Wild Roots Farm

Yesterday, the Gillingham family welcomed me into their home with open arms. What I found at Wild Roots Farm was so much more than I could ever have anticipated.

It all started when Iris won a free session with me last year. The challenge was to present me with your "dream" photo session. I'd never met Iris, but I knew of her, and that she is a motivated young person who shares so many of the same ideals that I do. When I learned of her family's farm, I knew who the winner was.

Amy and Wes (aka Mom & Dad Gillingham) built this farm in a hunting camp owned by Wes's family. They thoughtfully built a beautiful and expansive log cabin complete with hand hewn wood and a hearth in the middle of their kitchen that serves as their oven and heat source in the cold months. Across their 100 acres are gardens, pastures and dense woods.

Sharing the land with them are a variety of heritage breed livestock, most of them sheep from which Amy gets the fiber she uses to create various things. Of course, I can't fail to mention Basque, the Great(est) Pyrenees who stands guard.

The Gillinghams love to share their homestead with the community, and offer tours on Saturdays (Do it! You need to experience this place!) What I thought it meant to live "off the grid" and what it actually is are two very different things. I left feeling totally inspired and more connected to my environment than when I arrived.

Thank you again, for this experience.