Support & Follow Rachael's Permaculture Internship

Hey, hi, hey! I’m Rachael. Quick questions first...Who do you picture yourself being in the future? What are you doing? Who are you at your core? That person you see, do your actions match them now? Are you on the path to being that person?

Those last questions felt like a knife to my heart.

Like many of us AC (After Coronavirus), I knew it had to change. 2022 was my breaking point. I didn't have a plan but I had to start taking steps in the right direction. Each day since then I try to take one more little step toward becoming the person I want to be. It started with investing in my healing, learning how to support others, and build community.

I also started educating myself on my impact on the planet. Looking for better ways to make caring for the planet part of my life. One way is through regenerative living. This means shifting my focus off of "doing less harm" and onto co-creating environments where ALL LIFE thrives. I am still learning how to do this but I have big goals...

One day I want to have a farm of my own in the Blaine, Washington area (my sister and brother-in-law live there). Yes, to support myself and my mom. But also to benefit the broader community. To provide healthy food and improve the land. To offer opportunities for others to come to learn regenerative living.

Eventually, and this is the big BIG picture, I want to open transitional housing for survivors of domestic violence. I want a place where they can learn all kinds of skills and self-sufficiency. A place where they can heal while they help heal the land.

I am ready to take bigger steps. To make a bigger impact by sharing what I learn. What truly drives me is the desire to help others #BeTheChange they want to see in the world too.

I stumbled on my next big step that brings all these things together...a three-month internship at Tanglewood , a permaculture farm in Bywong, Australia.

Ruth and David Acland spent the last 20 years building their farm and living the regenerative principles. The last few years they have offered opportunities for others to come and learn. But they wanted to take bigger steps too. To offer a more immersive learning experience. So they built Woodland Cottage on their property to allow them to host interns.

I am so honored that they accepted me as one of their first interns for July, August, and September 2024. The internship will equip me with the skills I need to start my farm. And give me a chance to share it with you through videos and blogs. It's also a vital step in securing grants and funding for my future farm.

Some of the things I will learn during this internship:

Reading the land

Designing and building structures

Seed collection

Pruning

Planning/planting

Propagating

Rotating/resting garden beds

Companion planting

Composting

Worm farming

Now for the nitty-gritty. I'll still have monthly expenses at home, caring for my mom and our beloved kitty, Willow. Then there are travel and living costs in Australia, where the internship takes place. Lastly, there are fees associated with using GoFundMe.

To make this incredible project a reality, I need to raise $20,000. This will cover:

$13,500 for home expenses

$4,500 for travel and living in Australia

$2,000 for GoFundMe fees.

The internship runs from July to August 2024 (specific dates will be announced in the future).

Do you want to be a part of the change too? Donate $25 today and join the #BeTheChange Club. When you sign up for the newsletter, you get updates along the way, hear more of how I started taking little manageable steps each day to be the change I want to see in the world.

Then, in July, you will meet Ruth, get a tour of the farm, and learn along with me. Let's become the change together.