Setting up the Red yurt
Catia bought a second hand 6m yurt with a custom platform. We cleared an area next to the big ruin, next to Hari's yurt and set it up on blocks. This was much quicker than the Platform we made for the Yellow yurt, though the platform pieces were very heavy and difficult to move to the site, needing at least four people.
This yurt came with a new cotton inner liner, which looks gives the interior of the yurt a more neat and bright feel.
I expected the canvas to be water proof, but after the first heavy rain in October, we discovered it was not waterproof, and so unfortunately the inner liner got some water stains and mildew. We dried it out with the wood burner and then bought some breathable, waterproof membrane to put underneath the canvas, which is now working well.
I build an awning to protect the door and the exposed part of the platform.
Founding Gathering September 2024
We hosted another week-long founding gathering aimed at people who are looking for an ecovillage to join.
This time we had more families with children, so did more activities with the children, as well as tours of the land and workshops to each share our visions and to look at the work done so far for the Ecovillage project here and the next steps for the rural campsite licence.
Half way through the gathering week, there was a wildfire that swept across part of our land. Despite having rained a few weeks before, the weather became dry, hot and windy. The part of the land that we live on is protected by the road, and so thankfully the firefighters were there to contain the fire as it blew fast across the wild part of the land on the other side of the road.
We were in the middle of a workshop when we saw the smoke and fire already close by. The group evacuated to the closest village and then to a town. Catia and I stayed to take the cats and see if we could do anything, but the firefighters were already there. I drove to the other side of the river to watch, rather than leaving without knowing the outcome for our land.
I left relieved that our place was safe then joined the group in the town. Most of the group slept in their campervans and returned the next day, but some of us returned to the land that evening.
Thankfully we only lost some of the pipe that was taking water from the spring, though it was unfortunate timing during a gathering, and broke the flow of the workshops we had planned. Even so, it was good to experience it together as a temporary community group and learn from it.
Shortly after, we celebrated Kali's birthday, with a lovely gathering, cake and a painting gifted from Mike.
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