Seppers Program:
Seriously Excited About Permaculture Pampering!
This is still in it's early stages, and this program isn't quite as much about luxury just yet as it is just
absorbing the awesomeness of wheaton labs, staying in a really cool eco-accommodation, learning and being inspired.
Prices for these packages are going to be low for now, until we can build them up with more goodies and fun,
but for the time being, you can get a pretty sweet deal on a vacation package.
a ride to and from the airport, if needed. ($20 for regular hours, $50 for goofy hours)a full tour of basecamp ($75), or a full tour of the lab ($75), or a quickie drive by tour ($60)hands on activities with resident(s) on various projects (about $20/hour)work on PEP BBs with guidance ($) and possibly with our equipment ($)
But the best part of being a Sepper?
You're an honored guest, and are free to do absolutely nothing at all if that's your wish - lounge in the tipi, roast marshmallows, go on a hike, watch the clouds pass - whatever makes your spirit sing.
You're the guest, and ultimately you can be as hands on or as hands off as charms your soul.
Maybe you would like to build experiences with rocket mass heaters, or building stuff out of roundwood, green woodworking, or wofati construction, or cob stuff, or building hugelkultur, or fermenting foods, bow hunting, driving the excavator or the tractor...
There is a long, long list of possibilities!
We can coordinate with you and our residents to see if we might be able to arrange for some really cool projects, depending on what your interests are.
Plan to spend about
$20/hour for residents' time. If you are super industrious and help more than sit back and watch, then maybe that resident won't charge you for their time.
Some things about food:
If you help in the bootcamp for half a day, you can join the boots for a meal.
If you help for a full day, you can join the boots for three meals!
Wheaton Labs has strict standards for food consumed on site; please only bring food that is organic or better.
For
$20 fee, we can rent you a cooler with ice packs to keep your food cool.
There is a freezer available for switching ice packs for frozen ones.
Note that this program is still pretty experimental for us. We hope to get better and better at doing this with each passing year.
Accommodations you can choose for the SEPPer program*
wheaton labs is over 200 acres on two pieces of property (Base Camp and The Labs--see the following post for maps and each property's unique features) nestled in the forested, Rocky Mountain foothills near
Missoula, Montana (USA). Kick back and enjoy the pristine wilderness and/or join in on one of our
tours, operate one of our many
rocket mass heaters, visit or stay in a
wofati, revel in massive
hugelkultur gardens, go bow hunting, sign up to drive the excavator or the tractor .... we've got these and more options for you!
Base Camp:
Love Shack |
Red Cabin |
Fisher Price Bunkroom |
Solarium |
Camping at Base Camp
The Labs:
Tipi with Rocket Mass Heater |
Allerton Abbey |
Cooper Cabin |
AmayZheng Dog Star (former Shann-delier) |
Camping at The Lab
wheaton labs base camp rentals*
Porta-cabin / The Love Shack
This is base camp's micro cabin with the
"Minnie Mouse" rocket mass heater, twin size bottom bunk, twin size top bunk, off-grid with small solar to charge a phone or operate one light. The
willow bank (willow feeder style toilet) and
shower shack both are just a short walk, about 200 feet from the love shack. Base camp's wifi does not reach the Love Shack, though the community space called the library just down the driveway does have wifi and regular electricity should the solar power run out at the cabin. Firewood is included, though you'll likely have to chop your own kindling.
(Base prices are for 1-2 people)
1-7 nights:
(click here to pay $250) (additional people $20 each)
8-15 nights:
(click here to pay $450) (additional people $50 each)
16-30 nights:
(click here to pay $650) (additional people $100 each)
Red Cabin
The red cabin has seen four different versions of Rocket Mass Heaters, the newest being the "old reliable" with a mass going under the bed! Bunk bed with a double on the bottom and a single on top, all bedding plus fluffy organic cotton towels provided. Firewood is included but you might need to chop your own kindling. About 200 feet from the
willow bank (willow feeder style toilet) and
shower shack and a short walk up to the fisher price house.
(Base prices are for 1-2 people)
1-5 nights:
(click here to pay $250) (additional people $20 each)
6-15 nights:
(click here to pay $450) (additional people $50 each)
16-30 nights:
(click here to pay $650) (additional people $100 each)
Fisher Price House Bunk Bedroom
We call the main house at base camp the "Fisher Price House" because it is a double-wide mobile home. We offer bunks in the small bunk bedroom sort of similar to hostel accommodations. There are two full size bunks and two twin size bunks. So it could provide bunks for six people. Open shelves (we've moved all books to the library) and a closet provide room for your bag and clothes. There is access to a full bathroom just across the hall. Access to the kitchen depends on whether the kitchen is the event kitchen during your stay. (See our
event calendar for the latest.) Full bedding and fluffy organic cotton towels are provided.
Top Bunk (1 person):
1-10 nights:
(click here to pay $250)
11-20 nights:
(click here to pay $350)
21-30 nights:
(click here to pay $400)
Bottom Bunk (1-2 people):
1-7 nights:
(click here to pay $250)
8-15 nights:
(click here to pay $350)
16-30 nights:
(click here to pay $500)
To rent the entire bunk room (1 to 6 people):
1-7 nights:
(click here to pay $500)
8-15 nights:
(click here to pay $800)
16-30 nights:
(click here to pay $1200)
Solarium
Solarium is built into one end of the Library building at Base Camp, and it's located right next to the Fisher Price House.
Nature has inspired the names of the bunks at the Solarium; Squirrel, Moose and Bear. Squirrel bunks are narrow twin sized, the Moose and Bear are twin sized.
Solarium is on-grid and has a Pebble Style Rocket Mass Heater to keep everyone warm and cozy. The beautiful sunroom-like space in the Solarium is perfect for doing remote work online! Full bedding and fluffy organic towels are provided.
Squirrel Top Bunk (narrow twin):
1-15 nights:
(click here to pay $225)
16-30 nights:
(click here to pay $325)
Squirrel Bottom Bunk (narrow twin):
1-15 nights:
(click here to pay $250)
16-30 nights:
(click here to pay $350)
Bear or Moose Top Bunk (twin):
1-15 nights:
(click here to pay $250)
16-30 nights:
(click here to pay $350)
Bear or Moose Bottom Bunk (twin):
1-10 nights:
(click here to pay $250)
11-20 nights:
(click here to pay $350)
21-30 nights:
(click here to pay $400)
Camping / Pitch a tent at base camp
Base camp is easy drive in access for car camping, pitching a tent on one of our tent pads, or finding a secluded spot on one of the plateau meadows, in the trees, or up on the
hollowed out volcano with good submarine access. Volcano road is a rough, rocky one-lane road that snakes up the 500-foot rise of the rocky hillsides of base camp and around to the back of the volcano's peak.
RV, trailer, and car parking is at the base of hilly base camp, in the sandy parking lot behind our shop that we call
Arrakis, or in our small turtle parking lot. We do not provide RV hookups at this time and generators are not allowed to be used. Arrakis and the turtle lot do not have much shade, though we are attempting to grow trees (from seed!) to change that.
The
willow bank (willow feeder style toilet) and
shower shack are available for your use.
(Base prices are for 1-2 people)
1-15 nights:
(click here to pay $250) (additional people $20 each)
16-30 nights:
(click here to pay $300) (additional people $80 each)
Check out our full tour here. Contact us for other options for staying more than a month.
wheaton labs the lab rentals*
Tipi with a rocket mass heater
The function of this tipi is to seriously experience the value of the
rocket mass heater. It can be super cold outside, your fire goes out at 9pm, and you are warm as toast til morning. Inside the tipi is a cob bed platform which sleeps up to two if they like to sleep close. Burn as much wood as you like in the rocket mass heater (RMH) which heats the entire bench and bed platform. We provide full bedding on a mattress made out of straw (as part of our experimenting to have household materials as natural as possible, alternative option available for allergics), plus pillows and blankets for the cob bench seating. There's a hot water kettle that heats up on top of the RMH barrel, plus full water jugs for washing and drinking along with bins, soap and cloths for washing dishes outside. Candles are the only lighting source since the tipi does not have any solar panels in this off-grid location. Fluffy organic towels are provided for showers at base camp. Firewood is included in these rates, though you'll likely have to chop your own kindling.
The chateau de poo (a willow feeder style toilet) is about a hundred yards away (next picture), a little walk through the woods. The tipi is also about a hundred feet from
the bee hut.
(Base prices are for 1-2 people)
1-7 nights:
(click here to pay $250) (additional people $20 each)
8-15 nights:
(click here to pay $450) (additional people $50 each)
16-30 nights:
(click here to pay $650) (additional people $100 each)
Allerton Abbey
Allerton Abbey has one full size bed and two twin bunks. The thermal mass has not yet been fully charged, so the annualized thermal inertia cannot be tested yet, but there is a rocket cook stove inside which does a good job of heating said mass, and the occupants. This is a great way to get a closer look at this highly realistic vision of an eco friendly home, and how well it functions. Bring your favorite cast iron pans, split a little kindling, and get cozy in your bunk while you daydream of the modifications you would make if this were
your Wofati.
(Base prices are for 1-4 people)
1-7 nights:
(click here to pay $300) (additional people $20 each)
8-14 nights:
(click here to pay $550) (additional people $50 each)
15-30 nights:
(click here to pay $800) (additional people $100 each)
Cooper Cabin (wofati 0.8)
Cooper Cabin is our second version of a
wofati which, while not quite fully completed, is still a cozy place to stay with a first class rocket mass heater (RMH) in it. It also has Lasse's rocket wood cook stove, plus a (propane) gas stovetop. This is an off-grid cabin with some electricity from
the solar leviathan. There is no running water, though we'll fill up a gravity-fed bucket for washing at the sink, and provide plenty of fresh drinking water in glass jugs from our wonderful well at base camp, plus fresh kitchen linens. There will be some dishes, utensils, pots and pans available for your use. Bedding is provided for the two bunk beds (full size on the bottom and twins on the top) in the back bedroom (there is no door to close off that bedroom at this time), and cots or additional bedding can be provided at an additional charge. There is an
indoor willow feeder with a foot-pump sink to wash your hands. Firewood is included, though you'll likely have to chop your own kindling. Fluffy organic towels are provided for showers at base camp.
Top Bunk (1 person):
1-10 nights:
(click here to pay $250)
11-20 nights:
(click here to pay $450)
21-30 nights:
(click here to pay $600)
Bottom Bunk (1-2 people):
1-7 nights:
(click here to pay $250)
8-15 nights:
(click here to pay $450)
16-30 nights:
(click here to pay $600)
(Entire Cooper Cabin - Base prices are for 1-6 people)
1-7 nights:
(click here to pay $500)
8-15 nights:
(click here to pay $800)
16-30 nights:
(click here to pay $1200)
AmayZheng Dog Star (former Shann-delier) - an Oehler/wofati style mini cabin
This is an off-grid cabin nestled in the woods, with
Uncle Mud's Cottage Rocket and single size loft bed. There is no running water, though we'll provide full water jugs for washing and drinking along with bins, soap and cloths for washing dishes outside. There will be a very few dishes, utensils, pots and pans available for your use. Full bedding is provided for the twin loft bed along with fluffy organic cotton towels for showers at base camp. Firewood is included, though you'll likely have to chop your own kindling. It is a bit of a walk to
the chateau de poo (a willow feeder style toilet).
(Base prices are for 1-2 people)
1-7 nights:
(click here to pay $250) (additional people $20 each)
8-15 nights:
(click here to pay $450) (additional people $50 each)
16-30 nights:
(click here to pay $650) (additional people $100 each)
Camping / Pitch a tent at the lab
The lab is off-grid and a more remote location than base camp, surrounded by private timber land and U.S. forest land - see more about that location in the next post. We do not have tent pads at the lab, though there are plenty of meadow-like or grassy spots to pitch a tent. RVs or trailers could make to the lab if the road is in decent condition, though of course there would be no hookups available there. Generators are also not allowed to be used.
You would be welcome to fill up on water at base camp, use any of our willow feeders (the
willow bank at base camp, or the
willowonka or
chateau de poo at the lab) and the
shower shack back down the hill at base camp.
(Base prices are for 1-2 people)
1-15 nights:
(click here to pay $250) (additional people $20 each)
16-30 nights:
(click here to pay $300) (additional people $80 each)
Check out our full tour here. Contact us for other options for staying more than a month.
A note about showers:
The
shower shack is an outdoor shower at base camp with the hot water heated by a rocket wood stove. This means it is seasonal, only in use from late April or May until October (or so). We can help with firing the wood stove to heat the hot water and will post a schedule for when the water will be hot. Renters will also have the option to use the hall bath in the Fisher Price House. We ask that you use only biodegradable soap (or go
'pooless) and remove all of your bathing items from the shower or bathroom when you are done - even if you are staying in the house. We provide buckets to capture the water as it heats up and then we use that water to water plants or bucket flush the flush toilet in the house. (Do not put water in to the willow feeder toilets.)
Use the links above to make payments for a SEPPer stay,
or send payments via paypal to paul AT richsoil DOT com.
Once your payment is received, Paul forwards the particulars to his assistant who will get the details all sorted.
*Note: 80% refund for cancellations up to two weeks before rental starts.
If you have any questions, please post to this thread. If it's a private question, e-mail bunks AT richsoil DOT com.
