05/26/2021
STOKE ZINE (MUSKOKA) – SPRING/SUMMER ISSUE 2021
FEATURE STORY RELEASE:
A return to nature: Exploring Moonwing Meadows -
Have you ever had the urge to pick up and move to a cabin in the woods? Life would be so much easier if we could let go of our baggage and start fresh. I mean, what do we really need to survive?
- Four seasons shelter
- Freshwater
- A healthy and sustainable food supply
- Community
- And don’t forget unlimited wi-fi!
Cousins, Emily, and Taylor came to a point in their lives where a move north of Toronto was inevitable. Possible, even. For Taylor, the desire to move came from a calling to live closer to the land. For Emily, it was a wish to return to her childhood roots during a global pandemic.
Emily and Taylor packed up their lives for something new. The journey has not been straight as an arrow. Rather, it’s been full of twists and turns, sacrifice, and harsh lessons about the realities of nature.
They have a deep knowledge of the land that’s rooted in childhood memories. They have a strong intuition that’s guided their vision for a lifestyle and a business model. It takes the act of deep listening. This is how they started to understand the potential for their future. This is how Moonwing Meadows was born.
Moonwing Meadows is a dream turned tangible. A retreat among the woods. The cousins and their family are stewards of this land, all 65 acres. Taylor and Emily are consciously building a self-sustained ecosystem, a place that they call home.
Shelter, check.
Through simplifying their lives, listening to the land, and to their innermost desires, they are finding their way to their most authentic selves.
They are asking the hard questions:
What makes them happy?
What makes them feel alive?
What is their place in the community?
What can they live without?
What is their role on this land?
The two have a vast spectrum of schooling between them: education in environmental ethics, forestry, permaculture, and Indigenous and Eastern spiritual philosophies. By deeply focusing intentions and energies, Taylor and Emily are challenging cultural norms and conveniences to better understand how to live harmoniously with nature.
They are aiming to foster a more environmentally conscious and sustainable lifestyle. They are exploring different cultural lenses around their relationship with the land. They are observing the natural systems that nature has put in place. They seek permission from the land, listen to her rhythms, and learn how to clear for growth with minimal disruption and maximum care. The land is quickly becoming more than just a “home”: It is providing nourishment and purpose. The land is becoming a place to plant deep roots and they are well on their way to a sustainable homestead.
Food and water, check.
By deciphering where and how they felt most fulfilled, they realized their visions were aligned. Understanding how to utilize what talents and strengths they already had, they were then able to create a business that embodied their shared values.
The land is offering an opportunity for Taylor and Emily to minimize the divide between humans and nature. It offers an opportunity to recognize and rediscover the interconnectedness between the two. Through Moonwing Meadows, the cousins aim to share this unique experience with others.
Community, check.
With their entire philosophy centered around facilitating a deeper relationship with nature, I was curious to know when they first felt the innate connection to the natural world.
For Taylor, it was in her childhood garden where her mother let things go a tad wild. The tall grasses, branches of lilac trees, and wildflowers created the perfect imaginary fairy dwellings.
For Emily, it was returning to the property where Moonwing Meadows resides, away from the city where she was studying at university. Upon each trip home, the moment of first rolling down the car window and being enveloped by the invigorating fresh pine air was a complete sensory reset – a sense of home every time.
In my conversations with Emily and Taylor, I am reminded that we create the world that we live in. When our actions start to reflect our values, the circle is complete – and that is when change happens.
When Moonwing Meadows opens to the public, they will be a space to reconnect with nature, offering yoga classes, guided meditations, forest walks, and DIY homesteading workshops. Follow their journey and offerings on Instagram, .meadows, and their Website, Moonwingmeadows.com
Unlimited Wi-fi, check.
- STOKE zine is owned and produced by Mov Media Productions Inc
