Uprooted, an eco/travel blog

I stayed in Boston twice: once at the hostel, and once as a couchsurfer. Each has its charms, and its problems; what are the differences, and which would you choose?

Reign of Grace cob bathhouse at Dandelion Sustainability Farm

My longtime readers will remember Dandelion Farm (Lower Lake, California), where I had my first WWOOFing experience way back in December. The other day I received this message from them, and thought I’d pass it along for anyone in California who’s interested in natural building.
Candace Stolley writes:

volunteers [...]

So I met up with Quiet Earp in Columbia, Missouri. I’d been staying in Louisville, and he was driving from Nevada to New York. Going to Missouri was a bit of a backtrack, but it turned out to be the best backtrack ever. Why? Because we discovered Marble Creek, that’s why.
It was dumb luck and [...]

(1) …Our narrator arrives.
I’ve always wanted to visit Arkansas. Maybe it’s just the name. Maybe it’s the backcountry, down-home Americana imagery associated with that part of the world. Probably it has a lot to do with the Ozarks, that oddly-named bed of mountains promising lush greenery, clapboard shacks, crawdads and moonshine. Whatever the reason, once [...]

Hostels, done right, are some of my favorite places to stay. They aren’t always awesome (see Abominable Snow Mansion), but the ones that have their act together are great places to meet people, live (and eat!) for cheap, and generally get the most out of whatever town you’re passing through.
I’d heard that the Austin hostel [...]

Got Couch? Trucker Cap

Today, friends, is the 2nd annual International CouchSurfing Day!
For those of you who aren’t familiar with the term: CouchSurfing.org is a web-based community built around the ideals of freeganism and community participation. The concept is simple: if you have a couch or extra bed in your home, why not share it with [...]

Last Sunday, I arrived at Zephyros Farm and Garden, where I’ll be staying and working for a couple of weeks.

Right off the bat, I knew I’d love this place. 35 acres of organic, healthy goodness: Zephyros abounds with beautiful veggies, scampering lambs, mouthy goats, budding blooms, and one big black dog called Ullur who spends [...]

First, an important note: I saw my first muskrat today! Here he is:
Yeah, I didn’t lie. That’s a boring video. But it was exciting for me. I saw him frolicking around in the creek, and had time to pull my bike over and get out the camera. Just as I reached the bank, he swam [...]