Visions Through An Open Door
For five years, word of mouth has been our only avenue to share our hopes, dreams and accomplishments on the farm. The occasional photo shared on Instagram was the only way to show the changes happening around us. And while farmer’s markets, events and social media do create a sense of surroundings, we’ve been missing an element on the farm. We live and breathe Simply Sol on a daily basis, working alongside our friends and land mates to build the farm we call our home. But what about those around us who don’t get the opportunity to explore with us in the same way? A large majority of the people we meet ask us when they can come and see for themselves. Truthfully, up until this year, we haven’t felt that either we or the land were ready to host. For so long, every single person out here has been doing the most to achieve the minimum, but hard work pays off. This year we finally feel that we’re capable of an easier dance with the land and vice versa, making the instillation of that missing element possible. We’ve got some wonderfully unique ideas on how to open our doors to wider community members to access and get to know the farm we already hold dear.
From the moment we began our work on the farm in 2020, we knew we wanted to make this a communal space. We began by homing in the unique living situation on the farm, creating a community on a small scale of farm and fun loving, hardworking individuals who believe in plant medicine, sustainability, and the vision of “we have Eden at home” type future. However, true sustainability requires a reach beyond our immediate circle to benefit as many as possible, so, in the spirit of true sustainability we’ve developed a few ideas on how to live up to that more fully.
Presently, we’ve created multiple avenues for community involvement. Our farm tours are an idea that sprang out of what felt like a real opening in the farm style experience. People know what a u-pick is and have wandered around flower farms or botanical gardens, but it’s a truly unique opportunity to get to tour a farm growing hemp or cannabis flowers. Although the cannabis industry is heritage to so many in this great state, only recently has it become legal for hemp farms to share that knowledge with people far and wide. We’ve been inspired to be one of the first that offers an in depth look into the way our farm operates, the sustainability practices we utilize and the life cycle of our favorite plant of power. These guided tours, led by either Travis or myself, not only take you through the hemp field and greenhouses, but also through the beautiful forest that surrounds the property as well as some of the historical structures hidden among the lush undergrowth of this land. Our hope is that by sharing more about our principles, practice, and discoveries on the farm, we will also learn more about what moves our community as a whole. These tours will include free sampling of our products as well as a complimentary liquid libation to accompany you on your tour. Once the guided portion is over, guests are welcome to explore at their own pace, shop our products and take their time enjoying the scenery. Twice a year, we plan to expand our farm tours into a true farm event. The first of these larger events is scheduled for July 26th. These events are bound to be a hit, with the first event being an open-air movie night under the stars and the second being a live music concert for guests to enjoy! These events will include all the same offerings of the farm tours, but will also involve a silent auction, a farm-to-table dinner option and a broader selection of art and intrigues from our farm to enjoy. Farming is more than just educational, it can be fun too, so we wanted to have more opportunities for people to stop and smell the flowers with us, enjoying all the beauty that’s abundant out here.
In the extremely near future, we will be shifting our focus to another especially important lesson this land has taught us, REST! Soon, we will be offering farm stays in a more official capacity to accommodate the rest and rejuvenation of our wider community away from the city or demands of everyday life. Some of you may have seen our ads for our tiny trailer, which you can currently rent for a few nights to explore the land at your own pace. This summer we are building several unique domes to expand the accommodation offered on our farm. Now you’ll be able to stay in a boutique dome while smoking boutique flowers from a soaking tub tucked into our enchanted forest. While we start on these amenity projects, we often reflect on the fact that many of our friends who come here claim to feel more recharged and relaxed than when we arrived. With that I mind, we are leaning into the restorative aspects of our farm to help heal in other ways then just physical plant medicine.
As we dream into the future, we can go on and on about the beautiful pond we want to build, the hillside olive and nut orchard we want to plant or the art installations we plan to create, but really what’s most important is recognizing the drive and determination it has taken to get to this place of limitless dreaming. We wouldn’t be able to begin envisioning these projects without the infrastructure we developed initially or the strong crew we call our farm family. These aspects take time. However, we’ve spent that time so we can be here now, offering the fruits of our labor and sharing in our visions, a chance to walk and watch with us as we grow as a farm, an event space, and a community. There is always a bit of hesitation when inviting the wider public into a space you not only love but have personally helped to transform. Will they understand what it took to get here? While some will not, I believe that most will if you tell them, teach them, and try to inspire a similar spark of interest. Then people will not only understand, but care and maybe, keep coming back, spreading the word and inspiring others. We’d love that more than anything.
We truly hope to see you around and meet you in person soon.
With love,
Logan