Welcome to Windward
Windward is a cooperative community of over thirty years in the making dedicated to preserving and developing village scale technologies needed to support a thriving sustainable community on marginal land.
We provide opportunities for deep learning through hands on, practical experience with the tools needed to build a life in balance with the natural world.
We come together with the belief that now is the time for radical change, and that nothing is more convincing than a working model of a better way.
With nature as our guide, we use our love, sweat and blood to build a life worth inheriting.
Join us, for a weekend, for a season, or for a lifetime.
Get Involved.
Notes From Windward
Fresh news about what we're up to in 2021
Casting Call for Season 5 of Alone TogetherWindward prepares to embark on its next voyage of discovery.
Come Meet the KidsKiri talks about the joy of having babies around.
Answering a Call Back to the LandAlicia's first impressions and reflections.
Squirrel PerlooLauren tries her hand at a traditional dish.
Coping with Fire SeasonWalt talks about how we cope with the stress of fire season.
Building a BookcaseOpalyn revisits one of her projects as part of her permaculture work.
It Gets Better!Kiri describes her journey to Windward
Keeping Faith with Lillythe passing of a herd queen
Soot and the HenHere Lies a "Good First Impression"
Anchor Watchpreparing for the next leg of our journey
Homestead Butchering Workshopgetting ready for winter
Chocolate's Surprisea bitter-sweet July birth
Making Mouse Bait Stationscreating a pet safe option
Welcoming Fergie Twosalvaging equipment
Burials in the Snowcoping with an unusual amount of snow
Life RenewsOpalyn greets the new lambs and kids
Accepting Applications For 2019with a description of some of the projects in the works and on tap
Renovating the GardenHannah and crew put the garden to bed
Does TL:dr equal consent?How does informed consent work in the age of handheld devices?
Pondering ParetoOrganizational dynamics by the numbers
An Ethics AuditAnswering questions from Opalyn's Ethics course
Welcoming the Class of 2020Walt looks forward to the arrival of this year's interns and apprentices
Glassing the Pearlthe glass panels arrive
Settling into CommunityChuck discusses their previous experience in community and settling into Windward
Isolation v. Intimacy?Emily expounds on experiences and perceptions of community life here.
Transforming TrashWillow brings beauty to a bathroom trash can.
Ship's Dinner 2017Check out photos from our annual celebration of Windward's Founders coming to this land.
Staying Sane in an Insane WorldLindsay reflects on how Nature helps to ground our efforts during unsettling times.
Mid-Year ReflectionsEmily reflects on insights and shifts after her second Surrender at Windward.
A Recap of the Village HelixPhotos from the Windward Open House on Memorial Day Weekend, May 26-29, 2017
AgroEcology Update, Spring 2017Fuels reduction, hedgerows, tree tubes, birdhouses, and more.
A Program of Mulch Independencedeveloping ways of meeting a core need within our growing systems
Hello from Katie!A Spring Apprentice Introduces Herself
Re-Membering the Web of LifeThe Biological Imperative for Sovereignty, Interdependence and a Consent Economy
Life Begets LifeJarvis discusses building soil life
Co-creating a Consent CultureEconomics, Governence & Sexuality
We Still BelieveA Politics of Love, Earth & Community
I'm Still Here!Opalyn returns to the Notes
A Fall Back to FundamentalsJarvis Introduces himself
Introducing the Digital Studio& Learning to Work with Blued Pine
Taking Death by the HandLindsay shares her reflections on Death & Natural Burial
Ravens Stealing Eggsand our attempts to stop them
Some of the Benefits of Membership at WindwardThings to look forward to after an Apprenticeship or Fellowship
Continuing the Journey Towards the Examined LifeAn article Yosef wrote for his college's student newspaper
Troubleshooting the First StatorYosef tries to discover what went wrong
A Letter From My FutureEmily shares what she wants to remembers from her Fellowship at Windward
Live your passion and relieve your student loans!How living and working at Windward can provide for Public Service Loan Forgiveness
Felling a Big Pine TreeTaking down a big tree before it takes down the greenhouse
Calculating Lard Yield from American Guinea HogsContinuing the conversation about the "Million Calorie Diet"
The Rabbit Colony Experiment - a Detailed ReportYosef shares highlights from this year's rabbit colony experiment
Arriving at NowApprentice Emily introduces herself.
Building an Earth Sheltered GreenhouseAndrew shares about a big-picture project that is stepping up our year round food production
A Summary of Rabbit Colony ExperimentYosef shares a summary of findings from this year
Building an RPM SensorYosef shares about a nifty instrument crafted for the axial flux alternator project
Continuing the Axial-Flux Alternator ProjectYosef shares about casting the alternator's stator, and more!
A Working Definition of "Capital"and why it to matters to creating a post-consumer village
Developing Windward's Large Scale Irrigation InfrastructureApprentice Andrew Bishop shares about one of his big picture apprentice projects
The Splendor and Beauty of Klickitat CountyLindsay shares images from a Summer Adventure
Breeding & Hatching Heritage ChickensApprentice Andrew Bishop shares the secrets of his successful run of incubating chickens
Learning to Recognize Sustainable SystemsA Whole Systems Fellow, Yosef, shares about the not-so-obvious realities of sustainability
Building a Bee SanctuaryAndrew shares about our new Bee Hut and Pollinator Garden
Live Stake PropagationPioneering Windward's broad-acre silvo-pasture systems
Winterizing Your Leather BootsDry feet all winter long!
Tanning Bunny HidesKari writes about her success with salt and alum.
Bunny GratitudesWARNING: GRAPHIC CONTENT
Felted ProjectsA look various practical and artistic felt projects.
Felting Windward WoolClaire gives a detailed description of the felting process she uses.
Harvesting FeathersClaire writes about harvesting Windward bird feathers.
Technology in Service of CommunityLindsay and Walt share their perspective.
Main silvopasture swale gets it's first big test.Coppice Agroforesty at Windward
an overview of our evolving practices
Announcing: Windward Whole System FellowshipLearn about a new opportunity to immerse yourself in sustainable community!
Rabbits - Livestock UpdateOpalyn shares about our current rabbits.
Water Harvesting Road Hardwarechecking erosion and putting water to work in the landscape.
Baby Bunnies - Growing (up)Opalyn shares about the growth and shearing of the German Angora Rabbits.
Roof-Water-Fed Retaining Wall Hugelkultur Beds for the Dining Hall PatioAndrew describes more developments in Windward's zone 1
Spindling WoolOpalyn shares about spindling blended wools.
Wall-E needs a few more repairs.Keeping Wall-E on track. :)
The Village HelixLindsay shares pictures from Windward's recent Open House
Partnering with Our Plant AlliesAndrew describes species selection for remeditation and agroforestry.
Finding Long-Term Climate Data in the US Using NOAAArticle Andrew recently wrote for PermacultureNews.org
As events unfold my attention turns to seating.Opalyn shares her experience building a paracord-laced oak chair.
"Pan"achePat shares the new additions to the chicken flock
Rocks In the Garden!Pat introduces our new plant labelling system
Developing Windward's SilvoPasture
Andrew describes this springs progress on this long-term project
Our German Angora baby bunnies are one month old.
Opalyn shares photos of our growing babies.
Life and Death With the ChickensNew member Pat shares about her work with Windward's chicken flock
May Garden UpdateLindsay shares some updates from the garden
Rabbit Colony ExperimentClaire introduces and updates on The Rabbit Colony Experiment
Spring Zone-1 Garden Update
Andrew describes the further development of Windward's zone-1
- - The Two Newest Hugelkultur Beds
- - Rose, Allium, Grape Guild Beds
- - Other Guilds in the Zone-1 Garden
- - Planting in the Edges
- - Edging the Grey Water Vault
Opalyn shares photos of our growing babies.
I'm here to once again fall in love with learningEvergeen intern Chelsea gives an introduction
Wall-E's Transmission Rebuild is Complete!Opalyn and Pat wrap up the repairs.
Our Rabbits!Opalyn introduces our adult rabbits.
Creating Productive Food Forest EcosystemsLindsay shares images from the recent permaculture weekend intensive
Our Numbers are Growing - AgainOpalyn introduces baby bunnies.
Building A Hugel Bed in the Courtyard
Why Trees?This video Lays it out
Weaving on a Peg LoomOpalyn shares her experience of weaving on a peg loom.
'Tis the Season to Dig and PlantLindsay talks about starting a new hugel bed for apple trees.
UPCOMING EVENT: Creating Productive Food Forest EcosysemsAndrew shares more permaculture materials in advance of the event.
Seeding into Frost HeavesAndrew shares his use of this cold-climate no-till technique.
Starting SeedsLindsay shares about the start of the spring garden.
Wall-E Needs a Transmission Overhaul!
Opalyn shares progress on Wall-E's transmission rebuild.
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Part Two New!
Starting to Put Things Back Together.
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Part One
Deciphering the problem and taking things apart.
Lindsay reflects on the passing of a loved one
Fiber ConversionOpalyn talks about a fiber display at the local library.
Windward Winter 2014Claire's photo essay.
Our Numbers are GrowingOpalyn introduces two little lambs.
Making "Bone Sauce"A traditional technique for keeping deer off of fruit trees.