If you want to build a ship don’t herd people together to collect wood and don’t assign them tasks and work, but rather teach them to long for the endless immensity of the sea.
– Antoine de Saint-Exupery
Wild Folk has been built and sustained by a whole host of learners, land tenders, storytellers, and organizers of various ages and backgrounds. Over the years, Wild Folk has shape-shifted to respond to the changing needs of our community, human and more-than-human. This has included running an experimental democratic forest school, offering a wide range of transformative programs for youth and adults, and creating a community farm and mutual aid apothecary.
Through it all, the work has been grounded in deeply held values of ecological connection, social and environmental justice, peace and non-violence, and a vision of a more healed society.
Today, Wild Folk is shepherded by Polina Malikin and is primarily based in the Hudson Valley of New York. Wild Folk's focus is on regenerative land-tending, environmental education and advocacy, and community-based herbalism. You can purchase some of Polina's herbal medicine and other creations via the online shop or reach out about educational opportunities and other collaboration.
Wild Folk is also part of CARE QUARTERLY, a project which creates holistic care packages filled with art, herbal medicine, and ritual objects. Each package is handmade & locally grown, with a quarter of packages donated to different caregivers.
I hope you are finding ways to nourish yourself and your community on this wild ride. xo Polina