A core theme across a decade of DP has been, simply put, that the old paradigm of extractive, predatory and human supremacist capitalism has reached its terminal stage, with a new post-“ism” paradigm struggling to be born.
This year, we intend to place special focus on the countless local initiatives — new paradigm midwives — that are exploring more viable ways of being for human communities, living in harmony with nature and the land, free from toxic politics and strangling ideology.
This week, we visit Wild Altar Farmstead; excerpts from a recent newsletter, below.

LIFE AT THE EDGE OF THE TANGLE
On their website (farmstead store highly recommended!), Wild Altar founders Taylor and Jordan write:
Wild Altar Farmstead is nestled into the Blue Ridge Mountains near the Big Levels Conservation Area. We value our forest edge location which offers dynamic interaction between the wild and the cultivated.
We desire to understand and care for our landscape while harvesting its bounty to share with our community. Wild Altar emphasizes responsible and resilient practices such as no-till gardening, woodland restoration, and water conservation. We are growing into a deeper connection with place, and we deeply acknowledge the work of the indigenous stewards of this landscape. Their practices of interconnectedness inspire, motivate, and humble us.
We imagine a world where food guides us into a mutual relationship with place and community. Wild Altar is a dream of togetherness. We are working to build a physical space that facilitates vulnerability and openness to reconnect our rural area and to incubate a renewed understanding of rural-urban reliance.
To learn more about our current projects, including opportunities to share in the labor of the land, please get in touch. We offer design consultation to reinvigorate your yard or garden into an abundant system. Contact us for more information. thornypioneer@gmail.com
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