and will be forever welcome to return to experience the fruits of their labor.
For those still reading…
Our forest farm is unique in that it is not profit driven and is destined to become a members cooperative in every sense of the term as we reach the stages of readiness as a forest farm, an art retreat, learning center and healing space. Again, WWOOFers are the foundational members and now twelve WWOOFer stays into this program since March 2025, after spending time to orient each of them, integrate their skill sets and define their desired interests so they can have an autonomous experience I’m happy to report that it has been nothing less than an amazing experience as the needle moves forward with care, compassion and friendship. If you have made here to the end, I thank you for that, here is the bonus word to include in your request to let us know you care! CRYSTALS
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Learning opportunities
Vegetable farming
Fruit or nut farming
Poultry farming
Forestry
Beekeeping
Wild foraging
Seed saving or production
Green Building
Renewable energy production
Mechanics / tools / technology
Methods or systems
Biodynamic agriculture
No-till farming
Permaculture
Regenerative agriculture
Host type
Self-sufficiency property
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Hectares
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3
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Accommodation
