Takamine announces Glenn Frey Signature Model
From:
http://www.guitarsite.com/news/acoustic_guitar/takamine_announces_glenn_frey_signature_model/
Country rock pioneer and classic rock icon, Glenn Frey has influenced generations of aspiring musicians with his stirring lyrics, unforgettable melodies and legendary guitar riffs in a career that has spanned nearly 40 years. As a Singer/songwriter, guitarist and founding member of one of the most enduring bands in popular music – The Eagles, Glenn relies on Takamine as the voice to deliver his music. Today, players around the world have the chance to own a replica of the guitar that helped Glenn write classic rock history.
Takamine’s EF360GF is a direct reproduction of Glenn’s #1 Takamine – the guitar heard around the world by millions of fans on countless concert tours. Made from the finest tonewoods and featuring state of the art electronics, the EG360GF is equipped to inspire great performances from singers and songwriters alike. Built to Glenn’s exact specifications, the EF360GF features a dreadnought body with solid spruce top and solid rosewood back. Other noteworthy specs include a concentric ring rosette, slim profile neck, black pickguard, rosewood pin bridge, bone saddle, GF inlay on rosewood peghead face, CT4B preamp and Gloss Natural finish. Retail: $1999.00 including hardshell case.
For more information, please visit www.takamine.com
This is a Press Release
Showing posts with label Guitar Making. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Guitar Making. Show all posts
Thursday, March 26, 2009
Martin Guitar announces the return of the 1 Series
From: http://www.guitarsite.com/news/acoustic_guitar/martin_guitar_announces_the_return_of_the_1_series/
Martin Guitars have announced the return of the highly popular "1 Series" acoustic guitars. Initially introduced in 1993, the "1 Series" is an affordable traditional solid wood guitar in the spirit of the Style 15 and Style 17 models that Martin introduced during The Great Depression. Addressing the concerns of consumers across the U.S. and abroad, Martin is making every concerted effort to provide players with an affordable, solid wood bodied guitar, backed by a heritage of over 175 years in skilled building excellence and a Limited Lifetime Warranty.
Constructed from solid tonewoods including a Sitka spruce top, bookmatched Sapele back and sides, as well as an East Indian Rosewood fingerboard and bridge, the "1 Series" creates the legendary rich and commanding Martin sound that has defined the acoustic guitar for generations. All four models being introduced feature Martin's modified hybrid scalloped top bracing. Two are purely acoustic guitars: a Dreadnought size D-1 and an Orchestra Model OM-1, and two add to the current selection of acoustic-electric models. The Dreadnought DC-1E and the Orchestra Model OMC-1E are each equipped with a state-of-the-art Fishman(R) sound reinforcement system featuring full volume and tone control and an onboard digital chromatic tuner. Whether you are choosing a purely acoustic or stage-ready acoustic-electric guitar, the new Martin "1 Series" models are designed and built to provide the best tone at the lowest price.
The Dreadnought, originally developed and manufactured by Martin Guitar in the early-1900s was first produced in 1931 bearing the Martin name, during hard economic times. The first two legendary models were named the D-1 and D-2 that soon became the now legendary D-18 and D-28. During the depression, Martin would continue to innovate and introduce several new style models, including the all mahogany Style 15 and Style 17 models, which provided an extraordinary value during that period. Those guitars became favorites of blues players in the post-depression era. More than any other acoustic guitar brand, Martin instruments have typically held or dramatically increased in value, and continue to be prized by collectors, players and guitar aficionados around the world.
All "1 Series" models purchased from dealers in the U.S and Canada are covered by a Limited Lifetime Warranty. Every "1 Series" guitar comes equipped with Martin SP strings for great long-lasting tone and sustain, as well as a hard-shell case to provide protection and security.
For more information, please visit www.martinguitar.com
This is a Press Release
From: http://www.guitarsite.com/news/acoustic_guitar/martin_guitar_announces_the_return_of_the_1_series/
Martin Guitars have announced the return of the highly popular "1 Series" acoustic guitars. Initially introduced in 1993, the "1 Series" is an affordable traditional solid wood guitar in the spirit of the Style 15 and Style 17 models that Martin introduced during The Great Depression. Addressing the concerns of consumers across the U.S. and abroad, Martin is making every concerted effort to provide players with an affordable, solid wood bodied guitar, backed by a heritage of over 175 years in skilled building excellence and a Limited Lifetime Warranty.
Constructed from solid tonewoods including a Sitka spruce top, bookmatched Sapele back and sides, as well as an East Indian Rosewood fingerboard and bridge, the "1 Series" creates the legendary rich and commanding Martin sound that has defined the acoustic guitar for generations. All four models being introduced feature Martin's modified hybrid scalloped top bracing. Two are purely acoustic guitars: a Dreadnought size D-1 and an Orchestra Model OM-1, and two add to the current selection of acoustic-electric models. The Dreadnought DC-1E and the Orchestra Model OMC-1E are each equipped with a state-of-the-art Fishman(R) sound reinforcement system featuring full volume and tone control and an onboard digital chromatic tuner. Whether you are choosing a purely acoustic or stage-ready acoustic-electric guitar, the new Martin "1 Series" models are designed and built to provide the best tone at the lowest price.
The Dreadnought, originally developed and manufactured by Martin Guitar in the early-1900s was first produced in 1931 bearing the Martin name, during hard economic times. The first two legendary models were named the D-1 and D-2 that soon became the now legendary D-18 and D-28. During the depression, Martin would continue to innovate and introduce several new style models, including the all mahogany Style 15 and Style 17 models, which provided an extraordinary value during that period. Those guitars became favorites of blues players in the post-depression era. More than any other acoustic guitar brand, Martin instruments have typically held or dramatically increased in value, and continue to be prized by collectors, players and guitar aficionados around the world.
All "1 Series" models purchased from dealers in the U.S and Canada are covered by a Limited Lifetime Warranty. Every "1 Series" guitar comes equipped with Martin SP strings for great long-lasting tone and sustain, as well as a hard-shell case to provide protection and security.
For more information, please visit www.martinguitar.com
This is a Press Release
Friday, March 20, 2009
Food, wine and the fine art of sketching
By CATHERINE LANGSTON, Special to the GazetteFebruary 28, 2009
From: http://www.montrealgazette.com/Entertainment/Food+wine+fine+sketching/1338411/story.html
Squinting into the dimly lit foyer, I pressed the door buzzer beside the peel-off label reading Galerie Synesthésie. Seconds later, I was buzzed off the short, edgy stretch of Ste. Catherine St. E. near St. Laurent Blvd., and into the gallery's drawing workshop. It was like flipping the channel from a black-and-white indie documentary on street kids to a reality show in hyper-colour about an artist's loft.
But reality TV had nothing on the gallery's live model workshop when I walked in that Saturday afternoon to try my hand at sketching. A dozen-plus artists were grouped at work stations throughout the airy studio loft, preparing their materials and chatting. The model was stretching before her job under the bright lights. Soft music drifted around the long run of high-ceilinged space. Bowls of juicy grapes, ripe berries, salted nuts and chocolate biscuits surrounded a fresh baguette and cheeses. Red and white wine was on tap.
This was a drawing workshop?
"With sensory stimulus, people draw links between different sources of inspiration," explained owner Anthony Walsh, who's been running Galerie Synesthésie, which holds live model drawing sessions, art classes, and art exhibitions, since 2007.
Stimuli such as music, food or alcohol light up the brain's pleasure zones, he said, making the world, or in this case the drawing workshop, a more magical place.
Except that no one was draining the wine cartons dry. In fact, the artists seemed rooted by the challenge of rapidly sketching their impressions of the model before each 60-second pose dissolved then reformed into another. The short poses "get people into a creative state of flow" where they stop being self-critical, said Walsh, a master's student in Université de Montréal's psychology program.
So forget that Grade 2 teacher's warning not to colour outside the lines. Unlike our artistically suppressed
7-year-old selves, the sketchers at this gallery simply turn the page on their errors. And it works: halfway into the three-hour session, the Nefertiti-like necks and football shoulders of my earlier sketches had shrunk to more realistic shapes and proportions.
Art therapist Thomas Shortliffe agrees that over-rationalizing blocks the creative process, but said self-critiquing can aid growth.
"Through art, we understand about our creative process ... at the end of the process, we feel more secure in the development of our abilities," said Shortliffe, who holds a graduate degree in art therapy from Concordia University.
CÉGEP teacher and workshop regular Jane Petring said her sense of accomplishment is "related to how satisfied I am with what I produce. If I'm not working at developing (my abilities), I don't want to go there."
Walsh agreed, adding that by learning to use artists' tools for measuring angles and distances, for example, participants can start to put what they see on paper.
Sure enough, three hours and countless poses later, my first short, light, careful pencil strokes on newsprint had gradually been worked into firmer, darker, more fluid lines that captured some of the model's form and energy. And when the model stirred from her last long pose, I picked up my wine glass to toast myself for pushing past an ordinary glass door into an exceptional place.
Galerie Synesthésie is at 94 Ste. Catherine St. E., Suite 7. The three-hour sketching sessions with live models are open to everyone. Cost is $15. Sessions are on Saturdays from 4 to 7 p.m. and Sundays from 2:30 to 5:30 pm. For more information, visit www.galeriesynesthesie.com or call 514-998-7625
By CATHERINE LANGSTON, Special to the GazetteFebruary 28, 2009
From: http://www.montrealgazette.com/Entertainment/Food+wine+fine+sketching/1338411/story.html
Squinting into the dimly lit foyer, I pressed the door buzzer beside the peel-off label reading Galerie Synesthésie. Seconds later, I was buzzed off the short, edgy stretch of Ste. Catherine St. E. near St. Laurent Blvd., and into the gallery's drawing workshop. It was like flipping the channel from a black-and-white indie documentary on street kids to a reality show in hyper-colour about an artist's loft.
But reality TV had nothing on the gallery's live model workshop when I walked in that Saturday afternoon to try my hand at sketching. A dozen-plus artists were grouped at work stations throughout the airy studio loft, preparing their materials and chatting. The model was stretching before her job under the bright lights. Soft music drifted around the long run of high-ceilinged space. Bowls of juicy grapes, ripe berries, salted nuts and chocolate biscuits surrounded a fresh baguette and cheeses. Red and white wine was on tap.
This was a drawing workshop?
"With sensory stimulus, people draw links between different sources of inspiration," explained owner Anthony Walsh, who's been running Galerie Synesthésie, which holds live model drawing sessions, art classes, and art exhibitions, since 2007.
Stimuli such as music, food or alcohol light up the brain's pleasure zones, he said, making the world, or in this case the drawing workshop, a more magical place.
Except that no one was draining the wine cartons dry. In fact, the artists seemed rooted by the challenge of rapidly sketching their impressions of the model before each 60-second pose dissolved then reformed into another. The short poses "get people into a creative state of flow" where they stop being self-critical, said Walsh, a master's student in Université de Montréal's psychology program.
So forget that Grade 2 teacher's warning not to colour outside the lines. Unlike our artistically suppressed
7-year-old selves, the sketchers at this gallery simply turn the page on their errors. And it works: halfway into the three-hour session, the Nefertiti-like necks and football shoulders of my earlier sketches had shrunk to more realistic shapes and proportions.
Art therapist Thomas Shortliffe agrees that over-rationalizing blocks the creative process, but said self-critiquing can aid growth.
"Through art, we understand about our creative process ... at the end of the process, we feel more secure in the development of our abilities," said Shortliffe, who holds a graduate degree in art therapy from Concordia University.
CÉGEP teacher and workshop regular Jane Petring said her sense of accomplishment is "related to how satisfied I am with what I produce. If I'm not working at developing (my abilities), I don't want to go there."
Walsh agreed, adding that by learning to use artists' tools for measuring angles and distances, for example, participants can start to put what they see on paper.
Sure enough, three hours and countless poses later, my first short, light, careful pencil strokes on newsprint had gradually been worked into firmer, darker, more fluid lines that captured some of the model's form and energy. And when the model stirred from her last long pose, I picked up my wine glass to toast myself for pushing past an ordinary glass door into an exceptional place.
Galerie Synesthésie is at 94 Ste. Catherine St. E., Suite 7. The three-hour sketching sessions with live models are open to everyone. Cost is $15. Sessions are on Saturdays from 4 to 7 p.m. and Sundays from 2:30 to 5:30 pm. For more information, visit www.galeriesynesthesie.com or call 514-998-7625
Adventures in woodworking
Fearless in the face of a challenge, if Ralph Reichenbach doesn't know how to do something, he teaches himself
By Jennifer Fong, The Edmonton JournalJanuary 3, 2009
From: http://www.edmontonjournal.com/Life/Adventures+woodworking/1137629/story.html
Ralph Reichenbach is not one to shy away from a challenge.
Whether it's climbing the highest peak in the Canadian Rockies or building an electric guitar from scratch, the 47-year-old woodworker will take a shot at just about anything.
"I never do anything twice. ... I like the adventure of doing something new," says Reichenbach. "I'm always looking for new designs, new things, new challenges."
The thirst to test himself was what lured Reichenbach into woodworking in the first place.
When he was 12, his father took him to see a friend who specialized in marquetry. In the man's garage, Reichenbach watched as he formed detailed images with veneers from various species of wood, inlaid into a single surface.
"I thought this was such a great concept and so I went home and taught myself how to do it," he says.
While Reichenbach already knew the basics of woodworking -- his father is also a carpenter -- marquetry was completely new. "It's basically like putting together a jigsaw puzzle, but you are making your own pieces," he explains.
"I made a lot of mistakes and worked through the process and kind of developed a little bit of my own system."
A beech, sycamore, and walnut writing desk he crafted for the Tu Gallery is accented by inlays cut to look like paper, an envelope, a fountain pen, and a stamp, complete with tiny perforated edges. Another piece, a beech and poplar panel bearing the image of a woman's face, is even more detailed.
"I did a lot of shading on that face," he says. "When I look back on it, I go, 'Huh, that's pretty crazy.' "
But when Reichenbach is working, he doesn't think about how difficult his ideas might be to realize. He just goes for it.
"I taught design at NAIT and one of the things I tried to instil within my students was don't compromise your design or concept unless you absolutely have to. If you have a vision or idea, develop it and don't right away worry 'how am I going to do this?' or 'how am I going to build this?'
"If you want to pull off a good piece, you have to be committed to integrity. And
I think that's a principle that applies in all areas of life. You can't cheat; you can't cut corners."
Reichenbach is just about finished an electric guitar made from zebra wood and maple, with rich ebony details. He's never made an instrument before, but spent several years teaching himself how by talking to experts.
He estimates he has another 15 hours of work before the guitar will be ready to go to his 18-year-old son. Then, he'll move on to another adventure.
"It's going to be one-of-a-kind. Never to be replicated."
If you or someone you know is a standout local artisan with a unique craft, e-mail details to jfong@thejournal.canwest.com
Fearless in the face of a challenge, if Ralph Reichenbach doesn't know how to do something, he teaches himself
By Jennifer Fong, The Edmonton JournalJanuary 3, 2009
From: http://www.edmontonjournal.com/Life/Adventures+woodworking/1137629/story.html
Ralph Reichenbach is not one to shy away from a challenge.
Whether it's climbing the highest peak in the Canadian Rockies or building an electric guitar from scratch, the 47-year-old woodworker will take a shot at just about anything.
"I never do anything twice. ... I like the adventure of doing something new," says Reichenbach. "I'm always looking for new designs, new things, new challenges."
The thirst to test himself was what lured Reichenbach into woodworking in the first place.
When he was 12, his father took him to see a friend who specialized in marquetry. In the man's garage, Reichenbach watched as he formed detailed images with veneers from various species of wood, inlaid into a single surface.
"I thought this was such a great concept and so I went home and taught myself how to do it," he says.
While Reichenbach already knew the basics of woodworking -- his father is also a carpenter -- marquetry was completely new. "It's basically like putting together a jigsaw puzzle, but you are making your own pieces," he explains.
"I made a lot of mistakes and worked through the process and kind of developed a little bit of my own system."
A beech, sycamore, and walnut writing desk he crafted for the Tu Gallery is accented by inlays cut to look like paper, an envelope, a fountain pen, and a stamp, complete with tiny perforated edges. Another piece, a beech and poplar panel bearing the image of a woman's face, is even more detailed.
"I did a lot of shading on that face," he says. "When I look back on it, I go, 'Huh, that's pretty crazy.' "
But when Reichenbach is working, he doesn't think about how difficult his ideas might be to realize. He just goes for it.
"I taught design at NAIT and one of the things I tried to instil within my students was don't compromise your design or concept unless you absolutely have to. If you have a vision or idea, develop it and don't right away worry 'how am I going to do this?' or 'how am I going to build this?'
"If you want to pull off a good piece, you have to be committed to integrity. And
I think that's a principle that applies in all areas of life. You can't cheat; you can't cut corners."
Reichenbach is just about finished an electric guitar made from zebra wood and maple, with rich ebony details. He's never made an instrument before, but spent several years teaching himself how by talking to experts.
He estimates he has another 15 hours of work before the guitar will be ready to go to his 18-year-old son. Then, he'll move on to another adventure.
"It's going to be one-of-a-kind. Never to be replicated."
If you or someone you know is a standout local artisan with a unique craft, e-mail details to jfong@thejournal.canwest.com
WWOOFing it in England's Lake District
By Reb Stevenson, Ottawa Citizen; Canwest News ServiceFebruary 14, 2009
From: http://www.edmontonjournal.com/Technology/WWOOFing+England+Lake+District/1289143/story.html
Now this is green living.
Yeah, yeah, it's organic and all -- but that's not what I'm talking about.
It's the moss. The glorious emerald eco-carpet that sneaks its way onto every stone surface and infuses this landscape with a soft hint of neglect.
It's everywhere, anywhere. And it's enchanting.
As my cab navigates through Kendal and into the tiny village of Burneside, Cumbria, the taxi driver silently indulges my blathering.
It is my third week on the WWOOF (World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms) program, a global network of farms that allows you to exchange labour for accommodation and food.
You can WWOOF all over the world, but I'm doing it through WWOOF U.K. Sprint Mill Farm jumps out of the handbook because it lists "fun, variety, fulfilment and new experiences" as the work themes. Also, it is located in The Lake District, one of the U.K.'s prime tourist destinations.
A defunct mill, the farmhouse is damp, stony and clings to the bank of a gushing river. The whole place heaves with fertility.
Edward Acland runs Sprint Mill Farm with his doctor wife, Romola Stringer. Accommodation is in Acland's daughter's old bedroom in the main house. In the summer months, WWOOFers can sleep in the adjacent outbuilding.
Acland quickly ushers me into a kitchen that would make any Ikea enthusiast lash out with contempt.
It is furnished with a long wood table, a haphazard collection of glass jars stocked with mysterious contents, and a wood-burning stove most often seen in sepia photographs. This kitchen is truly the heart of the homestead.
And Acland, I soon decide, truly embodies the heart of what WWOOFing is all about.
Sprint Mill Farm is his 15-acre experiment in complete sustainability. He dabbles in coppicing (a traditional method of woodland management), animal-rearing, vegetable and fruit farming and woodcrafts.
None of it is for profit.
"It's about living off the interest and income of Mother Earth, but not using her capital," Acland explains. "We try to avoid using anything that we can't replace.
"It's jolly hard work, but very fulfilling," he says passionately.
As it turns out, WWOOFing at Sprint Mill barely even qualifies as work. After brief morning stints pitching in on the farm, I have the afternoons off.
"You can go for a walk, cycle, write, sleep ... whatever," says Acland. "It's not about exploiting a WWOOFer as a slave or labourer. It's about giving them the opportunity to experience a way of life."
And so Acland dons the mantle of mentor, not shift supervisor. He teaches me how to cut comfrey with a rusty old piece of machinery and how to forage for acorns, and eagerly shares his knowledge of green woodworking. We also have a go at weeding, apple picking and nettle-cutting.
As we trudge through the sopping landscape, Acland explains the cyclical processes that govern Sprint Mill.
For example, willow branches are fed to the goats, who gnaw off the leaves and bark. The stripped wood is used for fuel, and the goats produce milk, cheese and meat.
On the first day, bolstered by the altruistic urge to delve right into this Earth-appeasing lifestyle, I eat the goat cheese, pour goat milk into my tea and lavish my toast with goat butter. But, to borrow from Acland's earlier statement: it's jolly hard work.
By the second day, I'm wincing as I sip the tea, and gagging on the butter. To put it delicately, the flavour is evocative of an unlaundered athletic sock (to be fair, the meat isn't bad). But at least it's not a rodent: once a Moroccan WWOOFer insisted upon making good use of a squirrel that Acland caught.
"But it's a resource! It is organic!" he argued when Acland suggested a basic burial. So the WWOOFer whipped up a casserole and they had it for supper.
"I wouldn't rush at eating squirrel again," Acland laughs. "But there were messages there and I was thankful for that."
After a few days of digesting goat, I figure it's time to milk the situation. Literally.
One morning, Acland's wife leads me out to the shed for my virgin milking. A bit squeamish, I reach into the nether-area and grasp a fleshy protrusion.
"So I just yank?" I ask. "They tend to be fidgety with strangers," says Stringer. "You've just got to be firm."
I squeeze. The goat kicks a bit. But the teat squirts. Actually, it's kind of enjoyable.
Sprint Mill isn't in town, but Acland and Stringer provide wheels for their WWOOFers (bikes of course). I take full advantage of a Brompton; a London-made, folding bike.
I ride into Kendal, a favourite launching-point for hiking the nearby fells, the hills of the Lake District.
A visit to 13th-century Kendal Castle is rewarding -- for a full hour I have the ruins all to myself. Sweet!
Even sweeter: The Famous 1657 Chocolate House, where I self-medicate my goat-stricken palate with a sickening dose of chocolate. The menu consists of 20 chocolate beverages (embellished with spices, violet and the like) and 14 gateaux.
Another day, I venture out to Hill Top, Beatrix Potter's charming little home near Sawrey. The Brompton folds up on the train, bus and ferry and I ride it the rest of the way, passing through adorable towns where it seems feasible to consume clotted cream and scones hourly.
Sprint Mill Farm values symbiotic relationships between man and nature. It also achieves that between host and WWOOFer: I relish my experiences both on the farm and off it.
"I have this ridiculous belief that humankind could actually one day be a benefit to the planet rather than ravaging, pillaging, raping, despoiling," Acland muses.
He doesn't clobber you over the head with his philosophies, but his message grows on you. Like moss.
- - -
IF YOU GO
Cost: A one-year WWOOF U.K. membership costs $40 Cdn and grants access to a list of participant farms in England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales.
WWOOF U.K.: www.wwoof.org.uk
WWOOF Canada: www.wwoof.ca
Visiting Kendal: www.lakelandgateway.inf
Hill Top: www.nationaltrust.org.uk/hilltop
Online: WWOOFing in Action:
Find videos of Reb Stevenson's experiences in England at ottawacitizen.com
By Reb Stevenson, Ottawa Citizen; Canwest News ServiceFebruary 14, 2009
From: http://www.edmontonjournal.com/Technology/WWOOFing+England+Lake+District/1289143/story.html
Now this is green living.
Yeah, yeah, it's organic and all -- but that's not what I'm talking about.
It's the moss. The glorious emerald eco-carpet that sneaks its way onto every stone surface and infuses this landscape with a soft hint of neglect.
It's everywhere, anywhere. And it's enchanting.
As my cab navigates through Kendal and into the tiny village of Burneside, Cumbria, the taxi driver silently indulges my blathering.
It is my third week on the WWOOF (World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms) program, a global network of farms that allows you to exchange labour for accommodation and food.
You can WWOOF all over the world, but I'm doing it through WWOOF U.K. Sprint Mill Farm jumps out of the handbook because it lists "fun, variety, fulfilment and new experiences" as the work themes. Also, it is located in The Lake District, one of the U.K.'s prime tourist destinations.
A defunct mill, the farmhouse is damp, stony and clings to the bank of a gushing river. The whole place heaves with fertility.
Edward Acland runs Sprint Mill Farm with his doctor wife, Romola Stringer. Accommodation is in Acland's daughter's old bedroom in the main house. In the summer months, WWOOFers can sleep in the adjacent outbuilding.
Acland quickly ushers me into a kitchen that would make any Ikea enthusiast lash out with contempt.
It is furnished with a long wood table, a haphazard collection of glass jars stocked with mysterious contents, and a wood-burning stove most often seen in sepia photographs. This kitchen is truly the heart of the homestead.
And Acland, I soon decide, truly embodies the heart of what WWOOFing is all about.
Sprint Mill Farm is his 15-acre experiment in complete sustainability. He dabbles in coppicing (a traditional method of woodland management), animal-rearing, vegetable and fruit farming and woodcrafts.
None of it is for profit.
"It's about living off the interest and income of Mother Earth, but not using her capital," Acland explains. "We try to avoid using anything that we can't replace.
"It's jolly hard work, but very fulfilling," he says passionately.
As it turns out, WWOOFing at Sprint Mill barely even qualifies as work. After brief morning stints pitching in on the farm, I have the afternoons off.
"You can go for a walk, cycle, write, sleep ... whatever," says Acland. "It's not about exploiting a WWOOFer as a slave or labourer. It's about giving them the opportunity to experience a way of life."
And so Acland dons the mantle of mentor, not shift supervisor. He teaches me how to cut comfrey with a rusty old piece of machinery and how to forage for acorns, and eagerly shares his knowledge of green woodworking. We also have a go at weeding, apple picking and nettle-cutting.
As we trudge through the sopping landscape, Acland explains the cyclical processes that govern Sprint Mill.
For example, willow branches are fed to the goats, who gnaw off the leaves and bark. The stripped wood is used for fuel, and the goats produce milk, cheese and meat.
On the first day, bolstered by the altruistic urge to delve right into this Earth-appeasing lifestyle, I eat the goat cheese, pour goat milk into my tea and lavish my toast with goat butter. But, to borrow from Acland's earlier statement: it's jolly hard work.
By the second day, I'm wincing as I sip the tea, and gagging on the butter. To put it delicately, the flavour is evocative of an unlaundered athletic sock (to be fair, the meat isn't bad). But at least it's not a rodent: once a Moroccan WWOOFer insisted upon making good use of a squirrel that Acland caught.
"But it's a resource! It is organic!" he argued when Acland suggested a basic burial. So the WWOOFer whipped up a casserole and they had it for supper.
"I wouldn't rush at eating squirrel again," Acland laughs. "But there were messages there and I was thankful for that."
After a few days of digesting goat, I figure it's time to milk the situation. Literally.
One morning, Acland's wife leads me out to the shed for my virgin milking. A bit squeamish, I reach into the nether-area and grasp a fleshy protrusion.
"So I just yank?" I ask. "They tend to be fidgety with strangers," says Stringer. "You've just got to be firm."
I squeeze. The goat kicks a bit. But the teat squirts. Actually, it's kind of enjoyable.
Sprint Mill isn't in town, but Acland and Stringer provide wheels for their WWOOFers (bikes of course). I take full advantage of a Brompton; a London-made, folding bike.
I ride into Kendal, a favourite launching-point for hiking the nearby fells, the hills of the Lake District.
A visit to 13th-century Kendal Castle is rewarding -- for a full hour I have the ruins all to myself. Sweet!
Even sweeter: The Famous 1657 Chocolate House, where I self-medicate my goat-stricken palate with a sickening dose of chocolate. The menu consists of 20 chocolate beverages (embellished with spices, violet and the like) and 14 gateaux.
Another day, I venture out to Hill Top, Beatrix Potter's charming little home near Sawrey. The Brompton folds up on the train, bus and ferry and I ride it the rest of the way, passing through adorable towns where it seems feasible to consume clotted cream and scones hourly.
Sprint Mill Farm values symbiotic relationships between man and nature. It also achieves that between host and WWOOFer: I relish my experiences both on the farm and off it.
"I have this ridiculous belief that humankind could actually one day be a benefit to the planet rather than ravaging, pillaging, raping, despoiling," Acland muses.
He doesn't clobber you over the head with his philosophies, but his message grows on you. Like moss.
- - -
IF YOU GO
Cost: A one-year WWOOF U.K. membership costs $40 Cdn and grants access to a list of participant farms in England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales.
WWOOF U.K.: www.wwoof.org.uk
WWOOF Canada: www.wwoof.ca
Visiting Kendal: www.lakelandgateway.inf
Hill Top: www.nationaltrust.org.uk/hilltop
Online: WWOOFing in Action:
Find videos of Reb Stevenson's experiences in England at ottawacitizen.com
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