If nature is your muse, collaborator, or co-conspirator, then make plans for a residency in May or June. This is the start of festival and farm market season.
Feel fresh with comfortable temperatures, pops of color and variety of greens. You'll hear the birds and possibly feel the spring rain. Take the shoes off and stand on the grass for a grounding experience.
“Flowers don't worry about how they're going to bloom. They just open up and turn toward the light, and that makes them beautiful." – Jim Carrey
A variety of flowers begin to bloom starting with the daffodils in February, but you'll also see wild flora such as clovers and dandelions. The trees begin their sprouting and the daylight is a minute longer day by day.
Schedule your program for mid-June and you'll be able to attend the nearby Lavender festival, Blueberry farm festival, the farm market day at the first intentional community "The Farm" in Summertown and potentially other regional events.
Those who stay at least 2 weeks will receive a guided Forest Therapy (aka Forest Bathing) walk (certified guide by ANFT) for a deeper connection to the land. Make the creative habit to wander the landscape on a daily basis.
“Spring work is going on with joyful enthusiasm." – John Muir
This is an ideal time to work outside, but there are several studios and work spaces that are assigned based on the calendar and your space/medium requirements.
“It's spring again. I can hear the birds sing again. See the flowers start to bud. See young people fall in love." – Lou Rawls, "Spring Again"
All facilities have undergone renovations and interior design cosmetic updates in the last 2 years, some in the last few months. For more information about the residency including pictures and a blog of previous participants, please visit the website.
Residency Eligibility
Residency Experience Summary
Application Information
Let your creativity FLOW LIKE THE BUFFALO river on the edge of our acreage.
Individuals must be able to let the normal world and lifestyle go during your stay and it is encouraged that you utilize the time and access to the benefits of being away from contemporary society. If you cannot go a day without your favorite coffee shop visit, have fast food on the brain, or need lots of people around to function, this is not the place for you.
Be prepared for a different sense of time here and your project goals may actually go faster because you don't have your normal life distractions. You must agree to all of the policies which includes basic life chores like washing dishes daily as a creative philosophy allow your mind to wander and your inner gut to rejuvenate.
Projects at any stage are acceptable from seed starting to harvesting.
Applications accepted on a rolling basis and response can be within a day or up to 2 weeks. Priority given based on date of submission and applicant connection to nature in your written statements.
To confirm your program, after email conversation or a video interview for those interested in the farm stay scholarship, you'll receive a contract with all additional details. The program fee due within 10 days is non-refundable and acts as a deposit to secure your spot. Any cancellation can be rescheduled in the future.
The Residency fees are determined by length of stay and also include a lodging fee based on size of room and length of stay. This starts at $450 for one week plus the room. For complete list of costs, please visit the website.
Farm Stay Scholarship ($150-300) is based on application interest and an interview to discuss your skills, if any. This funding deducts from the final fees and requires about 6 hours a week of participation in physical activities on the land - some of these hours are guided and working with your host, Val.
Depending on the season and the urgency of current projects, your help could be in gardening/weeding, shoveling/digging, transporting manure for compost pile or garden beds, chopping down bamboo to use in creative fencing projects, breaking/trimming limbs and wood pieces into kindling and firewood size chunks, helping carry or install various items like t-post fencing, picking up or transporting rocks or sticks, helping to clear trails or rake leaves in the winter transporting to the garden. There's usually always a small art project like a mural or organizing the upcycle pile to create something fun for the garden as well.
Please review the website for the limits on this funding scholarship.