Creating a Better Community

By Xan Hall

Building a community is hard work; it is often also thankless, exasperating, and overwhelming. But the dividends of that work – a community of people who support each other, who do thingsthat are mutually beneficial, who make sacrifices for each other – that’ s worthwhile. 

We all know the stories about the ‘ bad old days’  at the farm. But in case you don’ t, here’s a  recap. There was that time Orren had to fight in court so we could access the land at all, because there was a legal injunction against setting foot on the land from October until April one winter. There was that time Stones Rising happened during a hurricane, and the hardy brave souls who stayed out in the rain raised those Stones anyways, and got soaking wet and weren’ t done before dark. There was that time a car got irretrievably stuck in front of faerie camp, necessitating a bypass (that’ s why the faeries have a parking lane). There was that time a flood took away the lower shower house and many campsites in the Soggy Bottoms. There was that time the woods caught on fire, nearly ending in disaster. There was that time in the kitchen without proper refrigeration, when veggies were stacked in the corner with ice bags and tarps, and two people cooked for a thousand. There was that time...

As an institution, Four Quarters exists to hold the Land open for your Spiritual use, and as a practical Center for understanding and adapting to the emerging global Age of Limits.

Four Quarters is Land owned by a non-profit and now perpetually set aside from the cycles and vagaries of private control. Of this we are truly proud.

We who live here, and our Member Volunteers, are happy to answer your questions, assist in your visit, and hopefully, earn your respect and support. All of us began with our own first visit to Four Quarters. We want your visit to be a new beginning too!

 Contacting Four Quarters

Four Quarters is always open, 365 days a year. For first time visits a call ahead is appreciated, but not necessary. Our office is staffed from 9 am through 6 pm, with extended hours during scheduled events. But we are country people and our lifeways do take us out on the Land unexpectedly. If your call goes unanswered, try again in an hour. We will be sure to pick up.           
               That's...    814-784-3080      9 in the morning to 6 in the evening
We try to answer email query's the day we receive them, but there may be a few days delay during event weekends. If timely information is needed, please do call us!
               Our central email address is:    This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Visiting Four Quarters

Four Quarters is almost always open for day visits and over night camping. We really do encourage you to drop by, see the Land and especially experience the Stone Circle. If we have a free moment we will be happy to give you a tour.  We have a No Pet Policy, please do not bring your pets to visit.  Thank you for understanding.

Exceptions are our major fundraising events, when registration for the event is required. Our Events Schedule Page will give you full particulars. Or give us a call with your questions.

 We are located in the Allegheany foothills just a mile from the Pennsylvania - Maryland state lines, 100 miles North West of Baltimore, MD and Washington DC. Three miles North of Exit 68 on Interstate 68.
    Google "Four Quarters InterFaith" and their map will take you to our front door.
            That's...
                       Four Quarters InterFaith
                       190 Walker Lane
                       Artemas PA 17211
.

    Safe Journeys and Our Best Wishes
    Four Quarters

October 24, 2020

Roger Grandstaff, A Personal Memory

Roger Lloyd Grandstaff, "Papa Dragon"

by Orren Whiddon

Roger Lloyd Grandstaff, lovingly known as "Papa Dragon,"
joined the Ancestors the morning of Friday, October 23rd, 2020. He was 75. 

Roger was a tangible link to the early days of Four Quarters, having first come to The Land in the summer of 1997 with his wife Carolyn and daughter Laura to attend one of the very first music festivals. In those days we had but one building, no well, no drum circle and only the barest rudiments of roads. Camping could be quite rough. The first morning of that festival I unbelievingly savored the smell of fresh coffee through the woods, and following my nose came upon the Grandstaff family serving free coffee to every passerby, sweetened with their well-known smiles. Thus was born the Coffee Dragons and a now almost 25 year-long association of the Grandstaff family with Four Quarters.

     In the beginning Roger refused any kind of help with The Dragons, but I scrounged water barrels, bigger stoves and coffee pots as the crowds rapidly grew larger. As his participation in the church grew, so did "The Dragons," with new tents, then a deck, water; and in time full power and drains with the Upper Shower House. Out in the woods the only magic stronger than water mysteriously appearing from a spigot is that same water mysteriously disappearing down a drain!

October 16, 2020

Schutzenfest 2020

Members and Guests gathered on the firing line at Schutzenfest 2020.

By Kurt Griffith
Photography by Mike McConnell and Kurt Griffith

On October 10th we celebrated Schutzenfest, a German Fall Festival celebrating the Arts of Marksmanship celebrared in Germany, the Netherlands and Switzerland. We shared a fun afternoon of firing off some rounds, yummy food, sacrificing a pumpkin, and a rather good – and noisy – time on a gorgeous day. This is our annual take on the classic German fall festival!

It was an informal day. Members and guests brought out their noisemakers. We set up a casual range in the field facing the Farmhouse, set targets ranging from offcial range targets to balloons, plastic bottles, and overripe tomatoes, and laid down the law on safety rules. Then we let fly on a sparkling Fall day, not too brisk, not too hot. More experienced shooters instructed novices on both safety and marksmanship with weapons from AR-15s, to hunting rifiles, WWII vintage weapons, to an adorable tiny purse pistol. Our crew served up a yummy spread of Fall treats, cheddarwiurst, strudel, cider, glazed meatballs and more. A grand – and noisy – time was had by all. Enjoy the photo essay!

September 11, 2020

Stones Rising 2020

A pause before another mighty pull to raise up another Stone.

By Kurt Griffith and Members of Four Quarters
Photography by Beth Thomas and Kurt Griffith

Stones Rising 2020 took place against a backdrop of pandemic and a crippled economy amidst the sweeping changes of the accelerating Age of Limits.

None the less: it was an excellent event, very smooth with minor mischief managed and logistics very competently executed. Ritual and ceremony were meaningful, relevant and moving—commendations to all the ceremony facilitators, staff and helpers. The amount of sleeve rolling up and stepping forward by all the attendees was wonderful to see! Two more Stones now stand in the Stone Circle, making a total of sixty-one Standing Stones, incliuding two smaller stones filling the gaps alongside the towering north axis Stone.

September 3, 2020

Laying the Footers

The Concrete truck has arrived, and a Stone Crew sets to setting a footer.

Laboring through three days of rain, we have dug and laid in the footers for the new Stones. The work of the traditional Stones Intensive has compressed into three days of dedicated effort. The Stones have been chosen, prepped and dressed. The footers have been dug and today was concrete day! Our dedicated crew poured concrete in the rain and got the forms ready to receive the new Stones - in the rain!

We are expecting better weather for the weekend.

August 30, 2020

Welcome To The Stoneyard

A massive stone in The Stoneyard, where New Stones abide wating to take their place in the Stone Circle

It is that time of year again, the dog days of august, giving way to cooler nights and the promise of the coming harvest, and the Great Work, the raising of megalithic stones in the Stone Circle, the beating heart of Four Quarters. It is done with the minimum of modern machinery, relying as much as possible on heart, sweat, and human muscle and neolithic ingenuity with rollers, sleds, ropes, levers, cribbage blocks, and as many willing hands as we can gather. We create the ceremonial complex around the annual raising of stones, and we make it deeply sacred.

July 31, 2020

Micro Dub

    Our thanks to everyone who made Micro Dub such a success!
Beautiful summer weather, great co-operation with our COVID mitigations,
excellent DJ's and stunning lighting of the forest canopy in New Camp.
    A sweet, easy weekend in the woods, down by The River!

The Old Forest Stage glows in the night at Micro Dub

July 24, 2020

Ivy Sturm, in Service

Iyv graces a Stone in the Stoneyard.

Many of Ivy Sturm's friends know of her two hip operations performed this last winter, and of the slow recovery Ivy has experienced from the second operation. Since January of this year Ivy has been in serious decline, stubbornly attempting to manage her duties in the office, even as we moved her into the main floor of the Farmhouse to make her care easier for all of us
     
     Ivy first came to Four Quarters for Stones Rising of 1996, and has attended every Stones since. Back in those days we were all much younger, and we cooked out of an US Army GP Medium tent over Benzomatic gasoline burners... Ivy rolled up her sleeves and dove right in. After the Starvin' Artist Kitchen was built Ivy took on all of our baking at events, and pioneered our gluten free fare. She also played an over size role in ceremony and could always be relied on to fill in for that "extra" part. Ivy was instrumental in planning the very first WickerMan event thirteen years ago, maintained the mailing list and organized "Bread and Circus" as her eatable Art contribution.
     About six years ago Ivy petitioned for her Novitiate as a Member of the Community of Service, and was accepted. She closed out her personal affairs in Wilkes-barre and moved to Four Quarters to live under vows of poverty and service. From that time until just recently Ivy has managed our office, database and accounting systems; and greeted thousands of visitors. She served for a number of years as a Members Advocate and since 2018 as a fully seated Member of our Board of Directors.

July 9, 2020

At Drum ’N’ Splash 2020

Mike McConnel lights up the Meadow with dazzling fire spinning.

Drum and Splash was fun …. and weird … but mostly fun. It was particularly amazing seeing everyone this year. Covid has certainly changed my perspective on seeing and hanging out with chosen family and friends. These moments are just extra sweet because they are so rare. Seeing friends, hanging out with chosen family, sharing space and experiences was something I used to take for granted. Now, there are no guarantees when the next time will be. I can’t believe I’m saying this and double true if you know me … I miss people. I miss hugs. I can’t believe I just owned that … lol. It was so weird feeling like that and then feeling this little edge of fear creeping in … c o v i d. I refuse to capitalize the “c” anymore, I am not giving it any more power.