Written by Marie Hoff & Photographed by Alycia Lang A.L. Chaffin didn’t believe in banks. Born before the Great Depression, he stored his money in shoeboxes under the seat of his truck. After the stock market crashed in 1929, he used this personalized banking system to buy land in Butte County, California. In cash. Agriculture […]
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Transhumance: a Revival of Grassland Culture
Written by Ariel Greenwood & Photographed by Noelle Gaberman trans·hu·mance noun the action or practice of moving livestock from one grazing ground to another in a seasonal cycle, typically to lowlands in winter and highlands in summer. Grassland, prairie, savanna—in some regions these landscapes are so ubiquitous that they are paradoxically invisible. They are everywhere, […]
Read MoreRooted in Community: Chico Flax
Written by Sarah Lillegard & Photographed by Paige Green Tucked in by the entrance of the artisan barn at this year’s California Nut Festival is a booth that seems perfectly at home with its setting. The light from the open door is catching bundles of dry flax and the barn floor is slowly acquiring little […]
Read MoreAn Ear to the Ground at Flying Mule Farm
Written & Photographed by Sarah Lillegard Arriving at Flying Mule Farm on the cusp of lambing season and on the heels of a snowstorm in the Sierra Nevada Mountains, the fields are damp with recent rain. Ewes and lambs call to each other and in the morning light. It’s easy to get sentimental about spaces […]
Read MoreBuilding Off an Industrial Hemp Variety Trial with One Acre Exchange
Hemp holds tremendous potential as a crop that can contribute to restoring our working landscapes, revitalizing our regional economies, and rethinking the impact of the way we clothe ourselves. Our worldwide fiber consumption has tipped the scale toward a reliance on fossil-fuel derived synthetics, yet bast fibers and blended fabrics emerge as a soil-based solution […]
Read MoreNaturally Colored Fiber Fun at Blue Barn Farm
Written & Photographed by Koa Kalish On a steep and sunny, five-acre hillside in El Dorado County, Catherine Lawson tends to her flock. They are some of the most luxurious wool-producing ungulates around, Merino sheep and Cashmere goats, and here, they live in many colors. Photo of lambs on left by Catherine Lawson. The Merino […]
Read MoreFrankenmuth Woolen Mill: Preserving American-made Craft for Over 100 Years
Written by Sasha Wirth; Photographed by James Saleska (mill and bedding images) & Paige Green (ranch images) In a humble Midwestern town in 1894, a mill opened its doors for business. Sourcing wool from neighboring farms, it manufactured essential goods ranging from mitts and socks to blankets and quilts. Its presence in the town provided […]
Read MoreOld-World Wool at The Paddocks
Written & Photographed by Koa Kalish Follow the road to the end and you’ll meet a wide stretch of caramel-colored sand and the wild ocean. The air is cool and the colors classic to Northern California’s coastline. This is Point Arena, one of the smallest incorporated cities in the state and one of the furthest […]
Read MoreTallow: Summer Solace’s Food for the Skin
Written by Sasha Wirth & Photographed by Paige Green On a busy street in North Oakland, nestled beside an old-school barbershop and a deli selling everything from donuts to Chinese food, stands a green converted storefront. At first glance, it appears to be just another commercial space, perhaps even a warehouse. But past the metal […]
Read MoreRenaissance Woman of Today: Starbuck Station Wools
Written by Amanda Fisk; Photographed by Paige Green In the quiet countryside of the Sonoma Coast, a fairly long, slightly steep, single-lane road winds its way up to Starbuck Station Wools—the home, studio and sales place of Martha Cant. Martha grows wool and indigo, as well as other dye plants. She raises Cormo and Wensleydale […]
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