With chlorine and other unpronounceable three-letter anagrams flowing out of city faucets with our water I am proud to say that at the Hostel in the Forest we strive yet again to create a local source of quenching and cleaning from our own forest. This past week invited the construction sounds of a bustling city into the Forest but what came out was a 750 foot brand new well that will provide us with our much needed water source.

We said goodbye to two rock-star team members but not before sharing another spontaneous workshop on the wonders of fermentation. Matt, on exchange from Omaha, Nebraska, helped us get started on repairing our recycling alley and with that comes the requirement that guests that float through the forest be oh so mindful of the containers that they bring into the forest. Because everything that is brought in has to be taken out to be recycled we ask guests to take with them on leaving all that they have brought as well as some of the recycling that we produce here as we supply our kitchen.

When we buy we can make choices to refuse the extra plastic bag to carry onions, bananas (which already have their own protective, natural casing), we can buy in bulk and refuse the excessive amounts of plastic, we can refuse before we have to decide how to reuse. Teri Schell and her husband will be presenting this next weekend on Building a community food system in the nation of plenty and the artistic creations that can come out of using recycled materials. Until then,

May the Forest Be With You

The Hostel Staff