I was on the last leg of my sound bath tour, the temperature hot, the West Coast had record breaking wildfires, and COVID-19 had shut down the world. I was determined to set out, traveling through New Mexico, Arizona, up 101 through California, Washington and Oregon, supported the entire way by other visionaries. We were headed back through Joshua Tree, California, fires still ablaze and signs posting $5,000 fines for not wearing a mask. The next planned stop was in Joshua Tree, with Portal designer, Harlan Emil Gruber, whose designs can be seen in his book, Portal to the New Earth: Sound, Sacred Geometry and Grid Energies for Personal and Planetary Transformation.
After holding ceremony at his home, Gruber guided us to God’s Way Love Road in Pioneertown, California, to Garth’s Boulder Gardens. He spoke highly of the place and said how I would love it there. A wonderful community, full of amazing people, greeted my driver, Shelly, and me. There was a permanent teepee, a hot spring decorated with crystals and beads, on 101 acres of permacultured land in the desert. The earth even provided an amphitheater to enjoy entertainment.
Here, I met the wonderful bioarchitecture permaculture specialist, Steven Farmer, who was building a dome according to the Fibonacci sequence. I was overcome with amazement; “truthbumps” washed over me. We decided to extend our trip and discover this land.
It was October 2020 and I was sitting down to an early morning cup of coffee, as I often do, centering my thoughts. That day I was going to see the dreams of my future begin to materialize. Farmer had his drawings with him and I was amazed. There was nothing spectacular about his appearance, just a regular looking older man, white hair, flannel and slippers on, smoking his cigarette and enjoying coffee, just like I was on that day. I was about to discover he was not your normal guy at all; I was in the presence of greatness. Farmer is a grand designer, but not your typical architecturalist. I now have the honor of calling him “Pops.”
This particular morning, he was going over his plans for a sustainable, natural building design, one that incorporated the surrounding land. I was so intrigued; this was the very same design I have dreamed about for so long. I have no knowledge in how to build these structures, but he does. I had to know more!
We quickly became friends. He is now one of my greatest supporters, colleagues, mentor, connector to other like-minded individuals, and personal friend. We have been through ups and downs, paths crossing and, while others in my life went their own way, he stayed on. We talk often about many subjects and I love him dearly. He’s become a father figure to me that I so desperately needed. Farmer has a great heart for serving others and has had the privilege to be with some of the forefather
s in permaculture and natural building, such as the late James Hubble, a close friend and mentor of his.
Fast forward about two years later, I invited Farmer to the five acres I owned for a bit in Fountain, Colorado, a desolate region without water or trees, lots of sand instead of soil, commonly referred to as “Midway.” I look back now and call it “the wilderness.” I have since released that land, as it was toxic. With that release, I let go of a majority of my own toxic traits. The land did serve a purpose with helping me see the toxicity within myself and I thank the land for being toxic.
Farmer helped reveal these findings to me. He has a very unique way to “listen to the land” before he ever builds on it, making sure it will stand the test of time, just like he has in Black Mountain, North Carolina, recently having been devastated by Hurricane Helene. And he knows sustainable bioarchitecture. While roads and buildings near him fell apart, his structure stood through the collapse, now housing others who lost homes and have been displaced.
While on my land, he noticed abnormalities. He listened to the land by going out and sitting with it. He measured the sun via a sundial he built himself, felt the breeze, dug his hands and feet into the soil, touched the roots of the plants, and slept next to the rocks, foregoing the comfort of modern living. As I witnessed him becoming increasingly agitated those days, I knew something was weighing heavily on his mind.
I asked Farmer what was up. His kind heart didn’t want to reveal his findings. He very delicately began to tell me the news I didn’t want to hear: The land was sick. The lack of trees and water, the close proximity of the artillery training fields, and the absence of healthy soil would not allow for the dream I have to unfold there. He connected me to a company that does soil samples, and he was telling the truth, despite my unwillingness to listen. The soil was sick, full of lead and uranium that increased every time moisture landed. About six weeks later, I began to pack up, soon to realize I had sickness within my body. I am forever grateful for Farmer’s discovery and so thankful I did not build “the gardens for healing” on the land.
Since that discovery, Farmer has traveled to other places geared toward sustainable growth, bringing his sundial and expertise, going places that support his vision – geodesic domes, Fibonacci spiral designs, mini houses, composting outhouses – using the elements that nature provides, all while listening to the land. I wept with him when his mentor and friend James Hubble passed away.
I plan to work with Farmer again once I have access to healthy land. He taught me how to listen to the land, my heart over my mind, and supports my visions and dreams in multiple ways. I also support his, praying often for protection, using my insight to help confirm God’s truth for him. We are forming a tribe that plans on rebuilding with sustainable bioarchitecture, gradient heat, and with a love for serving humanity at the forefront in all we do. We plan for great things to come, even though the world says it’s impossible. We plan to build the future. Please join us and discover how you can be a part of this tribe.
You can contact Steven Farmer via Facebook, and email. He also has a YouTube channel showing how he listens to the land. As of press time, it is somewhat difficult to reach him. He is in need of a Starlink as most systems are still down in Black Mountain. I encourage you to support his vision and send reinforcements to help the rebuilding process. Please reach out to me for any further questions you may have and how you can support Steven Farmer and his mission.
Headline photo: Steven Farmer’s house in North Carolina. Photos courtesy of Sheila-Esther Love.
Sheila-Esther Love is an artist, writer and the author of D.E.F.E.A.T.S of Separation. Visit her website LifeStore Advanced Ltd. and follow her on Facebook, Instagram and Tiktok.
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