Healing Arts’ Manon Wilde caught up with Andrew Hansen and Charlie Wruckle, two Esalen Farm & Garden farmers. Andrew and Charlie shared some insights about working with plants, their Esalen origin stories, and what being a land steward means to them.
Manon Wilde: What was your personal journey that led you to Big Sur?
Andrew Hansen: My life was completely falling apart. I was partying and hermiting and in a toxic relationship. I cut my finger at work on a table saw. The saw went up the whole side of the finger, and I needed 30 stitches or something. I had lost the use of my hand, major emergency surgery needed to be made. I moved in with my parents after that, and they asked, “Why don’t you fill out an application for Esalen for the work-scholar program?”
Manon: What do you think it means to be a land steward?
Andrew: Being able to work on the land has enabled me to slow down. This, to me, is what I am supposed to be doing — I feel like myself. I can think and navigate my thoughts in my life.
Manon: Have you ever reached out to local farmers’ markets?
Andrew: We [the Farm & Garden crew] have reached out to the Big Share in the past. We brought “starts” (starter crops) and big bins of kale and extra crops. We don’t have enough produce to keep that up currently but maybe with more people and a larger crew.
Manon: What’s your vision for Farm & Garden?
Andrew: I want the garden to look like a postcard. I want it to look edible and beautiful — a snack stand. You go out there with your bowl before lunch and grab what you want.
Charlie Wruckle on the comfort of working with plants and why creating a natural habitat for insects and animals is his primary goal.
Manon: What led you to Big Sur?
Charlie: I moved here with my girlfriend around 2016 to help take care of her grandparents. One of my bad habits is picking up hitchhikers. I saw this old guy walking with an empty can of gas, picked him up, and took him to the pizza parlor. He owned an eco-resort in Big Sur and wanted to write me a check for helping, but I said I’d rather have a job. Daniel Hansen was the garden manager there and is now the garden manager here at Esalen.
Manon: What is your relationship to plants like?
Charlie: I guess just their comfort. I must be surrounded by the ocean, green, and nature. It’s kind of like a white noise machine for me. I’m not a desert person. The desert is one of the most uncomfortable places for me. I love forests, woods — even the bluffs at Pacific Valley.
Manon: Tell us about the process from farm to meals.
Charlie: We like to throw everything in it for the salad mix: dandelion, mallow, nasturtium, and top everything with edible flowers and “crack rocket,” which is rustic arugula because it likes to grow in the cracks. The farm-to-table thing is one of the hardest ideas. You have to have chefs who are also gardeners and know what to expect for different seasons. You really can’t have a fixed menu; shit is always changing. Only way to make it work is to allow for more creativity in the kitchen. Giving people the freedom to experiment without being so concerned about the outcome for a guest.
Manon: What does being a land steward mean to you?
Charlie: For me, it’s rebuilding the soil. That’s been the number one thing. Bringing life back from it being a dust bowl and over-tilling. Covid made the soil sit vacant and weeds were taking over. The ground was compacted. There were no roly-polies, worms, or bugs. Just letting it come back to a natural habitat for insects and animals is more important for me than feeding people, honestly — but I would love to feed some people.
“Remembering to be as self compassionate as I can and praying to the divine that we're all a part of.”
–Aaron
“Prayer, reading, meditation, walking.”
–Karen
“Erratically — which is an ongoing stream of practice to find peace.”
–Charles
“Try on a daily basis to be kind to myself and to realize that making mistakes is a part of the human condition. Learning from our mistakes is a journey. But it starts with compassion and caring. First for oneself.”
–Steve
“Physically: aerobic exercise, volleyball, ice hockey, cycling, sailing. Emotionally: unfortunately I have to work to ‘not care’ about people or situations which may end painfully. Along the lines of ‘attachment is the source of suffering’, so best to avoid it or limit its scope. Sad though because it could also be the source of great joy. Is it worth the risk?“
–Rainer
“It's time for my heart to be nurtured on one level yet contained on another. To go easy on me and to allow my feelings to be validated, not judged harshly. On the other hand, to let the heart rule with equanimity and not lead the mind and body around like a master.”
–Suzanne
“I spend time thinking of everything I am grateful for, and I try to develop my ability to express compassion for myself and others without reservation. I take time to do the things I need to do to keep myself healthy and happy. This includes taking experiential workshops, fostering relationships, and participating within groups which have a similar interest to become a more compassionate and fulfilled being.“
–Peter
“Self-forgiveness for my own judgments. And oh yeah, coming to Esalen.”
–David B.
“Hmm, this is a tough one! I guess I take care of my heart through fostering relationships with people I feel connected to. Spending quality time with them (whether we're on the phone, through messages/letters, on Zoom, or in-person). Being there for them, listening to them, sharing what's going on with me, my struggles and my successes... like we do in the Esalen weekly Friends of Esalen Zoom sessions!”
–Lori
“I remind myself in many ways of the fact that " Love is all there is!" LOVE is the prize and this one precious life is the stage we get to learn our lessons. I get out into nature, hike, camp, river kayak, fly fish, garden, I create, I dance (not enough!), and I remain grateful for each day, each breath, each moment. Being in the moment, awake, and remembering the gift of life and my feeling of gratitude for all of creation.”
–Steven
“My physical heart by limiting stress and eating a heart-healthy diet. My emotional heart by staying in love with the world and by knowing that all disappointment and loss will pass.“
–David Z.
Today, September 29, is World Heart Day. Strike up a conversation with your own heart and as you feel comfortable, encourage others to do the same. As part of our own transformations and self-care, we sometimes ask for others to illuminate and enliven our hearts or speak our love language.
What if we could do this for ourselves too, even if just for today… or to start a heart practice, forever?
Find out more about Esalen Farm & Garden here. If you’re interested in becoming a work scholar on campus, check out our month-long Live Extended Education Program (LEEP) and our three-month Residential Extended Education Program (REEP).
Healing Arts’ Manon Wilde caught up with Andrew Hansen and Charlie Wruckle, two Esalen Farm & Garden farmers. Andrew and Charlie shared some insights about working with plants, their Esalen origin stories, and what being a land steward means to them.
Manon Wilde: What was your personal journey that led you to Big Sur?
Andrew Hansen: My life was completely falling apart. I was partying and hermiting and in a toxic relationship. I cut my finger at work on a table saw. The saw went up the whole side of the finger, and I needed 30 stitches or something. I had lost the use of my hand, major emergency surgery needed to be made. I moved in with my parents after that, and they asked, “Why don’t you fill out an application for Esalen for the work-scholar program?”
Manon: What do you think it means to be a land steward?
Andrew: Being able to work on the land has enabled me to slow down. This, to me, is what I am supposed to be doing — I feel like myself. I can think and navigate my thoughts in my life.
Manon: Have you ever reached out to local farmers’ markets?
Andrew: We [the Farm & Garden crew] have reached out to the Big Share in the past. We brought “starts” (starter crops) and big bins of kale and extra crops. We don’t have enough produce to keep that up currently but maybe with more people and a larger crew.
Manon: What’s your vision for Farm & Garden?
Andrew: I want the garden to look like a postcard. I want it to look edible and beautiful — a snack stand. You go out there with your bowl before lunch and grab what you want.
Charlie Wruckle on the comfort of working with plants and why creating a natural habitat for insects and animals is his primary goal.
Manon: What led you to Big Sur?
Charlie: I moved here with my girlfriend around 2016 to help take care of her grandparents. One of my bad habits is picking up hitchhikers. I saw this old guy walking with an empty can of gas, picked him up, and took him to the pizza parlor. He owned an eco-resort in Big Sur and wanted to write me a check for helping, but I said I’d rather have a job. Daniel Hansen was the garden manager there and is now the garden manager here at Esalen.
Manon: What is your relationship to plants like?
Charlie: I guess just their comfort. I must be surrounded by the ocean, green, and nature. It’s kind of like a white noise machine for me. I’m not a desert person. The desert is one of the most uncomfortable places for me. I love forests, woods — even the bluffs at Pacific Valley.
Manon: Tell us about the process from farm to meals.
Charlie: We like to throw everything in it for the salad mix: dandelion, mallow, nasturtium, and top everything with edible flowers and “crack rocket,” which is rustic arugula because it likes to grow in the cracks. The farm-to-table thing is one of the hardest ideas. You have to have chefs who are also gardeners and know what to expect for different seasons. You really can’t have a fixed menu; shit is always changing. Only way to make it work is to allow for more creativity in the kitchen. Giving people the freedom to experiment without being so concerned about the outcome for a guest.
Manon: What does being a land steward mean to you?
Charlie: For me, it’s rebuilding the soil. That’s been the number one thing. Bringing life back from it being a dust bowl and over-tilling. Covid made the soil sit vacant and weeds were taking over. The ground was compacted. There were no roly-polies, worms, or bugs. Just letting it come back to a natural habitat for insects and animals is more important for me than feeding people, honestly — but I would love to feed some people.
“Remembering to be as self compassionate as I can and praying to the divine that we're all a part of.”
–Aaron
“Prayer, reading, meditation, walking.”
–Karen
“Erratically — which is an ongoing stream of practice to find peace.”
–Charles
“Try on a daily basis to be kind to myself and to realize that making mistakes is a part of the human condition. Learning from our mistakes is a journey. But it starts with compassion and caring. First for oneself.”
–Steve
“Physically: aerobic exercise, volleyball, ice hockey, cycling, sailing. Emotionally: unfortunately I have to work to ‘not care’ about people or situations which may end painfully. Along the lines of ‘attachment is the source of suffering’, so best to avoid it or limit its scope. Sad though because it could also be the source of great joy. Is it worth the risk?“
–Rainer
“It's time for my heart to be nurtured on one level yet contained on another. To go easy on me and to allow my feelings to be validated, not judged harshly. On the other hand, to let the heart rule with equanimity and not lead the mind and body around like a master.”
–Suzanne
“I spend time thinking of everything I am grateful for, and I try to develop my ability to express compassion for myself and others without reservation. I take time to do the things I need to do to keep myself healthy and happy. This includes taking experiential workshops, fostering relationships, and participating within groups which have a similar interest to become a more compassionate and fulfilled being.“
–Peter
“Self-forgiveness for my own judgments. And oh yeah, coming to Esalen.”
–David B.
“Hmm, this is a tough one! I guess I take care of my heart through fostering relationships with people I feel connected to. Spending quality time with them (whether we're on the phone, through messages/letters, on Zoom, or in-person). Being there for them, listening to them, sharing what's going on with me, my struggles and my successes... like we do in the Esalen weekly Friends of Esalen Zoom sessions!”
–Lori
“I remind myself in many ways of the fact that " Love is all there is!" LOVE is the prize and this one precious life is the stage we get to learn our lessons. I get out into nature, hike, camp, river kayak, fly fish, garden, I create, I dance (not enough!), and I remain grateful for each day, each breath, each moment. Being in the moment, awake, and remembering the gift of life and my feeling of gratitude for all of creation.”
–Steven
“My physical heart by limiting stress and eating a heart-healthy diet. My emotional heart by staying in love with the world and by knowing that all disappointment and loss will pass.“
–David Z.
Today, September 29, is World Heart Day. Strike up a conversation with your own heart and as you feel comfortable, encourage others to do the same. As part of our own transformations and self-care, we sometimes ask for others to illuminate and enliven our hearts or speak our love language.
What if we could do this for ourselves too, even if just for today… or to start a heart practice, forever?
Find out more about Esalen Farm & Garden here. If you’re interested in becoming a work scholar on campus, check out our month-long Live Extended Education Program (LEEP) and our three-month Residential Extended Education Program (REEP).
Healing Arts’ Manon Wilde caught up with Andrew Hansen and Charlie Wruckle, two Esalen Farm & Garden farmers. Andrew and Charlie shared some insights about working with plants, their Esalen origin stories, and what being a land steward means to them.
Manon Wilde: What was your personal journey that led you to Big Sur?
Andrew Hansen: My life was completely falling apart. I was partying and hermiting and in a toxic relationship. I cut my finger at work on a table saw. The saw went up the whole side of the finger, and I needed 30 stitches or something. I had lost the use of my hand, major emergency surgery needed to be made. I moved in with my parents after that, and they asked, “Why don’t you fill out an application for Esalen for the work-scholar program?”
Manon: What do you think it means to be a land steward?
Andrew: Being able to work on the land has enabled me to slow down. This, to me, is what I am supposed to be doing — I feel like myself. I can think and navigate my thoughts in my life.
Manon: Have you ever reached out to local farmers’ markets?
Andrew: We [the Farm & Garden crew] have reached out to the Big Share in the past. We brought “starts” (starter crops) and big bins of kale and extra crops. We don’t have enough produce to keep that up currently but maybe with more people and a larger crew.
Manon: What’s your vision for Farm & Garden?
Andrew: I want the garden to look like a postcard. I want it to look edible and beautiful — a snack stand. You go out there with your bowl before lunch and grab what you want.
Charlie Wruckle on the comfort of working with plants and why creating a natural habitat for insects and animals is his primary goal.
Manon: What led you to Big Sur?
Charlie: I moved here with my girlfriend around 2016 to help take care of her grandparents. One of my bad habits is picking up hitchhikers. I saw this old guy walking with an empty can of gas, picked him up, and took him to the pizza parlor. He owned an eco-resort in Big Sur and wanted to write me a check for helping, but I said I’d rather have a job. Daniel Hansen was the garden manager there and is now the garden manager here at Esalen.
Manon: What is your relationship to plants like?
Charlie: I guess just their comfort. I must be surrounded by the ocean, green, and nature. It’s kind of like a white noise machine for me. I’m not a desert person. The desert is one of the most uncomfortable places for me. I love forests, woods — even the bluffs at Pacific Valley.
Manon: Tell us about the process from farm to meals.
Charlie: We like to throw everything in it for the salad mix: dandelion, mallow, nasturtium, and top everything with edible flowers and “crack rocket,” which is rustic arugula because it likes to grow in the cracks. The farm-to-table thing is one of the hardest ideas. You have to have chefs who are also gardeners and know what to expect for different seasons. You really can’t have a fixed menu; shit is always changing. Only way to make it work is to allow for more creativity in the kitchen. Giving people the freedom to experiment without being so concerned about the outcome for a guest.
Manon: What does being a land steward mean to you?
Charlie: For me, it’s rebuilding the soil. That’s been the number one thing. Bringing life back from it being a dust bowl and over-tilling. Covid made the soil sit vacant and weeds were taking over. The ground was compacted. There were no roly-polies, worms, or bugs. Just letting it come back to a natural habitat for insects and animals is more important for me than feeding people, honestly — but I would love to feed some people.
“Remembering to be as self compassionate as I can and praying to the divine that we're all a part of.”
–Aaron
“Prayer, reading, meditation, walking.”
–Karen
“Erratically — which is an ongoing stream of practice to find peace.”
–Charles
“Try on a daily basis to be kind to myself and to realize that making mistakes is a part of the human condition. Learning from our mistakes is a journey. But it starts with compassion and caring. First for oneself.”
–Steve
“Physically: aerobic exercise, volleyball, ice hockey, cycling, sailing. Emotionally: unfortunately I have to work to ‘not care’ about people or situations which may end painfully. Along the lines of ‘attachment is the source of suffering’, so best to avoid it or limit its scope. Sad though because it could also be the source of great joy. Is it worth the risk?“
–Rainer
“It's time for my heart to be nurtured on one level yet contained on another. To go easy on me and to allow my feelings to be validated, not judged harshly. On the other hand, to let the heart rule with equanimity and not lead the mind and body around like a master.”
–Suzanne
“I spend time thinking of everything I am grateful for, and I try to develop my ability to express compassion for myself and others without reservation. I take time to do the things I need to do to keep myself healthy and happy. This includes taking experiential workshops, fostering relationships, and participating within groups which have a similar interest to become a more compassionate and fulfilled being.“
–Peter
“Self-forgiveness for my own judgments. And oh yeah, coming to Esalen.”
–David B.
“Hmm, this is a tough one! I guess I take care of my heart through fostering relationships with people I feel connected to. Spending quality time with them (whether we're on the phone, through messages/letters, on Zoom, or in-person). Being there for them, listening to them, sharing what's going on with me, my struggles and my successes... like we do in the Esalen weekly Friends of Esalen Zoom sessions!”
–Lori
“I remind myself in many ways of the fact that " Love is all there is!" LOVE is the prize and this one precious life is the stage we get to learn our lessons. I get out into nature, hike, camp, river kayak, fly fish, garden, I create, I dance (not enough!), and I remain grateful for each day, each breath, each moment. Being in the moment, awake, and remembering the gift of life and my feeling of gratitude for all of creation.”
–Steven
“My physical heart by limiting stress and eating a heart-healthy diet. My emotional heart by staying in love with the world and by knowing that all disappointment and loss will pass.“
–David Z.
Today, September 29, is World Heart Day. Strike up a conversation with your own heart and as you feel comfortable, encourage others to do the same. As part of our own transformations and self-care, we sometimes ask for others to illuminate and enliven our hearts or speak our love language.
What if we could do this for ourselves too, even if just for today… or to start a heart practice, forever?
Find out more about Esalen Farm & Garden here. If you’re interested in becoming a work scholar on campus, check out our month-long Live Extended Education Program (LEEP) and our three-month Residential Extended Education Program (REEP).
Esalen Institute
55000 Highway 1
Big Sur, CA 93920
US: 1-831-667-3000
info@esalen.org
