Once upon a wild time, a time much more unbridled than now, plants, people and animals communicated telepathically and magic abounded. Bird song was complex and enchanting, bears danced beneath rainbows, unicorns roamed free, there were no rulers and everything smelled wondrous!
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In the heart of Wilderlandia was a humble volcano known as Mt. Theophagy, and Mt. Theophagy is, in many ways, responsible for all of life in Wilderlandia, and beyond. You see, it emitted little cream colored poofs of VOG (volcanic off gassing, for those who haven’t yet had the privilege of spending time with a volcano) and these little poofs of VOG were heavy laden, not with sulfuric acid and carbon monoxide like most volcanoes; but, being a most benevolent volcano, Mt. Theophagy emitted lovely and complex poofs of yeasts; and yeast, as surely you must know, is a single cell fungi so tiny that a microscope must be used to witness it.
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But that's not all Mt.Theophagy contributed to Wilderlandia; in addition to its lovely little poofs of creamy yeast laden volcano farts, Mt. Theophagy also ruptured regularly, and beautiful bacteria laden purple blue magenta lava would rise up, up, up and over the rim, sliding down the sides of Mt. Theophagy and oozing out over the land. This bacteria flourished and multiplied, as bacteria is wont to do, and soon, the little poofs of yeast settled upon the opalescent surfaces of the bacterial lava. Things really blossomed then, and soon, a myriad of life forms began to emerge; one thing led to another, and all of love and life ensued.
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Now, many moons later, things have changed. Many have forgotten the beauty, sacredness and interconnected nature of life. Zipping around from one distraction to the next, we loose touch with our food, the flowers, the trees, the animals and ourselves; but some who remember remain. We walk in this world with Wilderlandia in our hearts, a song & prayer on our lips and a twinkle in our eyes. Wherever you are on your journey, there is always room for one more in Wilderlandia...
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Marissa Percoco, a passionate and mischievous member of Wilderlandia, and her 4 amazing children have been exploring community and thribal being for years, traveling the back-country on a shoe-string, from coast to coast through deserts, mountains, hot springs and oceans—having even run away to join the circus in Hawaii in 2012!
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Fermentation is a special love of Marissa's, having been fairy dusted enough to study with many ridiculously knowledgeable folks over the years! In 2008, Marissa turned her back on the civilized life for good, & sauntered boldly into the forest with her children, goats, chickens and her trusty cat. There she learned many difficult lessons, overcame unbelievable challenges, and fell in with a group of Radical Faeries from Short Mountain Sanctuary, where she met (& fell in loving awe with) Sandor Katz, an amazing human & the heart behind the most current Fermentation Revival.
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Necessity is said to be the mother of all inventions, and in this case—obsessions! Living off-grid, Marissa began a life-long study of the relationships between food, preservation & fermentation. Nomadic & Wild Fermenting and Liberation from Refrigeration are special areas of absorption, with an addiction to discovering new uses for strange & exotic plants! Viewing all flora as brethren, Marissa is never alone.
Community is also Wilderlandia's passion, with a deep belief in the need for humans to feel connected with themselves, each other, and the living, pulsing, juicy reality of the abundance of life in which we walk. It is our belief that as individuals, we realize our own greatest potential and experience our deepest joy when we are in a nurturing and supportive group seeking to harmonize with the cyclical rhythms of the living planet around us.
Education is another deep commitment, and Marissa is now the Executive Director of The Firefly Gathering, where she exerts her will and skills to shift the dominant paradigm, and seeks liberation for all. She is also the Scholarship Coordinator for Earthskills Rendezvous, helping to part the green veil for folks from diverse backgrounds, knowing that the more colors present in the tapestry, the more beautiful the completed picture.
Deeply rooted in the Earthskills movement and committed to co-creating a new culture within which we, our children and all beings thrive, Marissa is now nesting in Barnardsville, NC, sinking into the mysteries and depth of the Appalachian wilds.
Community is also Wilderlandia's passion, with a deep belief in the need for humans to feel connected with themselves, each other, and the living, pulsing, juicy reality of the abundance of life in which we walk. It is our belief that as individuals, we realize our own greatest potential and experience our deepest joy when we are in a nurturing and supportive group seeking to harmonize with the cyclical rhythms of the living planet around us.
Education is another deep commitment, and Marissa is now the Executive Director of The Firefly Gathering, where she exerts her will and skills to shift the dominant paradigm, and seeks liberation for all. She is also the Scholarship Coordinator for Earthskills Rendezvous, helping to part the green veil for folks from diverse backgrounds, knowing that the more colors present in the tapestry, the more beautiful the completed picture.
Deeply rooted in the Earthskills movement and committed to co-creating a new culture within which we, our children and all beings thrive, Marissa is now nesting in Barnardsville, NC, sinking into the mysteries and depth of the Appalachian wilds.