The Enchanting Land of Fancyland

Hello Everybody.  Steve here.   I recently visited Fancyland, a burgeoning young intentional community in the hills east of Arcata, California.

The community, unlike other communities I have visited, offers retreats for artists and activists for no cost,  save the food you eat and lending a hand with general upkeep for the common space (i.e. tidying up after yourself, wood chopping for the wood stove).   The latest project involves completing the common house, which includes a studio.  

One of the window views from the new studio space.

Wonderful wall installation by a visiting artist in new building. Made from recycled off-cuts of wood.

Wall close-up

Wall closer-up

The buildings are without any electricity,  candlelit,  warmed by wood stove,  and user-friendly in being well-organized to quickly acquaint visitors with the logistics and philosophy of the space.  It was also refreshing to be in a place where the arts is a major focus.

  

Paper floor of cob house screen-printed by friend of Sacha, the main resident and initiator of Fancyland.

Floor detail.  Wow.

More floor detail.

Forest trails connecting the buildings

This is the floor from a building made entirely out of salvaged old-growth redwood.   Notice the width of the single plank my foot is on.   My foot length is about 11.5 inches to give you a sense of dimension.

'Edible and Medicinal Plants of Fancyland: A Collaboration', a book created by visitors' and residents' personal accounts of plants they have used, and where they found them on the 13 acre Fancyland property.  Peterson and other plant field guide books are available also for reference at Fancyland.

California Black Oak, like other oaks, yeilds a yummy acorn when  leached of it's bitter tannins. Here the leaching procedure involves setting the ground and muslin-sacked acorn flesh in a river for ten days.  Awesome.

Miner's Lettuce and Wild Ginger: What do they have in store for you?

Summer Lodgings

Great View

Garden still pumping out hardy greens like kale, and chickweed which we enjoyed eating

Sweet Jacqueline, who hosted me.  Notice the lamps (no electricity remember), and the to-be-painted stone block wall.  The stone blocks are aerated concrete, which helps keep the building warm in the winter time, and cool in the summer time.  

Thanks Jacqueline and Fancyland for welcoming me, and for the lamp lit yoga sessions!  From Arcata, where I now am, I'll be heading to a community called 'Magic' in Palo Alto,  where an old friend of mine resides.  Along the way, I'll be seeking warm and dry indoor places to sleep.  Please let me know if you know of any!

Keep on,

Steve