CRMPI was one of those places that people we met on our travels couldn’t stop raving about. If we were going anywhere near Carbondale again, we knew we’d have to stop here and check it out. Though it was a harrowing, windy drive up a mountain in the snow, I’d say it was worth it!

CRMPI (folks say it like “crimpy”) is an experimental, educational permaculture institute very high up on a mountain outside of Aspen. The day we went, it was snowing, windy, and generally pretty miserable (southerner speaking). But when we walked into one of their unheated, passive solar greenhouses, it was a world apart! There were tropical plants blossoming and fruiting everywhere! Our guide Callie kept picking us the sweetest fresh fruit to eat–pomegranates, figs, kumquats–while I just couldn’t get over the fact that it was snowing outside.

One technique they were using that I think is so neat is creating worm bins underneath the walkways of their greenhouse. They use the unused space of walkways to produce amazing compost this way! They dig a pallet in the ground, put worms in it, then feed it newspaper shavings and food waste every once in a while, and voila! Like magic, compost appears underfoot.

Callie said sometimes they scoop it out to use in other parts of the garden, sometimes they sell it to other gardeners, and sometimes they just let the goodness seep out into the soil around it.

We also enjoyed sneaking snacks growing out of the compost pile and sharing them with friends we met along the way.

Thanks to CRMPI for the tour and greenhouse inspiration! You can learn more about their work, and read the founder’s book on forest gardening, here.

We found a farm! We found a farm! We are alive and well because we found a farm! I didn’t realize how hungry for real food and work I was until I stepped in Sustainable Setting’s greenhouse (which my friend Marc Cavatorta helped build 7 years ago, crazy connection, good job Marc!). Rocky and I were so elated, we couldn’t stop grabbing things to eat or pet.

We got the wonderful opportunity to volunteer at Sustainable Settings Ranch, an impressive and diverse biodynamic farm in Carbondale, CO. We helped them remove some old crops from the greenhouse, and after an amazing farm lunch, stack some (extremely heavy) hay to be tarped for winter animal feed. The owner of the operation, Rose, was kind enough to give us an extensive tour and answer all our aspiring-biodynamic-farmer questions, covering everything from grass species to business models.

This farm has it ALL! They make their own biodynamic preparations, which are mystical combinations of animal, vegetable, and mineral components that are designed to “harness life forces to enhance the health and balance of a farm.” (If you want to learn more about biodynamic farming, because we’ll be talking about it a lot, read here.) In the growing season, they intensively graze their livestock to build soil organic matter and increase rainfall infiltration. They told us over the last twenty years, they have increased their soil organic matter from 3% to 10%, which is a very impressive figure! They’ve also found a creative model to sell raw dairy products to consumers in a state where it’s typically illegal to do so.

We learned so much in our day here and had an awesome time doing it. Thanks to everyone at Sustainable Settings for the hospitality!

Telluride, Colorado is a scenic place, rich with history, culture, mountains, and most importantly, friends!! My friends from college, Sami and Reid, moved there shortly after our graduation three years ago, so I was really excited to see them both and see the little town they’ve set up camp in. We had an awesome time catching up (read: talking constantly for two days straight, bless Rocky’s heart), helping Sami move in her new apartment, and hiking above the town, which has been thoughtfully planned to maintain a surprising amount of “green” space. It was also the perfect place to work on our Halloween costumes, sewing away while the snow fell on the mountains. Thanks for the hospitality Sami!

We woke up to beautiful snow on the third day!

Reid was very patient with my hiking speed at 9,000 ft

Telluride has a free box, which is a great resource for van-bound travelers looking to exchange things!

I helped Sami sew her hat for her halloween costume 🙂

We finally made it to Colorado, where we are so grateful to see some interesting topography and friendly familiar faces! Look, it’s not even a little flat!

We started with a very quick surprise trip to see my friend Annette who’s in vet school in Fort Collins. It was so fun, and we talked so constantly, we forgot to take any pictures. Love you Annette!

Next we took a scenic drive to visit my cousin Chad, his wife Stacy, and their girls Millie and Zoe in Carbondale, CO. I hadn’t seen them in six years, and we had a great time catching up and playing at their off-grid yurt up in the mountains. We enjoyed the last few warm days of fall hiking around and riding their side-by-side in the backcountry. Thanks for the good times, y’all!

Kansas just may be the sole inspiration and evidence for the Flat Earth conspiracy theory, where the earth is just a flat square that drops off on either end.

Out of our 1,628 mile or so journey from NC to Colorado, I would bet that 1,500 of them were in Kansas alone. Or maybe it just felt that way.

Halfway through our journey, we started googling things to do in Kansas and at least found this cool rock. (Yes, Kansas is so boring this single rock is notable.)

But at least we had good homemade snacks to keep our spirits high.

And we are very grateful for our cozy van nest and sweet altar space!

We couldn’t ask for better friends. Seriously. Rocky and I left during a time of year when it seems like everything was getting squeezed in before the cold, but somehow our friends made time to make Rocky and I feel so special as we departed Burnsville, where I’ve lived for over two years now.

It was such an honor to be celebrated by you all. I am so grateful for all of your words, gifts, and thoughts. I’m leaving my Burnsville family more inspired than ever to keep contributing to the beautiful world we are all co-creating.

Here’s some photos from my last week of work and our going away parties.

This particular photo is a promise to “cover the earth” with love and goodness!