It was a celebration of Earth and its creatures this week at the Hostel in the Forest. The Urban Garden is taking shape with a basin and a bed frame sprouting vegetables as well as a tier of milk-crate beds in the production process.

As the pollen subsides work on the new dome has kicked back into gear and the kitchen continues to surprise with gourmet, gluten-free, vegan, multi-course spreads to share communally every evening.

Saturday had the troop piling into the truck to present at the St. Simon’s Landtrust EarthFair. With the inception of Frederica Park, a preserved park in the area which is in the process of completing a labyrinth and botanical garden, the event hosted many ecologically conscious businesses in the community including a group of ladies that recycle trash and create art kits for kids in the community, a natural food store and a coffee house serving brew out of biodegradable wheat plastic cups. It was an Earth Day and Birthday celebration weekend which included a very auspicious dagger-naming ceremony of birthday-boy Eli from Jacksonville. The aforementioned weapon was ordained Veritas, a bearer of truth. On Sunday we traipsed down to Jacksonville for the Chicken and Small animal swap and picked ourselves up two Japanese Bantams and two Rhode Island Reds to add to our laying ladies.

The Hostel paths are becoming less invisible at night as we prepare for the full moon sweatlodge ceremony and the humidity too is bringing a week ahead of all sorts of purification.

May the Forest Be With You

The Hostel Staff