Hidden Gems: Meet Arwen Ek of The Holistic Homestead

Today we’d like to introduce you to Arwen Ek.

Hi Arwen, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I moved to Gilpin County in 2012 when I was homeless and pregnant, and my car broke down.

It quickly occurred to me that Gilpin County lacked basic services such as a clinic, pharmacy, and access to fresh healthy food. As I started talking to people I also realized there was a lack of health literacy when it came to understanding healthcare options, and preventative health measures that were easy and affordable.

As a trained herbalist, homeopath, and Wilderness First Responder, my mission became clear: work to make healthy food and natural medicine understood, affordable, and accessible.

I moved into a tiny cabin with a friend and got to work learning about the local edible and medicinal plants that grew wild and free right in my backyard. I started making and selling herbal teas, tinctures, and syrups, hosting workshops, and writing a wellness column for the local paper.

The Holistic Homestead started from the idea to fill this need for education and access to health and wellness resources in the community. Our mission is to elevate health for our rural mountain communities by improving health literacy, building healthy communities, and advocating for the underserved.

Can you talk to us about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back, would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Housing, transportation, and income insecurity have been incredibly challenging for me. Having experienced homelessness twice, with young children, surviving domestic violence, and having no car as a single mother – there were times when I had to rely on my homesteading skills to survive the rough winters and keep my kids warm and fed.

Let alone trying to get a grassroots nonprofit off the ground! And yet I knew this is what I needed, and what our community needed most. My meditation and healing skills, organizational and leadership skills, and writing skills are all indispensable tools that have kept me going.

But I also relied on the community around me – neighbors, email groups, and Human Services – to help me stay afloat, and keep focussed on building the Holistic Homestead into the growing nonprofit that it is today. Even in our isolated, mountain communities, we are not alone.

Folks up here are more aware of each other’s needs and ready to lend a hand. So I’m also committed to giving back to the community through my nonprofit.

Thanks – so what else should our readers know about The Holistic Homestead?
The Holistic Homestead started in 2013 with a vision to increase health literacy, build healthy communities, and advocate for the underserved. Since our inception, we have hosted community events that uplift and empower people to take better care of their health through nutrition and preventative medicine.

In 2016, we surveyed the community to better understand their health priorities – do we need a clinic? A pharmacy? Public transit? Cleaner environment? Less drugs and alcohol? Or a grocery store? Hands down, almost 100% of the community voted for a grocery store, explaining that lack of access to fresh, healthy food was a major barrier to better health. The Holistic Homestead’s Board of Directors and volunteers took this as our marching orders from the community and formulated our strategy to bring fresh, healthy food to our community.

In 2018, we launched our Community Food Share – with no storage, by the way, just a bi-weekly pick up of fresh local produce – and that quickly grew into the Gilpin County Farmers Market. As the Community Food Share and Farmers Market grew, we continued to offer more programs and services to meet the needs of our community, until eventually, we secured a location for our brick-and-mortar Homestead Market, which is now open five days a week year-round for everyone to enjoy.

The Market accepts EBT/SNAP benefits and features all organic, local, and seasonal produce, local milk, butter, cheese, eggs, bread, meat, and pantry staples. We continue to grow in response to the needs of our community by adding a curbside pick-up and delivery service, and a pay-what-you-can farm-to-table cafe.

Is there something surprising that you feel even people who know you might not know about?
Most folks think since I run a health food store, that I’m a vegan, or have some special diet. Not true! I tell people that I’m on the “gratitude diet” – I’m just so grateful for good, wholesome, healthy food that I can share with my family and community.

Pricing:

• Membership $25/year
• Community Food Share Full Share $40/month
• Community Food Share Half Share $20/month
• Weekly Food Share Delivery $10/week.

Contact Info:

• Website: theholistichomestead.org
• Instagram: instagram.com/the_holistichomestead
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theholistichomestead
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-holistic-homestead/