The land is white, punctuated with brown and green from the red pines. Deer tracks, mice, squirrel and snowshoe hare prints perforate the snow cover, with some wolf, fox and coyote evidence appearing occasionally. Though the temperatures still make gloved fingers numb within minutes of exposure, the shadows shorten slightly each day. The spring thaw seems stalled but holds inevitable promise.
The campsteading endeavor in Wisconsin’s Chiquamagon-Nicolet National Forest is set to sprout from seeds left to overwinter last fall. The story of the gradual initial steps and stumbles to organize last year can be found here and here. I have encountered numerous interested parties both in this forum and through face to face contacts, but few have been interested in checking out the current Northern Wisconsin winter from a tent, global warming or not. I’m expecting the vernal equinox to present more of a draw.
New trip around the sun: time for a new thread. In this iteration I’ll be making regular updates to the first three posts in the thread to make things clearer for newcomers, or for people who want to check back on progress without reviewing the whole conversation. Not that I’m expecting a ton of posts, but please do add comments and ask any questions here. I'll respond in the thread or direct PM depending on the content. These three posts will mirror the layout of the camp: first a check-in point for guests; those willing to decontaminate from external toxins are invited to explore the lookout/operation center that defines a buffer from the surrounding gickworld; and/or a third space to partake in simple living, an area where humans gather and engage to take care of basic human stuff without the superfluous artifacts that pollute most social interactions.
I Gasthaus
Welcome to Camp Pine Soup. At this point it is a collection of tents and basic tools at the edge of an erratic national forest. I have a big pot of soup going, very nutritious and pleasant tasting. You’re welcome to join in, maybe bring a little garnish or even something to add more substance to the soup.
Why camp here? I often reflect that there’s something wrong with the world today, and wonder at the various ways we deny that or make ineffectual efforts to compensate for it. Are you fixing racism by renaming lakes, by telling people they
should feel bad for using the N word? Are you addressing poverty by shifting some numbers from one spreadsheet column to another, attempting to manipulate the lives of people you never have never met and know no specifics about? Will you address environmental problems with some 'better'
light bulbs, maybe a fancier car? None of these are bad things if done with care, but do you feel they are sufficient to meet your expectations? Pine Soup, done right, has the potential to transform those who partake from people who go through the motions of pointless tasks as part of a plan to arrive at comfortable failure, into humans capable of obtaining meaning and purpose, who have genuine potential to overcome the problems facing them. It can’t fix everything, but it can replenish nutrients in our souls that others have been working to deprive us of.
I’ve acquired 40 acres of former timber company land. It is primarily a Red Pine plantation with
trees good for timber framing, dimensional lumber, and cord
wood for burning and/or construction infill. There is a clearing near the road of a few acres waiting for
hugelkultur, vegetable gardens, and food forests to be sculpted. One edge of the property has a small creek running along it, and a corner of the property has variously marshy land with a mixture of
local trees growing on it. The land slopes from the creek and the road up to a mound in the center that turns into a undulating ridge running to the back of the property and federally owned national forest. The plantation trees have been regularly thinned and there is considerable understory growth of raspberries and hazelnuts. Whitetail deer are frequently in the area and a world
class trout stream is within easy walking/portage distance. The soil I’ve sampled has proven to be relatively rich and promising for immediate planting.
I’m starting with a few yurts for accommodation, and will be experimenting with
rocket mass heaters inside of them. I would like to have two or three done during the year and work to insulate them for the following winter. Time and labor permitting, other natural building projects will be explored as the
project progresses. I have a storage shed made from
pallets completed as the first structure. I’ll be building numerous
simple shelters to start seasoning cordwood, along with something for
solar panels and to house the supporting equipment for a modest power supply. I'd like to initiate a willow feeder system similar to what I've experienced at
Wheaton Labs ASAP.
Food is naturally central to the endeavor. Within the camp, sourcing, preparation and consumption of it is a basic group function. A paleo-centric diet makes sense given the environment. Recognizing common ancestry and participating daily in its renewal is at the core of a robust community. The goal is self-sufficiency in supply, but the luxury of trade is appreciated if it does not compromise essential human values. At this point a great portion of the food supply will be purchased with the focus on local and ethically supported sources. The amount of time and
energy devoted to
perennial gardening and hunting/gathering this year will depend on the quantity and quality of those willing to contribute to the project.
If the things outlined in the village ‘mission statement’ below resonate, consider coming for a visit. As a general rule, consumer culture will be parked at the edge of the property, phones full of social media to be left in cars. What makes it past the check-in point will be basics to secure
shelter, food and
water in a reasonable manner and to help establish more self sufficient infrastructure. Clutter inside the head is expected, with the hope that it can be sifted into something to fertilize connections among others here. There is no charge to visit, just an expectation to help prepare meals and an interest in growing a healthy group culture.
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