Healthy Future Farm is at the base of Mount Equinox in Manchester, Vermont. We are a small family farm. We sometimes hold yoga and activist retreats here. We hosted a yoga retreat with Teri Leigh in 2007. New England 350.org climate activists gathered for a summit meeting, (highlight was a talk by Bill McKibben in our big room!) We hosted volunteers for the Wanderlust Festival last summer and created a cheerful scene that felt like "an ashram for a weekend." That's the spirit we'd like to infuse our gatherings. To me, 'Ashram for a weekend" means a sangha of practitioners, gathering good will and cooperation, to serve a Larger Cause. Ideally, folks organize to come with a friend or few, have fun weekend, everybody goes home more powerful with some internalized awesome art, and we support our struggling family farm with some green energy.
guest house details and prices
lodging: $20 a night, $75 for 5 days
food: $10 a day or bring your own food.
includes free yoga classes
Do expect: clean sheets, ecological soap, good coffee, fresh bread, herbs and veggies, good meals, washer/dryer access, nature trails.
Details on getting here from NYC:
Ideally folks carpool! Or, we can arrange pickup for guests, with small fee for gas/driver's time. Our ideal is to meet folks at http://tickets.amtrak.com/itd/amtrak in Albany. We encourage folks to catch this bus: Megabus departs Friday 2:40 pm from NY, West side of 9th Ave between 31st and 33rd St, arrives Albany 5:25pm, Rensselaer Station, 2hrs and 45 minutes trip, $12. Monday return trip: 1:30pm, Albany, Rensselaer Station, arrives 4:15pm at 7th Ave & 28th, (an earlier bus is possible if folks want.) Megabus online: http://us.megabus.com/Default.aspx People could ride the rails & take a beautiful trip along the Hudson, leaving NYC 3:15 arriving 5:45pm, $40. http://tickets.amtrak.com/itd/amtrak
Ski/snowboarding: we'll have access to some ski/snowboard gear/clothes. We'll schlep people to the mountains, (Bromley, Magic or Stratton Mountain are the closest) Ski/snowboard lessons are available. Retreats would probably go half day Saturday and/or all day Sunday, depending on enthusiasm. Winter hikes, snowshoeing and nature explorations are also available.
Yoga: Our big room can fit about 20 mats. We have a big wood stove suitable for creating a warm yoga space.
Musicians: We can make high quality music recordings in the big room. We invite bands to stay with us between gigs. Late post-gig arrivals welcome.
History of Healthy Future Farm: My family moved here when I was 8. For the last ten years, we've been an organic farm, successful in swiss chard though not so profitable. We were certified organic by NOFA for 4 years. Over 30 guest farm workers stayed with us thru the WWOOF.org program. Last summer, I took a 'fallow' year-off from farming last year, to concentrate on other passions, like activism, music and writing. This summer I'm enjoying the growing again.
Because we are looking out for everybody's happiness, we politely discourage people from coming who are easily dissatisfied with housing. We'll have clean sheets but we aren't the Hyatt. We are not a rehab or a mental health clinic, so the struggling should seek those services elsewhere. We invite people willing to do some of their own dishes and to contribute to the well-being of the Farm. We especially invite people who are dedicating some of their life in service of Mother Earth and Divine.
Healthy Future Farm intends to create a space that feels safe, ethical, healing, fun, spiritual, honest. We offer this work to the Divine, in the spirit of karma yoga, and invite the Divine flow to protect us, lead us to success and help us save the planet.
for the Earth,
Theo Talcott
Manchester, Vermont
theo.talcott@mail.sit.edu
802 362 4428
