wabi-sabi wilderness farm

Location: Shelter Island, Alaska

Hosts: Rick Bellagh and Nels Olson

A map of Alaska showing the region of Juneau. The location of Whaleseye is represented by a red dot.

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Wabi Sabi farm/homestead can be reached by walking about 15 minutes inland. The camp itself is located on a muskeg, which is a type of swamp.

In order to traverse the camp and stay out of the mud, the farm/homestead is covered with wooden planks that you can walk on. Many of the things I created at the camp had to do with wooden planks.

Rick and Nels, the two hosts of the camp, are only on the island for 3 months, which is during the summer season, otherwise, they are teachers that reside in Juneau for the other nine months of the year.

Most of the food that is eaten by the inhabitants of the camp is natural and organic, with 70% of the food grown in the gardens there.

Wabi Sabi creates its own heat and electricity.
- Heat is generated by solar panels, which store energy in batteries, then convert the suns energy into usable electricity.
- Heat is generated by burning wood (found in the forest).
- Water is generated by collecting rainwater.

The welcome sign that is displayed before the entrance to Wabi Sabi. The sign lists the six rules/virtues upheld in the camp. I did not create this sign, a previous WWOOFer did.

This is the cabin I stayed in during my 5 and a half week stay at Wabi Sabi, which was called The Hobbit Hole. The Hobbit Hole is Wabi Sabi's old sauna repurposed into a cabin (the new sauna can be located on the map below).

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This is the map I created for Wabi Sabi; it is placed at the entrance to the camp (where the red star is).

Tools used to create the map: paints

Located at the entrance to Wabi Sabi, this area includes the map (mentioned above) I created, as well as a bridge extension (outer two planks), the triangle wedge, and I dug the canal around the bridge that allows the water in the area to drain.

Tools used to create the map, bridge extensions, and canal: plywood, paints, wood, drill, shovel

I extended the plank walkway in the above picture; extending it from just one long plank to two extensions on the side, which helps with balance.

Tools used to create plank extension: wood, drill

I also extended the plank walkway here too, although there was not too much room for an extension, hence I just extended it with a thin plank. This extension helped with balance and stability.

Tools used to create plank extension: wood, drill

I also helped build the above glass sculpture mausoleum, which was dedicated to their beloved dog that was about to pass on. The organically made tomb consisted of glass bottles, mud to act as glue, and a rodadendrum tree that was planted in the middle of the sculpture.

Tools used to create glass sculpture/masoleum: empty glass bottles, mud

I extended the double side blank with a wider plank on the right side. I would have liked to extend more of it or different sections, but I did not have the right kind of wood. The extension helped with balance and stability.

Tools used to create plank extension: wood, drill

I built this small platform for stability and balance, before there was just a wobbly piece of wood.

Tools used to create platform: wood, drill

I built this latger platform for balance and stability. Since this platform serves as a junction that forks Northeast, as well as North and South, I had to put extra consideration into constructing this piece so it could be dual purpose.

Tools used to create platform: wood, drill

I built the framework and roof on the compost bin at Wabi Sabi. This is the view from the front side.

Tools used to create compost framework and roof: wood, aluminum roofing, drill

This is the view of the compost bin from the back side.

Tools used to create compost framework and roof: wood, aluminum roofing, drill

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This was a simple extension near the kitchen area, which simply adds an extra platform for bystanders to walk on.

Tools used to create plank: wood, drill

I helped dig a seven foot deep watering hole between the camps two greenhouses. The watering hole would serve as a source of water for the greenhouses.

Tools used to create watering hole: shovel, hole digger (tool), tarps, buckets

The outhouse at the camp is called The Inspiration Box. Another WWOOFer and I replaced the plastic tarp roof with a gazebo like wooden roof.

Tools used to create Inspiration Box roof: wood, drill, saw, tape measure

wabi-sabi wilderness farm

Location: Shelter Island, Alaska

Hosts: Rick Bellagh and Nels Olson

A map of Alaska showing the region of Juneau. The location of Whaleseye is represented by a red dot.

The welcome sign that is displayed before the entrance to Wabi Sabi. The sign lists the six rules/virtues upheld in the camp. I did not create this sign, a previous WWOOFer did.

This is the cabin I stayed in during my 5 and a half week stay at Wabi Sabi, which was called The Hobbit Hole. The Hobbit Hole is Wabi Sabi's old sauna repurposed into a cabin (the new sauna can be located on the map below).

This is the map I created for Wabi Sabi; it is placed at the entrance to the camp (where the red star is).

Located at the entrance to Wabi Sabi, this area includes the map (mentioned above) I created, as well as a bridge extension (outer two planks), the triangle wedge, and I dug the canal around the bridge that allows the water in the area to drain.

I extended the plank walkway in the above picture; extending it from just one long plank to two extensions on the side, which helps with balance.

I also extended the plank walkway here too, although there was not too much room for an extension, hence I just extended it with a thin plank. This extension helped with balance and stability.

I also helped build the above glass sculpture mausoleum, which was dedicated to their beloved dog that was about to pass on. The organically made tomb consisted of glass bottles, mud to act as glue, and a rodadendrum tree that was planted in the middle of the sculpture.

I extended the double side blank with a wider plank on the right side. I would have liked to extend more of it or different sections, but I did not have the right kind of wood. The extension helped with balance and stability.

I built this small platform for stability and balance, before there was just a wobbly piece of wood.

I built this latger platform for balance and stability. Since this platform serves as a junction that forks Northeast, as well as North and South, I had to put extra consideration into constructing this piece so it could be dual purpose.

I built the framework and roof on the compost bin at Wabi Sabi. This is the view from the front side.

This is the view of the compost bin from the back side.

This was a simple extension near the kitchen area, which simply adds an extra platform for bystanders to walk on.

I helped dig a seven foot deep watering hole between the camps two greenhouses. The watering hole would serve as a source of water for the greenhouses.

The outhouse at the camp is called The Inspiration Box. Another WWOOFer and I replaced the plastic tarp roof with a gazebo like wooden roof.

Not pictured here are: the path from the beach to the meadow that I cleared