Last Fair Well

ok you guys its my last post for eternity mwahahaha no just kidding
but this my last post. im sorry you guys my last day was today and im both sad
and happy. sad cuz i will miss the people and happy i dont have to do that
work again not that i dont love being there but im really tired.
i love you guys so much and i know some parts will be there
forever. and with that i say good by from the dragon. and
this pic was taken of all four of us. i hope your experience
in both reading this and just maybe working at the ETC.

signing with love
Midnight Purple Dragon
~~~Magen Millikan

Saying Good Byes

Tuesday was Ariels last day. I was so sad, but i have a week and two days left before i have to leave. here's an update Dain has been at plenty (can't spell that) and well molly has lifeguard, so I'm looking at the rest of the week and next week by myself. this will be awfully, but i can do it I've done alot worse, anyway back to the ETC subject. i have not finished those questions.





What was your first impression of The Farm/Ecovillage?

i was not sure about how they would do things

How have your feelings/perceptions about The Farm/Ecovillage changed?

yes alot, i found out that people are much nicer and are very understnding

What skills have you acquired since starting here?

how do make walls and floors out of natural stuff and it actualy work. um... what all you can do with bamboo.

What else have you learned?

alot about how to accept other people and what they think and believe.

Have you met anyone interesting?

yes i have. i'v met alot of interesting people. not to say names but switch blade wade and merry madlien.

Do you have sense of accomplishments from any of the projects you have worked on?

yes i do, some of the projects we haved worked on i know will still be there


What new words/phrases have you learned since coming here?

oh well there are so many i can't remember them all.

Do you enjoy your duties?

most of them yes, but some are harder.

What is your favorite job you've had here?

oh well i think making the bench/wall. i had so much fun. we all got along when we did that.

What else have you enjoyed?

i'v enjoyed the people and the fun times we have.

What has been challenging for you here?

the physical part of the job is a bit challenging but after a while ya kinda get used to it.

Have you had any interaction with the local wild life?

yes the other day i saw a deer, but we can't forget the insects that seem to pop up when ever, oh and the water cearchers

What have you learned about green/sustainable living in your time here?

oh alot, somethings i'v learned here i did not even know you can do.

Have you or your views changed since you started working here?

um... yes to a point. i'v learned there are just somethings you don't do and there are somethings that are ok.

Has your experience here changed your dreams or goals?

no not really...

Have you enjoyed your time here?

yes i have.

How else have you changed in your time here?

i'v physicaly gotten better.

Do you feel closer to nature than when you started here?

i was close when i first started here but i have gotten closer.

What experience has been the most beneficial?

ah.. there is not one splific experience, the whole experience has been beneficial.

What advice would you give to new/prospective interns?

hum... well just have fun and you will learn alot.

What will you do next after working here?

i'm going to go back to school and finish high school. hopfully become a game desighner in the future.

End of Q&A

Have fun you guys!
~Dragon~

Last Post: Ariel

Hey guys, just stopping in to say bye. Yesterday was my last day at the ETC. Yep, my very last day. My time here at the ETC is up. I am moving on, going back to school. Well, I got to say by to everyone... well, almost everyone. I didn't get to say bye to Bekka, Ellie, Greg, or Patrick The Adorable. So I say "Bye to all the unfortunates that didn't get to give me a hug or say good bye." Lol, just kidding. "Bye everyone, it's been great, and I am so, so glad I had the chance to gain the experience. Also I must say, Patrick is never allowed to change his hair style. He must always put it up into either a small pony tail or small pig tails." Okay, kidding again. Bye to Jupiter also. She is one of the grouchiest cats I know, but I will still miss her.

Today: Magen

Today most of the Ecovillagers are leaving for Alabama. They are going for a class. I watched as they packed again for a 3 day class on straw, I believe. I'm really sad that they are leaving again, but for them, it must be done. I'm not completely sure when they'll be back anyway. Ariel has one more week left and Dain and I have two more weeks. In memory of all the 09' Ecovillagers here is my tribute.

It's a picture of all the Ecovillagers that has or have been there for our last few weeks. Us four that are posting on the blog aren't in this one because, not all of us are around for this picture so I decided to just get one of all four of us later on.

Just Here To Keep You Posted
*Dragon*

Magen's Slideshow

Planting!

Planting a bush or tree can gives me a certain sense of accomplishment and pride. It's like... that living thing will be there for a long time, maybe even after I am dead, because of me. I take my planting very seriously and am take great care in it.

One morning, early on in my time here at the Eco-village, Albert enlisted my help in planting some trees before the rain came. We quickly dug holes, put composted manure in the bottoms, then slipped the trees in and covered the roots with soil.

It's a couple weeks later now and the trees are doing well. One even has a pear or two growing on it already!

I've also planted a few other things in my time here, like blueberry bushes for example. I'm glad they will be around for people to enjoy for years to come.

-Dain

Q & A: Ariel

Okay, we recently made lots of questions for the interns to answer, so here are my answers.

1. Did you want this job at first?
   Not at all. I wanted something in a store or an office or something. Nothing like this. I hated coming back the next day.
2. Are you glad you came now?
   Now I am, yeah. But this is six weeks in. I wasn’t happy with this job until about two weeks in. That was around the same time that I started to get to know everyone and I realized it was okay for us to joke around as long as we got our job done. People didn’t really care if we goofed off a little.
3. What was your first impression of The Farm/Ecovillage?
   I thought everyone was really nice and welcoming. The ETC was amazing. If one person finished their job they would try to help someone who hasn’t finished their job yet. Everyone is so helpful. It’s awesome.
4. How have your feelings/perceptions about The Farm/Ecovillage changed?
   When I found out that I was going to be working at the hippie farm, well I’m sure you can figure out what I was thinking. But after 6 weeks here, I’ve realized that people on the farm work a lot harder than most people I know. They do most things by hand. I’ve never seen anyone there use a drill at all. When we had to mix cement we had to mix it in wheelbarrows with hoes.
5. What skills have you acquired since starting here?
   I’ve learned how to make cob; stucco; cement stairs; cut down, strip, and split bamboo.
6. What else have you learned?
   I’ve learned new people skills.
7. Have you met anyone interesting?
   I’ve met a lot of interesting people. I met a kid from Indonesia; Some people from Canada; an Asian guy named Enoch (I’m not sure where he is from); a teacher from, I think, New York; I could keep going for quite a while, but I think you get the picture. There are a lot of people I’ve met and they are all very interesting.
8. Do you have a sense of accomplishments from any of the projects you have worked on?
   Yes. Most of them are small little accomplishments, but they are still accomplishments to me. The most invigorating one was moving that big log/one third of a tree. (Whatever you want to call it.) The biggest accomplishment I feel I’ve done is staying at the ETC. I hated it so much, but I stuck it out and now I feel as if I never wanted to leave.
9. What new words/phrases have you learned since coming here?
   The only one I can think of right now is “Scarce as hens tea.”
10. Do you enjoy your duties?
    Not at first, no. I hated them, but now I have better duties and I get to choose what I do… For the most part. Now we have some fun when we are working. It helps to goof off while we’re working that way the job gets done and we find a way to pass the time quickly.
11. What is your favorite job you've had here?
    I love it when we get to cook. It is definitely my favorite job.
12. What else have you enjoyed?
    I liked when we tiled the wall. That was pretty fun.
13. What has been challenging for you here?
    At this job if you need to leave they will let you go. The most challenging part is staying there when the car is there and you know they will let you go if you need to. = )
14. Have you had any interaction with the local wild life?
    I’ve seen lots of bugs. The first time we went to eat lunch at the Farm Store we seen some deer. That was the 1st time I’ve seen deer that close to so many people.
15. What have you learned about green/sustainable living in your time here?
    That there are a lot of different types of green building that all involves some sort of clay and/or sand.
16. Have you or your views changed since you started working here?
    Yes, I’ve seen all the buildings that were made naturally, but now I know how much work goes into making it and I have much, much more respect for the builders.
17. Has your experience here changed your dreams or goals?
    Not really, I mean, it’s all really interesting, but as I keep working here I realize more and more that I don’t want to do anything like this for the rest of my life and I will go to collage.
18. Have you enjoyed your time here?
    Yes, I have, but when this is over I think I will be pretty happy.
19. How else have you changed in your time here?
    I have a better tolerance for physical labor since I’ve worked here.
20. Do you feel closer to nature than when you started here?
    Not really, I’ve always felt some sort of connection to nature, but it hasn’t really grown since I’ve been here.
21. What experience has been the most beneficial?
    Cooking for many people has been really beneficial to me, especially since I’m thinking about going into culinary arts.
22. What advice would you give to new/prospective interns?
    Don’t give up. If you have questions don’t be afraid to ask. Drink lots of water. = )
23. What will you do next after working here?
    Go back to high school as a senior, enjoy the year and go to collage after that.

Bamboo!

Bamboo. Most people know what it is and find it pretty, but they do not know about how useful it can be. I was lucky enough to have a man named Joshua Doolittle come and teach me about it.

There are around 1000 different species of Bamboo. It is found around the world and is native to much of it. As a grass it grows rapidly, making it an available building material year after year. Growing the stuff requires no seeds. It spreads through its roots, which sprout chutes.

In some places bamboo is used to build entire huts and houses. I've seen pictures of bamboo boats and even bamboo blimps. Josh and I didn't build anything that spectacular. Mostly we were experimenting with the species available to us. In it's normal form the plant is very sturdy, but will bust under too much pressure, however, if you turn it into strips it becomes amazingly flexible and useful for completely different things. We used a special bamboo splitting tool, but there are several ways to do it. I can easily see how a single person could build a modest home out of bamboo without much trouble.

I'm glad I learned as much as I have about it. I think building with bamboo is a very eco-friendly alternative to wood, since it grows so fast. If you'd like to know more about bamboo the internet is full of information on it and people selling many varieties of it.

-Dain

Farm Media Project

So I'm down here at the office for the non-profit called "Plenty", using their equipment for my current project. The Eco-village had been storing massive amounts of slides, photos, audio, and video, which was on the path to deteriorating. Albert put me in charge of these historical(some of them important) pieces, so that I can transfer them all onto DVDs. Right now I'm working with the slides. It's interesting work. I get to see pictures of Africa, Korea, and many other far away places. Some of the humanitarian work the people around here have done is amazing. Theres a lot of local history in these slides as well.

I'll keep you updated on the project.

-Dain

Thumbs up on the blog

Good job on the blog. It's much prettier now. I like the bird.

-Dain

Just Another Week: Ariel

Monday was pretty boring. We (two other interns and myself) sifted clay all day until about two hours before lunch. That’s because we took two hours to make lunch. (We were cooking for a lot of people so we had to take plenty of time.) After lunch was over we went back to sifting clay. How boring? Tuesday was definitely the easiest day of work I ever had. (WooHoo an easy day!) = ) The three other interns and I stayed in the hostel the whole time and tried to make the blog look better and legible, and then we made up questions for all the interns to answer for the blog… pretty easy stuff. = ) Wednesday I worked on the blog. I put in the back-posts for most of the weeks missing. It’s pretty cool how the Ecovillage will let you just work on the blog all day if you need to. (I love how lenient they are. Don’t get me wrong, you have to work, but if you need a blog day or two they give it to you no problem.) Thursday we worked in little gardens by the driveway of the Ecovillage. It was really boring but when we got some of it cleaned up, and you could see the difference, it was very awesome.

Q&A: Dain

Did you want this job at first?

I wasn't sure. Sometimes having to be around people I don't know can put me off. I decided to give it a try though. It seemed more interesting than the other possibilities available to me.


Are you glad you came now?

Absolutely. Everyone is nice and while the work can be hard at times it can also be very rewarding in numerous ways.


What was your first impression of The Farm/Ecovillage?

I tried to be open-minded. I have roots at the Farm and while I didn't a lot about what the people at the Ecovillage do, I did know that they were good peoplewho were working on some interesting eco-friendly projects.


How have your feelings/perceptions about The Farm/Ecovillage changed?

I'm not sure they really have. I know alot more people, but I still think of this place the same way. It's a great place to learn interesting things while in the company of good people.


What skills have you acquired since starting here?

Lots of things. Everything from tile mosaics to building things with bamboo.


What else have you learned?

Again I have learned a lot, but what comes to mind right now is teamwork. I've worked with the other interns and many other people. It's a good environment to study how best to interact with people in order to accomplish a common goal.


Have you met anyone interesting?

Definitely. I could name a great many people. Those that had the greatest effect of me thus far have probably been Danielle Noel Gibeson(an artist/chef) and Joshua H. Doolittle(who taught me about the many amazing uses for bamboo).


Do you have a sense of accomplishment from any of the projects you have worked on?

Sure do. The one that first comes to mind is the art i did in tile. I like the thought of that being there for people to enjoy for years to come. We've done some other stuff like that too.


What new words/phrases have you learned since coming here?

Several. A couple of the ones I like are "Shouthouse"( used to describe the composting "outhouse"/solar "shower" building being built) and "Hippitats" (The small cob buildings with living roofs beings constructed. Hippy habitats).


Do you enjoy your duties?

For the most part. There will always be a few less desirable tasks mixed into the fun ones, so that things can keep running smoothly. I do enjoy being placed in charge of projects. I like that responsibility.


What is your favorite job you've had here?

Possibly experimenting with building bamboo structures. I've enjoyed many of my jobs here at the Ecovillage.


What else have you enjoyed?

The work I did with tile and stucco(that we made) was alot of fun. We tiled various pictures and patterns onto a wall.


What has been challenging for you here?

If anything it would probably be the hot sun, although at times there is heavy lifting involved in some projects.


Have you had any interaction with the local wild life?

Just yesterday I saw a raven and some strange frogs with blue upper lips. I see butterflies and bees on the flowers all day long. Snakes, frogs, lizards, and chickens are a common sight. Creatures like deer and salamanders have also been spotted. Last but not least, there are beautiful flowers, bamboo, and fruit trees everywhere.


What have you learned about green/sustainable living in your time here?

A great deal, I think. I've learned a bit about solar panels, cob, and living roofs, and other alternative building methods, just off the top of my head.


Have you or your views changed since you started working here?

Not really, but I can certainly see how other people/s' might. I think I was already on the same wavelength.


Has your experience here changed your dreams or goals?

No, but I do feel somewhat better prepared to reach them.


Have you enjoyed your time here?

I have. I have met good people; some of whom I will probably have lasting friendships with after I leave.


How else have you changed in your time here?

Well if I have changed at all it would probably be that I am more relaxed when meeting new people. The people at the Ecovillage are very accepting. It is a place of very healthy growth.


Do you feel closer to nature than when you started here?

A little. I have always been close with nature. Being out in it so often though has helped me relax some.


What experience has been the most beneficial?

I don't know. I'm not done here yet. :)


What advice would you give to new/prospective interns?

Wear sunscreen, keep a positive attitude & open mind, and make an effort to meet all of the people here.


What will you do next after working here?

I'm going to Oregon; most likely to study Biotechnology.

Introduction: Dain

Hello there. My name is Dain Conor Slatton and I am currently an intern at the Ecovillage Training Center. This blog serves the purpose of recording the experiences of the current interns for the benefits of those who might be interested in a similar experience. Personally I have found it overall rewarding and I continue to learn new things in my time here. I'd have to say that is the best part. There is alot to learn. I'll try to give you some examples.

-Dain Conor Slatton

Update & Q & A: Magen

Hi everyone, it's me again, the Dragon. They wanted us to answer some questions so I'll do them later. I have to tell you about Monday and Thursday morning first.

Okay, on Monday, we made lunch for most of the day. They like us making lunch. I don't know why. Everyone gets to make lunch at the ETC. We've made lunch twice in our stay here.

Okay on Thursday, In the morning I drove into the driveway and there was this deer in the road, so I grabbed my camera and took some pictures. This was the first deer I've seen in the 6 weeks I've worked.

Okay now question time..

Did you want this job at first?

I really had no choice in the matter. I was told that I was going to be working here. I am enrolled in a government program for the summer.

Are you glad you came now?

Yes I am. The people here are so fun. It's almost like I'm not working at all.

End of Questions!!!

Thanks for reading you guys

~~~~~Midnight Purple Dragon ~~~~~

Introduction: Ariel

Hey guys, it's Ariel. Just dropping in to say hi, and that I'm also gonna be one of the people blogging on this page. So, we've been here for about 6 weeks of work now and we just recently started this blog. Everyone is gonna be telling you about what they are doing now. Well, I will be telling you about what I've done here at the ecovillage, but my first couple of blogs will be talking about the first couple of weeks here. So I will probably be back dating some of my posts, but this really is my first post. You can think of me as your record keeper.

Moving, Mushrooms & Stucco: Ariel

The apprentices are the ones who give us our duties each day. They never cease to amaze me. There is a pile of sand next to a pile of wet carpet at the bottom of The Big Hill. There is an even bigger pile of sand next to a dump run pile at the top of The Big Hill. On Monday and Tuesday we had to load the wet carpet at the bottom of The Big Hill into a small truck. Then we had to unload it into the dump run pile at the top of The Big Hill and load lots of sand, from the sand next to the dump run pile, into the truck to unload at the sand pile at the bottom of The Big Hill. Then we had to do it all over again. ( Exhausting, right? = 0 “inaudible yelling”)It was the most exhausting thing we had ever done. Thursday was different. Albert asked me to water some mushrooms. After that we worked a little in a smaller garden beside the house. When we finally finished that we were able to go start doing some more tile work on the wall that we spent the whole week before working on. Friday was cool. I had to water the mushrooms again. I actually saw a difference in them. They became huge, literally overnight. Albert said he had already picked one hundred dollars worth of mushrooms that morning alone. (Can you believe it?) … Anyways, after I watered the mushrooms again we went back to the wall to do some more tile work. Someone made the stucco extremely soupy (Dain). = ) We got quite a bit finished that day, but we still had a lot left.

Hey: Magen

Hey everyone,
I'm here at the ETC (Ecovillage Training Center). It's Wednesday and right now I'm off :P but I will be back at work at 8:30am sharp (or maybe 9)

Molly's first post

Howdy ya'll!

I'm Molly and I was the last of the interns to arrive at the Ecovillage this Summer. I attended high school on the Farm at The Farm School (check 'em out at thefarmschool.tv). Currently, during the school year, I attend Hampshire College in Amherst, MA; I'll be a sophomore next year majoring in a combination of Biology and Journalism and I am eagerly anticipating it. I love nature and any opportunities that allow my creative side to show itself.

This Summer has been great so far: a lot of fun and a wonderful learning experience, as Summers should be. I started working here three and a half weeks ago and in that time have learned a great deal about permaculture and natural building.

My first week here I didn't start until Tuesday due to an important trip out of town (Bonnaroooooo!!!), but once I arrived Magen, Ariel, and I worked on moss collection and started a living roof on top of a new building at the Ecovillage.

My second week we had a guest named Dylan who joined the interns, and we worked on a cement wall, learning how to mix cement and build with wire while we worked. Also, all of the interns took a field trip to Jennifer and Matt English's off-grid house and learned how to build using the "light clay" technique, which involves a mixture of clay and straw, and is relatively easy and quick compared to most "standard" building techniques.

The third week the natural building crew, which is usually responsible for directing us, took a trip down to Alabama. Thus, we got to do our first relatively-unsupervised project: building a berm near the garden out of earth bags, mesh wire, and stucco; we all learned how to mix cement, sand. clay, and lime to make a sturdy, pretty stucco and our resulting berm is surprisingly good! (We're tiling it now and will post pictures of the finished piece.)

Peace and love.

Sincerely,
Molly

Interns Working Alone: Ariel

= 0 This was the week we had been trained for. All the apprentices were out of state for the week. This was why we were working in groups so much. So the apprentices would know that we would be okay, just us interns, working in a group. Not to mention that it felt kind of like a big bonding experience for all the interns that worked together. We worked on stuccoing the wall the entire time. All week we were coming in early, making stucco, getting it all over us through out the day and leaving late to make sure the tools were clean and no cement would dry to them. It was okay though. On Thursday me and one other intern (Magen) scrubbed down a wheelbarrow for two hours because we hadn’t been doing it right on Monday and Tuesday so some… a lot of stucco was stuck on it. We had wire brushes and pressured water and it wasn’t coming off easily. = l But with the right amount of patience and teamwork it finally gave up and left the wheelbarrow with only a couple of little scratches. I think the scratches came more from the brush than from the stucco itself. Friday was short and by the end I felt like I had only worked, maybe eight hours throughout the whole week. Something about playing in mud like substances all week is really refreshing. = )

Bunches of Building: Ariel

Monday was pretty good. We worked more on the bench in the Hodge-Podge lodge and cooked lunch again. We didn’t make such a mess this time. It was still really fun though. Tuesday was kind of boring. I mixed some kind of mixture (almost like cob only much, much wetter and no sand) the whole day. They were using it for insulation and stuff on this guy’s house. Thursday we mixed Portland cement and made stairs out of it and the stone they collected from the creek the first day I worked there. After we finished the stairs we worked on a wall that was made with earthen bags and barbed wire. We had to mix sand, clay, water, lime, and Portland cement to make a mixture called stucco. It was pretty easy if we could only remember the recipe. = ) It took us some time but we finally figured it out and it worked out pretty well. It was really messy at first though. We were spilling it a lot the first day. Friday we stayed with the stucco wall the whole day. It was pretty fun. We could finally make the stucco without repeatedly asking what the ratios were.

Building, Chopping, & Gathering: Ariel

This week was pretty weird. Monday we made walls out of cob (with lime in it) and firewood, instead of mortar and bricks. I think it was called cord wood. It was pretty interesting. This guy named Jason is going to use it to make his whole house. That is going to look very different when it is done. Tuesday we chopped and stripped more bamboo. Again, it was very tedious. = l Wednesday was fun. There were some kids, from a summer camp thing up the road, who came down and helped us mix some cob and build a bench with it. After lunch that day me and two other interns went looking through the woods to gather moss for a living roof. Thursday we gathered moss for the living roof and made lunch. Gathering moss was almost as tedious a job as chopping bamboo, but it was easier than chopping bamboo because we didn’t have to watch out for the machetes. Friday we went back to making the cob bench. It was a pretty easy and fun week.

Disaster in the Kitchen: Ariel

Thursday we cooked lunch. Cooking lunch was so much more fun than gathering moss. = ) When you cook lunch there are a couple of people in the kitchen to help. Well all we did was make the pie. We left some one else with the job of making actual lunch. We made a huge mess of really thin wet dough we were gonna use for apple pie. It was getting everywhere. We added so much flour and sugar to it, that the dough tasted like animal crackers when we were done. It came out pretty good though. It was a lot of fun. It was a pretty easy and fun week.

Grew to Like It: Ariel

When I started this job I was so mad. = ( I wanted something in an office or a store. How was I going to help at the hippie farm anyway? Well, I moved wood. = l A tree next to the hostel with firewood stacked against it was dying. Someone had been hired to come safely cut it down. So I had to help move the firewood that was next to it. How crazy! After that was over, we spent most of the rest of the day cutting down and stripping bamboo. After Monday was over I didn't ever want to go back to that farm… but I did. How sad = ( The next day we mixed mud all day. It was a mixture of clay, sand, straw and water that they called cob. We used it to make an earthen floor for a hippitat. I thought the hippitat was pretty cute. It looked like a giant mushroom from the outside. The next day all we did was “lime wash” the hippitat. It was a little hot in the hippitat but that was better than being outside where it was raining. Working in the rain is horrible. It's all muggy, and steamy. What are we gonna do when it rains like that and we're working outside? The next two days were full of bamboo. We cut down and stripped bamboo all of Thursday and Friday. It was the most tedious work ever. The same thing over and over is never a good thing, no matter how much you can goof off while you are working. After a week of work it was much better than I thought it would be. I started to have fun while I was working. I’m glad I stayed working there. = )