This Land Is Your Land
Written by Rachel Wohlander
March 7, 2018

We signed the title yesterday! We have landed the land. We want to share it with you. Terra Cultura is no longer just a theory, a manifesto, a dream, a business plan, a website, an ethereal nonprofit—it is a place. It is a place for anyone interested in exploring the overlapping (inseparable) systems of human culture and the land, with respect and humility in the face of what we will learn here.

Nervous smiles. Exciting day. Signed some things. Stuff of dreams.

A post shared by Rachel Julia (@racheljulia) on

This has been our dream for so long, with many of you dreaming, planning, and working along with us from the start. It feels downright electric to watch it take shape. We are giddy. And a bit overwhelmed—we have our work cut out for us—but we’ll take it one step at a time. We have a chance to build something awesome, because we can make this space into whatever we want. We’re looking to you to tell us what you want. I started a list at the bottom of this post—let us know what you would like to see added there.

We can’t wait to show you this magic place. We could not have come by it alone. We owe a great deal to an inheritance (huge to us, small in the context of buying land in California) from Great Auntie Mollie Weiss, and to our wonderful, supportive families. We are also so grateful to the board of directors, the advisory board, the artists in residence, and all of you who had our backs through all of this. We are so grateful to the donors who gave generously even before we had a home of our own, when we were running our programs on other peoples’ farms. The donations we have received so far are safely waiting to be put to use towards educational programming in agroecology, sustainable living, and the arts, which we plan to get started as soon as we possibly can. We’ve come a long way, but the real work is still ahead. So help us spread the word if you know someone who might be interested in Terra Cultura’s mission and vision.

For now, we’ll be very busy getting the land ready for Terra Cultura to officially open its doors. We have some basic infrastructure to set up, some trees to clear, some earthworks to dig, soil to prep, yurts to construct, and yes, a scalding hot outdoor shower to install. Come by and help any time you please. We’ll have a warm campfire, delicious food, guitars, and plenty of wine waiting. Soon enough we’ll have luxurious yurts, with all the amenities you could desire, studio space for artists, and classrooms for workshops and community events. We imagine all sorts of strange structures and inspiring nooks to stumble upon, art everywhere, tree houses to climb, flourishing gardens, and quiet corners for contemplation and creative ideation. It can be whatever you want. Maybe it will be a little microcosm of a better model for a more fulfilling way of being. We’ll build it together.

We’re doing this gang. Welcome to Terra Cultura.

Leave a comment and tell us what else should be on this list!

Terra Cultura is for:

…anyone who has longed for a supportive community that challenges your intellect and nurtures your creativity;

…anyone who wants to put their bodies to use growing food and building structures in ways that conserve natural resources;

…anyone interested in regenerative land management techniques including food forests, no till farming, and other agroecological methods, that lead to habitat restoration, increased carbon sequestered in the soil, a raised water table, and healthier ecosystems for plants, animals, and humans in the region;

…anyone interested in energy and resource efficient living, and policy shifts towards embracing composting toilets, greywater systems, green building with locally sourced materials, utilizing passive solar energy, and living off the grid;

…anyone interested in exploring better alternatives in forms of education and local economies;

…anyone willing to actively work towards truly diverse communities, and intersectional movements for a more just society;

…anyone who believes that art is an integral part of a society and should be valued as such;

…anyone who likes to eat good fresh local food;

…anyone who wants to make music, singing, dancing, writing, story-telling, painting, drawing, sculpting, performance, etc. happen;

…anyone who wants to enjoy a beautiful place;

What else would you like to see at Terra Cultura!?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Written by Rachel Wohlander

Rachel Wohlander is a co-founder, and the executive director of culture and education at Terra Cultura. She is an interdisciplinary artist and educator with a background in performing arts and creative writing.

5 Comments

  1. David Abramson

    Congrats, that is so exciting!!

    Reply
  2. Rachel

    Dude, I’m all about the tree house. Glad you mentioned it. Now I’ll have to start doing some research, cause I’m pretty sure I’ll need help building it when I get up there for a visit. Just leave a nice big tree for me.

    Reply
    • Rachel Wohlander

      Sounds good! Let’s build some. We’re thinking a tree city connected by suspension bridges. Bring your power tools. ; ) xo

      Reply
  3. Deb mawby

    Mawbydeb@gmail.com
    Wow wonderful news..where are you?
    I’m friends with Becky and Mooch.

    Reply
    • Travis Hill

      Nice! We love Becky and Mooch so much, they’re a huge inspiration to us! We’re in San Benito, CA! Where are you??

      Reply

Leave a Reply to Travis Hill Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *