Intern Communications

March 2019  from father of Jordan Larson
Jordon Larson
Jordan was part of small group of home-schooled teens who came to the Strawbale Studio every 2 weeks for parts of 2 years or so.

After studying architecture at a university on the West Coast, Jordan has just been accepted into the Masters program at SEAS (UM School of Environment and Sustainability.)  He’ll be moving to Ann Arbor in the fall (where his sister already lives.)

Dec 27, 2019 from Petar Simic, 2016 Wintern.
Hi Deanne,

Lots of changing and figuring out in my life right now. Nya and I just got back from a trip to Cuba. We visited and stayed on many farms there. It is a very interesting place agriculturally. After the peak oil crisis in the 90s they had to revert to community-based, organic agricultural to survive. Lots of beautiful farms in the cities and the countryside. Super cool permaculture projects and lots of live power using oxen. It was a great learning experience.
Now I am trying to decide what my next step should be. Applying to some different jobs and applying to graduate school for the fall. Who knows what is gonna happen! But I do know whatever I choose, nature and learning will be involved so I am very excited.
I will be at my folks house for the month of January so I would love to get together as much as possible. Of course I would love to make a thatching video as well (it doesn’t have to be filmed in one day). This would be something very fun for me. I would also love to attend a 2 week thatching intensive. Sounds like a great way to really learn the skill.
Petar Simic

Letter to Strawbale Studio from Kari, 2013 intern.

Hello Deanne!
Yes, Miguel wants to plant Pine Nuts.  He said the trees should give us
nuts in about 8 or 10 years and he fully intends to enjoy them at that time.
He’s going to plant about 20 trees or so. There’s a hill here on the farm that is real sandy and he planted a bunch of evergreen trees about 25 years ago that have done very well and he figured that the Nut Pine trees would also do well in this type of soil.

If reforesting is happening, it should all be done with food trees.
sugar maples, Nut Pines, fruit trees, black walnut, English walnut, hickory nut, cherry trees…and maybe a few Locust trees as they make the best fence posts and hopefully soon. When the big monoculture corn and soy stops, everyone will be putting up fences and letting animals out to heal the earth and feed us.
Thanks for writing, I think of you and the Studio often.
By the way, did I ever tell you?  I haven’t washed my hair since you told me of your experience.  It is wonderful not to do that anymore, and people regularly comment on how my hair is pretty and looks so healthy.
Thank you so much for freeing me of that wasteful ritual.
Yay!
many blessings and much love
kari

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