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| "Home" for 3 and a half years. Main trailer on right. Guest room and storage on left. |
In the Spring of 2009, at the same time we were getting the Alpine
"Sharing Gardens" started, we decided to seriously downsize. We
were spending about $800/month on rent and utilities (not to mention
all the other costs of running a household). Our house was way too big
for our needs and we felt disheartened at seeing all that rent money
being spent for nothing tangible that could grow in any meaningful way.
We put up some posters around town advertising for a new place to live.
The first people to respond had the perfect situation: An 8' x 40'
travel trailer - hooked up to plumbing, sewer, and electricity, in a
little grove of trees overlooking 400 acres of farmland. It was a place
we could rent for a small fee and several hours a month of work-trade.
Free from the stress of meeting such a big monthly financial obligation
we could slow down our pace of living and devote our energies to the
"Sharing Gardens" and other service projects.
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| Our home as of Dec. 2012 |
We lived in that trailer for the first four seasons
of the project and in Fall of 2012 we were given the opportunity to move
into a 5-bedroom house, rent free. This allowed us to continue focusing
our energies on growing food to share, instead of working at regular
jobs. The new house is within walking distance of the Monroe gardens
which means we spend less money on gas for transportation.
In
the winter of 2010 we expanded from our Alpine site to a large piece of
land in Monroe. Perfectly situated between the town's grade-school and
the church that hosts our local food pantry, the site came with several
out-buildings, fertile ground and a deep, delicious well that flows at
over 40 gallons per minute. The owner, Chester Crowson loved our project
and paid to have the pump in the well fixed and then covered utility
costs. He allowed us to stay on the land rent-free with a
season-to-season agreement that, if the land sold, we'd have till the
end of the season to close down and find a different site. We weren't
too concerned about the land selling because he was asking over $300,000
and, in these economic times that was a lot to ask for 3 and a half
acres. Chester passed away in winter of 2012 and at first we wondered if
we'd have to move but his grown children who live nearby were all in
support of us continuing the project as long as possible.
Then,
in summer of 2013, we were approached by Chester's oldest son, Jerry,
who said that they'd taken care of everything else in their Dad's estate
and, though they'd held off as long as possible, it was now time to
sell off this last piece of land. Our hearts fell because we knew we
couldn't afford to buy it, even with the significant inheritance left to
us by Llyn's father. But we also knew that we'd been supported and
guided along every step of the way with this project and, if it was time
to move on that another door would open. Imagine our delight when we
discovered that they were dropping the price by $180,000 making it
possible for us to buy it outright.
The land comes with
a farmhouse built in 1875 (the second oldest house in Monroe). At first
we thought we'd just use it as a work-shop/studio as it had been
abandoned for over seven years and vandals and weather had taken a heavy
toll. But as we began to clean it up and fix the floors and roof, we
found that it's "bones" were still really solid and we have since
shifted into a full-scale renovation and expect to be able to move into
it in Spring of 2014. The Sharing Gardens will continue but now we'll be
able to feed even more people as we'll be on the land full-time and can
put in orchards and berries and other perennials.
Update: July
2015 -- We've been living on the land for a year now. We've thoroughly
renovated the farmhouse inside, and out. Fruit and nut orchards have
been planted and we've added a third greenhouse (made mostly from
salvaged materials). Life is good!
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| The renovated 1875 farmhouse - Spring 2015 |
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| A rear-view of the farmhouse. |
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| Our newest greenhouse - the Ark; built almost entirely from salvaged materials. |
We live a simple life. We rise early and spend
time with our
spiritual studies; acknowledging all we have to be grateful for, getting
quiet inside so we can listen for guidance. Most mornings we choose a
simple project, preferring to get one
or two things accomplished without haste or pressure, rather than facing
a huge list of tasks that can never all get done in the time allotted.
On any given day, we may not get much done but, like the Tortoise, we
find that - "Slow and steady wins the race." Reflecting back we can see
just how much we have accomplished unaccompanied by the sense of hurry
and pressure that so many people experience, engaged in the usual busy,
modern lifestyle. Afternoons usually include a nap, or at least a
rest-time; a pause before taking on an afternoon project, going for a
walk, computer-time or other household maintenance tasks. We have no TV
but do enjoy watching DVD's on our lap-top as a way to unwind in the
evenings.
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| Chris cutting up apples for applesauce. Vegetable juice cooling on railing. |
We are ovo-lacto vegetarians, eating plant-foods, eggs and dairy
products, all 'organic' - whenever possible. This is not a religion for
us but we notice we feel better eating this way and know it helps us
live lighter on the planet (and easier on the pocket-book!) Through the
"Sharing Gardens" we are able to grow a high percentage of our food.
Mid-August through Thanksgiving are the busiest times for us as we
convert the harvest into stored goods that will see us through to next
year's garden-season. In Autumn we also fill our pantry with gleaned
fruits and nuts and wild mushrooms foraged in the woods near our home.
We keep our two food-dehydrators going almost non-stop during this time
and 'can' a variety of foods and juices.
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| Llyn with cabbage - now that's a lot of cole slaw! |
These times we're living in are calling for people to
develop the many basic skills our grandparents took for granted:
growing and
storing food, repairing things instead of just getting new ones, making
and mending clothes and taking care of each other in a spirit of family,
"neighborhood" and community. We are creating a welcoming
home/school where people teach and learn these kinds of skills and
develop friendships based on the meaningful exchange of information and
service. So far we have been happy to live in a "community of two" but
now that
we are settling into our forever-farm are open to having others come
join us. If our life-style sounds like something that calls to you,
please be in contact.
Llyn Peabody and Chris Burns
"Sharing Gardens" Coordinators
664 Orchard St.
Monroe, OR 97456
(541) 847-8797
ShareInJoy@gmail.com
www.thesharinggardens.blogspot.com/
Sharing Gardens - Mission Statement
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| Come be a part of the Sharing Gardens family! |
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