Sunday, August 06, 2006

Fiddlehead Linda --

I am coming out of mourning and feel able to answer your wonderful emails and let you know where I am now. Outside Duncan BC, on Vancouver Island is the small seaside village of Cowichan Bay. I have a small house, in a new neighbourhood with lots of children, cats and dogs on the street. My two sons are ten minutes away and I enjoy being near my grandchildren. My daughter and her husband run a large dairy farm in New Zealand, where I go for three months of the year. With the grandchildren on my quad I herd cows, make muffins and grow huge cucumbers and tomatoes. In my tiny backyard in Cow Bay I'm building a ceramics studio, and will be taking a sculpture course this fall. I am part of an active Quaker meeting in Duncan. This spring I put in a large garden at my son's house. Once again I grow enough vegetables to support the hungry in the world. I have not been able to return to the Fiddlehead land, but I cherish the memories and hope to gather your anecdotes for a complete picture. Please keep in touch with me with your stories and photos.

16 comments:

Nancy Strider said...

so glad to see you linda

Anonymous said...

Hello Linda,

It's so great to hear something about you all these years later. This blog is a wonderful opportunity to thank you for creating such a special space for travellers. It gave so many of us an opportunity to just be and to reflect in beautiful surrounds. I wonder if you realise the contribution you have made to so many. Thank you.

(I was on Fiddlehead in 1996 for a four-day stay.)

Cheery bye,
Lisa M.

Anonymous said...

Hello Linda, I was sad to hear the fate of the farm. I spent a summer there in the early 80's. I think back to it with fond memories. I hope all is well with you.

Warmest regards

Brad B.
bpb1024 at yahoo.com

Anonymous said...

to linda and family,
firsty i an very sad to hear that the farm is no longer there.
i can to stay on the farm in the summer of 1990 the 25 th of june i can remenber this i turned 21 the very next day.i stayed with with you for just over a month in which time i helped around the farm and made the two dinning tables for the comm kitchen it was a month i will never forget and will now cherish all the more. i wish you and your family the best

phil martin

Anonymous said...

Hi Linda - So lovely to read about you - sorry to hear about fiddlehead farm, it was my most life changing experience and I cherish those days in 1994 working as a cook, with Nic, oh and Jens and Tjark those amazing carpenters and Vicki. I have look back often wondering what had become of the farm. I saw Liisa once in the Uk at her little boy's christening - but never stayed in touch - please say Hi to her. Would have love let my family have the benefit of a fiddlehead experience - they'll just have to listen to my stories, well some of them, and enjoy my photos! Ann x

Debra MacArthur said...

Linda, I am so glad I found your site and a picture of you! Your farm and your kindness are in my heart forever. I still dream (while asleep)of Fiddlehead and returning to the place where I found peace on the swing under the tree; I remember where my daugher played UNO with four people from different corners of the earth who could barely speak English; where I swam nude for the first time with girls from around the world who made me feel comfortable about my nakedness - no need for therapy when there was Fiddlehead.

And the food...oh my...it was amazing and so were the chefs (Nick for one and his amazing wine). And your daughter-in-law the one who did camp cooking - she was so wonderful and her meals fabulous...food for the soul.

I've told countless stories of my adventures at Fiddlehead 1st with little Elizabeth and later with Mary as an infant. I was so very upset and sad when I heard there was no more Fiddlehead. I have memories and pictures and now I see you - things are better.

You touched my life, your farm made a difference in a world where peace, stillness, quieting of the mind and whole food are so hard to find. Fiddlehead was therapy for my soul.

Huge hugs, Debra MacArthur

Julia said...

Linda..... how lucky am I to have a second chance to spend time with you, Timo, Julie and Elliot.
You know that the farm changed my life - spending almost 3 months at a time in 1993 and several more weeks in later years, your place touched my soul - it was like coming home.
And here I am now with my own little family after my dream became true and I immigrated to Canada and bought some land. Words can not express how much joy you brought to so many people and how you left a big mark. No matter if the farm is replaced by a new forest now, you changed the world and still do with your wonderful spirit!

Michael said...

Dear Linda,

you and your daughter and Liam and the workers (Rachel esp.) have a very special place in my soul, heart and in my memory - since the stay and the talks at the Farm made a HUGE contribution to the man I am today, and the teacher and the still-searching Warrior of Light (if Rachel reads this she knows who I am, I hope.).

May you always feel blessed.

Michael,
Germany

Anonymous said...

Dear Linda
I stayed with you in June 1993 with my partner Gary (now my husband) we had a fantastic time and met lots of lovely people. I was sorry to hear about the farm, I had been describing your farm to my children as I would have loved to visit with them and found your website. I have loads of happy memories and photos including a fancy dress party dressed in leaves and branches!! The snakes in the vegetable patch, your lovely dog reuben and Gary winning the cake eating competition the day we arrived. We have never been back to Canada but would love to return one day. I hope you and your family are all well.
love
Jackie Kerr & Gary Gaffney, Dundee Scotland.

Leanne Kennedy - Mullumbimby NSW Australia said...

Hello, I was just "googling" for fun and thought of Fiddlehead Farm, so cxame to find this site. I Have many fond memories of you and your family, and the special land. I was a guest of yours in 1996, and remember the Meditation Hut, with yin/yang door handle, the lovely cows, the shower sauna night and running naked to the stream, the yummo vego food, mowing and weeding and canoeing on the nearby lake.
I did a hike on my own, was it Tin Hat/ ( I dont remember), but I remember a hut on another lake and being the only soul there. I would like to thank you for creating a place that touched so many lives...
Gratitude and love xx

Alice Denny said...

Dear Linda, my previous attempts to plac e acomment on this site seem to have disappeared into the ether. Will try again but just to let you know how sad I am that the farm is no more. It was a vary special place and being there with you helped me through a particularly difficult time in my life. I will never never forget those 5 glorious weeks in winter/spring 1998. Best wishes Alice Denny ( Was Steve H. then)

Diana said...

Alice,

Will you send us your email address so we can ask you more about your time at Fiddlehead Farm? You can send them to drhelp@shaw.ca. That is my (Diana's) email and I'll get them to Linda. Ditto anyone else who logs on ... Linda and I are hoping to connect directly via snail or email with anyone who has memories, and photos of their time/s at Fiddlehead Farm, for a memoir Linda is working on. I am designated archivist for these, as LInda is going to be travelling for the next two months. Thanks all!

Unknown said...

Dear Linda,

I just stumbled onto this blog while looking for some information on Lund and am so pleased to have done so.

I was lucky enough to visit the Farm on several occasions in the late '90s, early 2000s when I would bring groups of international students to visit for the weekend.

Every weekend was magical, from the boat ride up the lake, to the canoeing, to the hiking, to relaxing in the sauna or just hanging out on the porch watching the hummingbirds and the stars at night. And, if you were really lucky, you got a piece of the famous Waldorf Chocolate cake on your birthday!

I was so sad when I first learned about the loss of the farm, but though physically gone, it lives on as there are people from all over the world who still hold it dear.

Anonymous said...

Kia Ora Linda.
Yes I also spent a magical time there (97) at the farm chopping wood and washing dishes lol.
canoe races and naked swims on frog lake the meditation hut all fantastic memories.
I actually met my wife to be there so i thank you and everyone that shared in the card playing laughter at the table in the evenings.
So it’s sad to hear the farm only exists in our hearts and memories.
Thanks again Linda

Steph said...

Hi, Linda ,Timo,and Lisa ,
I am sorry to hear about the farm, I have lovely memories ,I did the west coast trail with Timo, when he was about 14-15 years old with my then husband,Roger I' m Stephanie. We lovingly called you the old bollocks.
We still are in contact with mina and Greg .I wish you all much joy in life that you all gave freely to others . Steph x

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