Farm Immersions
A Place To ReWild in nature
What does a farm immersion include? These programs are designed to give you the chance to immerse yourself in the beautiful ecology of our small farm. You will have exploration time to savor the forest trails, and basque in quiet cabin life, while fostering connection and inspiration from the natural world around you. During each program, we will offer several scheduled activities. The rest of your time will be your own to explore, do art, meet baby lambs, or enjoy your hobbies.
Total Farm Experience and Immersion with Cabins
Weekend Dates Available Below
The Experience
Besides seeing a small working farm in operation, and spending time in nature, you will be staying in our small cluster of off-grid dwellings that we call Wilding Village. Several of the cabins are inhabited by our wonderful farm crew who will help make the immersion experience on Wild Roots. The cabin and tent accommodations are rustic and do not have electricity and plumbing. There is an outhouse, wash station, and outdoor shower with solar shower bags.
The Village has a beautiful outdoor kitchen equipped with a stove, a small fridge, and kitchenware, running water for washing dishes and fresh drinking water. Immersion participants are responsible for bringing their own food and preparing their own meals. Town is 5 miles away, though we encourage people to arrive with supplies so they can fully immerse themselves in the woods.
Each dwelling sleeps two people on our comfortable double or single mattresses. We offer clean sleeping bags and bedding or you are welcome to bring your own.
We recommend you bring a portable phone charger, but we do have an extra battery back for urgent needs.
Price
The price for the weekend experience (Friday and Saturday Night) is $300 per cabin
Schedule (based on weather)
Friday arrival between 4 and 8 pm and evening farm orientation
Saturday two-hour morning program, and self-directed time, evening campfire
Departure Sunday at 11 am
Travel Logistics
We are a 30 min car ride from the Monticello bus station, and 10 minutes from the Livingston Manor drop-off point. Arrival and departure transportation must be arranged for personally.
Additional programming is an extra cost but can be offered on request by email or if we already have an event scheduled growwildroots@gmail.com
The Cabins, Your Rustic Home
Scotch Plot Cabin
Large stone steps give way to a small airy cabin nestled along the trail. This cabin’s name comes from old documents calling this land “the scotch plot” presumably because it was settled by Scots. The cabin sleeps 1 or 2 people.
Avalon Cabin
This one sleeps 1 or 2 guests and is a small beautiful cabin painted with magical creatures. The space shines with creativity and imagination! It is overlooking a rock ledge into the woods.
Bracken Fern Cabin
Nestled farther along the path this cabin was the old Growing Wild schoolhouse when the farm hosted weekly homeschool programs. The charcoal drawings of kids who learned on the farm can still be seen on the refurbished ceiling. This cabin sleeps 1 or 2 people.
Raven's Nest
This bright and cozy tent feels spacious and magical. Nestled down a short path, the tent is close to a rock ledge with beautiful woodland views. The spot is alive with bird songs and nature inspiration. Sleeps 1-2 people or a couple and their kids.
 |  |  |  |  |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 |  |  |
Our Team
Iris Fen
Program Co-Creator and Facilitator
Iris Fen Gillingham is a 21-year-old climate and food justice activist and Program Associate at Catskill Mountainkeeper. Between 2014-2019 she worked with Earth Guardians and helped launch Zero Hour. Iris grew up on Wild Roots Farm, an off-grid regenerative farm in the Catskill Mountains of New York. Iris became involved in climate justice work at the age of 9 when her community rose up against the threat of fracking. Her positive passion for change and voice has been featured in articles and videos by Vice, The New York Times, CNN, Teen Vogue, along with international TV stations and local media outlets. She was featured in the National Geographic and Bloomberg Philanthropies film “Paris to Pittsburgh”. Iris is one of the co-creators of the Wild Roots Farm Immersion Programs. She wants to help young people build connections to their food, energy resources, and local ecology, with an emphasis on creating stronger relationships with themselves and the natural world. She hascurrently studying Human Ecology at College of the Atlantic in Maine.
Amy
Farmer
Amy is the heart of Wild Roots Farm. She homeschooled her two children and taught them through experiential learning on the farm. Amy loves working in the garden and grows all of the family’s fresh vegetables, looks after the orchard, berry patches and flower gardens. She is a fiber artist and hand spinner, dyer, knitter, and felter using wool from her sheep. Along with her garden skills, Amy is knowledgeable in wild edibles and medicinal plants. She has led workshops on building connection with the natural world. Amy is a Certified Breath Facilitator and Group Leader with Transformational Breath® Foundation. She was inspired to build the outdoor wood-fired bake oven to help foster community connections. Amy has a strong relationship with the earth and has worked closely with nature in all seasons. She works to bring people together around art and food by connecting to nature and our foodways.
Wes
Farmer / Activist
As Catskill Mountainkeeper’s co-founder and Associate Director, Wes helps develop the strategic thrust of their programs and coordinates collaborative efforts working with regional, state, and national partners on Extreme Energy Extraction and fossil fuel infrastructure fights. Dedicated to pushing New York into a Just Transition away from fossil fuels he has personally lived off the electric grid for over 30 years and serves on the advisory board of the Center for Earth Ethics and Northeast Organic Farming Association. For ten years, Wes and his wife Amy ran a 150-member Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) vegetable operation. Prior to farming, Wes served as an Acting Director of Field Programs for the National Audubon Society Expedition Institute, teaching graduate and undergraduate environmental education throughout North America and also worked as a Park Ranger for the National Park Service. Although graduating from the University of Maine his real education comes from his extensive experiences in rural and wilderness America. All stemming from growing up learning about the interaction of humans and the natural world here in the Catskills.
Riza
Farm Intern
Growing up in the mountains of Colorado, Riza’s love for the outdoors sparked at a young age. She attended a Montessori school up until high school and is grateful for the hands-on approach to learning, setting the foundation for the rest of her educational journey. In the summer of 2019, she went on a 30 day backpacking trip with NOLS in the Talkeetna Mountains, Alaska. Standing on a rock field that years before was buried under a hundred feet of ice and being forced to change their route due to unprecedented river water levels from glacial melt opened her eyes to the dire effects of climate change. In October 2020, Riza embarked on a second NOLS course, spending 6 months traveling through the U.S. West. Being completely immersed in nature for an extended period of time allowed Riza to connect with herself and the natural land like never before. She is passionate in continuing this journey and contributing toward the wise stewardship of our Earth. Riza hopes to help others cultivate their own sense of self and place. She is planning on studying Human Ecology at College of the Atlantic this fall.
Raeanna
Farm Intern
Raeanna is a 21 year old member of the Dine (Navajo) Nation. She belongs to the Chíshí(Chiricahua)
Dine'é clan and born for the
‘Ashííhí(Salt) clan. She is from the Black Mesa Plateau in Northeast Arizona on the Navajo Nation. Growing up
in the rural high desert on ancestral land she became an active volunteer for the grassroots organization, Tó Nizhoní Aní(TNA) which means "Sacred Water Speaks". TNA was formed in 2001 and its mission is to protect Navajo Water. Since it's formation, TNA has successfully campaigned to end the use of pristine groundwater for coal mining. Currently, Raeanna is a student at Diné College and when she's am not studying, she is usually busy helping at the family ranch or relaxing with her cat "Gidi Mao”.
