The News from Four Quarters

July 6, 2022

Camping Happy on The Land
By Walter Bachteler

Tents and canopies of every kind appear on the Land on festival weekends. Big Dub 2019.

“...stories of great adventures, not catastrophes.”

Camping is one of the things most people do while they’re at Four Quarters. Here are some helpful hints about camping on The Land.

Always prepare for rain & cold
Take it from a long-timer: this is hard learned wisdom! The environment of Four Quarters, a mountainous valley in the central Allegheny foothills of south-central Pennsylvania has notoriously wildly random weather conditions... sometimes within each day!

Tents & Tenting
You get what you pay for. Try to stay with the national brands. A four-person tent holds two people and a minimal amount of gear. If you look at the diagram you will see four small people laying head to foot next to each other. You may want to set up your new tent in the backyard before trying to set it up after you’ve driven several hours and it’s close to sunset. Remember when you put your tent away it needs to be folded slightly smaller than the length of the bag it came in before rolling it up.

June 19, 2022

Sweat Lodge Teaching Weekend
By Tom Blackhawk & Kurt Griffith

Some of the good, good people who came out for the Gathering, thank you for all the beauty you bring.

“Ceremony begins way before you lay the stones, light the fire or prepare and cover the sweat lodge. Ceremony is about intention, Ceremony is about the heart, Ceremony is about others and not self. If you are open and willing to come with the intention to let go of self the Spirits can heal any ailment of Mind, Body, and Spirit.”

I’m not sure who said this, but there is profound truth in the statement.

I have participated in many Sweats from many traditions and longed to fully experience a Lodge from beginning to end. So, I spent the Memorial Day week and Weekend up in Artemis, Pennsylvania at 4 Quarters Farm at the Sweat Lodge Teaching Weekend, setting up and participating in the deep sacred Native tradition of sweat lodge ceremonies.

May 17, 2022

Beltaine 2022
By Carrie Krystek

Ready to dance The Maypole on a glorious Spring Day.

Beltaine at Four Quarters was a joyous celebration of Spring! The day was bright and pleasant, the flowers and ribbons were beautiful, as were the many brilliant smiles everywhere.

The last of winter said good-bye just a week prior by dumping 4 inches of snow; Saturday’s gentle sunshine as the Maypole was danced was very welcome after the crisp nights. Watching the Maypole go up against the budding and blossoming trees was a sight to behold…it’s exciting to start a new year of camping season!

February 1, 2022

The 2022 Wheel of the Year Calendar
By Orren Whiddon & Kurt Griffith

Some of the processes that goes into the Wheel of the Year, available Winter 2022.

A reminder as we fast approach press and publication of the 2022 Wheel of the Year Calendar! In the 2020 onslaught of Covid we printed a simple Black and White calendar on our office printer, mailed out to just our Members. In 2021 we were able to again professionally print our color covered calendar, but we did not ship to our over 3,000 prisoner subscribers.
    We are so pleased that this year we are back to a full print run of 10-12,000 copies! Thank You, each and every person who made the trip out to visit Four Quarters in 2021, for whatever reason. Your support made this financial commitment possible!

    And a bit of a reminder. We keep people on the mailing list for 3 years after their last visit or mailing request. So if we have not heard from you since 2018, you will miss this years calendar.
    Just click this link to renew your subscription to the calendar mailing list and we will send you the 2022 Wheel of the Year, hot off the press.

     We also have our single-page, downloadable Calendar-at-A-Glance available for browsing or download. Over the coming weeks we are digging into the process of updating our events and registration pages. We look forward to seeing you on the Land in the coming season.

Click Here to Request a copy of the 2022 Wheel of the Year Calendar

October 4, 2021

Stones Rising 2021

The New Stone gets under way; ropes, rollers, muscle and sweat. Stones Rising 2021.

By Orren Whiddon

On the Wednesday before Stones Rising, the leavings of Hurricane Ida swirled overhead, giving us 4-5 inches of rainfall through the day. We were in the Southern arc of this watery transect; lands North of us received much more rainfall and we felt lucky. I was surprised that the river rose, and rose... and rose again, for what seemed like a not extraordinary amount of rain. By mid-day Wednesday it was clear the river would breach its banks, and soon we had water in the North Crook, at the base of the Lower Shower House, and through the southern half of the Big Bottom. Sweat Lodge Inipi saw almost a foot. Over in New Camp the Wet Meadow was flooded, earning its name. And just as fast as the river rose up, it receded. By Thursday morning we had clear blue skies and everywhere the river was back in its banks. It was enough water to clear the ground of forest debris and deposit a fine layer of silt everywhere. And so riverbanks are made and the bottom lands renewed. As the old farmers say: If you have rich bottom land, don't complain when it floods!

September 11, 2021

Stones Rising: A life changing event

Through the Mother Stone. Welcome to the commiunity. Stones Rising 2021

Once again in the Stones I am reborn. Returning back for Stones Rising was one of the easiest decisions I'd made this last year. Since finding Four Quarters and attending my first event, my life has been permanently altered. 

Last year I was in a dark place. Between jobs, relationships and a home I didn't have much to look forward to. What originally started as a getaway week with my best friend quickly spiraled out of control as life didn't seem to want either of us to go. Tickets in hand but no car of my own, the trip didn't seem like I was going to happen.