A farmstead is part farm, part homestead. For us, that means that we aim for a more sustainable and self-sufficient life for us while at the same time offering healthy and naturally grown produce to the community.
Our farmsteading philosophy is an integration of different approaches, from permaculture to organic farming to traditional orcharding, all of which can be understood as regenerative agriculture.
We don’t just try to regenerate a healthy Earth though, we also want to contribute to a regenerative health for humans. Providing healthy produce is of course a large part of this, but as Jim is also a practicing ecopsychologist, our farmsteading philosophy is rooted in the principles of ecopsychology and ecotherapy–the study of how the psychological processes in our relationship to the natural world impact the health of humans and ecosystems. The basic premise of ecopsychology is that what is good for the Earth is also good for us. Our farmsteading philosophy draws on different methods and techniques to contribute to a regenerative ecosystem and healthier humans. We are currently developing programs to support ecopsychology and ecotherapy in Michigan, so stay tuned! (You can find Jim’s ecotherapy practice at Root and Leaf).
At Cloudscape Hill, we are enchanted by the Earth. So much beauty, so many unknowns to explore, so many new adventures. We love what we do – being outside in nature, working toward a healthier life for us and the Earth. The common thread in all of our work is our mission to nurture and inspire healing, regenerative wholeness, and belonging with the entire earth community.