Always a project at the farm...

SylvanSun Farm

Nick grows food here the natural way, employing permaculture and sustainable practices.  Most of the veggies grow in small communities called "guilds."  In nature plants do not grow by themselves--they grow in communities, each plant working well with--and often aiding--the plants that grow along side it.  A classic example of this is the "Three Sisters Guild," comprised of corn, beans, and squash.  The corn provides vertical space for pole beans to intertwine and reach for the sky while the beans fix nitrogen into the soil which the corn gobbles up.  The squash winds its way between the shoots of corn and beans, their thick, low canopy shading out weeds and holding moisture.  Add to that the "fourth sister" under the ground known as mycorrhizae fungus which provide moisture and broken down nutrients in exchange for sugars from the plant roots. 

Pottery

Nick loves to work with clay.  It connects him to the elements of earth and fire, as he typically wood-fires his ceramics.  He has a small studio set up with two wheels, and he fires his creations down the road at Jack Troy's (he's a world famous potter, dontcha know?).  Nick is blessed to have Jack and Carolanne as the best neighbors ever.

Music

The Nick Miller Project mixes the live looping, one-man-band talents of Nick Miller with the soulful, dynamic voice of the gorgeous Gabe Green.  Nick records multiple instruments live to create a sonic tapestry that brings a smile to your ear and a jangle to your bones.  Together, Nick and Gabe play with styles ranging from blues, funk, jazz, hip-hop, and reggae to folk, bluegrass, and Indian classical.  Instrumentation includes guitar, bass, sitar, drums, banjo, various percussion, and the use of a violin bow, so expect to be moved musically in many ways!"

Music Instruction

Nick offers instruction for all of the instruments he plays, including: Guitar, Sitar, Djembe & Various Hand Percussion, Mandolin, Esraj, and Bass.  He pretends to play the banjo.  Lessons are $20 per hour.

Natural Building

Nick likes to use what mama nature provides us when it comes to building.  He recently built his first cob stove; cob is a mixture of sand, clay, and straw that hardens into a natural cement.  The sand, clay, and straw is all locally sourced.  The 72-acre forest that surrounds the farm provides building materials, and Nick also use scrap and reclaimed materials in his structures.  He's never been to the lumber yard.