We are Cherokee and spend our days learning and using life ways that were and continue to be very successful. We are working every day towards self-sufficiency, to grow, hunt and forage our own food, preserve for the lean months, and restore land that was failing. On our homestead teaching farm we practice permaculture and regenerative ag (small-scale). We employ organic practices, companion planting, and believe the healthier the dirt the more productive the environment.

A huge part of our mission is to pass on the knowledge we have gained to those who are seeking it. We believe children learning the forgotten ways is critically important, especially right now. We home school our kids and they are just about done. They are strong, outgoing, independent and self-sufficient. They laugh and romp and roam. And have become wonderful teachers alongside us. We teach people of all ages!

We open our doors here at Longshadows to those seeking to learn for themselves or expose their children to the knowledge of a working farm. How do we plant and harvest? What about those horses, chickens, ducks, bees, rabbits and sheep? What bugs are good in the garden and why? How do we make the soil better? And catch rainwater? And generate power? For people considering a life like this, we offer practical knowledge to help you build your dream.

Our classes are not anything like book learning. Instead, through working with us here on the farm, children and adults get to see knowledge they have gained applied in the real world. We incorporate chemistry, physics, mathematics, biological sciences like botany and ecology, and Cherokee culture and life ways. Participants are asked to problem solve and take responsibility for tasks appropriate to their age. They are encouraged to bond with the animals and help care for them.

There really is something for everyone here and we hope to see you!

Wado!