Forty-One Acres

Welcome to Forty-One Acres, where life is a little slower and focused on nature, art, gardening, the power of observation, and capturing the wonder and wildness of a magical sliver of land at 6,500 feet in the mountains of Colorado. Forty-One Acres consists of a truly special 40-acre parcel of open space in the Roaring Fork Valley and a nearby “homestead” (er, home).

  • The Forty Acres Wood open space is filled with wildlife from elk to owls, along with diverse ecosystems and plant life. Countless trails wind their way across this landscape that borders the Roaring Fork River, and this special place is filled with magic, stories, surprises, and special spots, much like the Hundred Acre Wood.

  • The Homestead includes an all-edible garden with vegetable plots, fruit trees, potted plants, and a cast of wily animal characters who visit regularly, including a crow who can impersonate an owl, brash squirrels whose daily quest for food causes all sorts of challenges, slacker lady bugs, and a menagerie of birds, insects, snakes, and the occasional bear.

Together these two landscapes complement each other and remind us of all that is wonderful and wild when we take the time to slow down and notice it.

The Founder

After decades working in communications, Allison chose to step away from corporate positions and explore a life that's a little slower, a little gentler, and a lot more human. She’s returning to what she’s always been passionate about -- nature, art, photography, gardening, creative pursuits, and storytelling. Allison is a life-long learner who has spent over twenty years exploring the 40-acre parcel of open space near her home and feeding her family from an organic and edible backyard paradise in the mountains of Colorado. She lives on “the Homestead” with her husband and two cats and believes that everyone has their own Forty-One Acres if they can slow down enough and notice it.

Why start a mail club? Simple: ChatGPT can’t do it, and Allison is uniquely qualified to create an inspiring, creative, and beautiful monthly letter. In addition to communications, marketing and design work, she spent six years coaxing middle schoolers towards creativity in a state-of-the-art Makerspace where she introduced STEAM explorations. She’s also written four novels and when not gardening or launching a new business, she’s hard at work on her fifth. Between writing, communications, and a background in promoting creative projects, Allison is thrilled to bring the Forty-One Acres story to life and share all the wonder and wildness here for others to connect with and enjoy.

A smiling woman with short gray hair and glasses sitting indoors in front of a tiled wall, wearing a blue shirt and a white sweater draped over her shoulders.

The Mail Club

In a world where loneliness is epidemic, where our sense of place has been disrupted by our devices, where time spent in nature is at an all-time low and yet more important to our wellbeing than ever, Forty-One Acres offers the antidote to the harried modern lifestyle. This monthly mail club encourages you to sit back, relax, and slip into a remarkable world of magic and beauty, community, and connection that will speak to you wherever you call home.

The mail club includes:

  • A beautiful, curated experience delivered to your mailbox each month with a seasonal monthly theme.

  • A letter, original artwork or photography printed on a postcard (with postage) that you can send or savor as a keepsake, seasonal recipes from the garden, a dispatch on Forty-One Acre plants and animals for that month, words of wisdom to keep in your wallet, a bookmark with recommended reading, and something wonderful and wild in each envelope.

Order one for yourself and another for someone you love. Grandparents, friends, and youth (a children’s version will eventually be introduced) will all appreciate receiving this special mail, and it will give them something to look forward to each month.

The Online Blog (Coming Soon)

The online Forty-One Acres Blog is meant to fill in the gaps in between the monthly physical letters so that subscribers can continue to receive special updates and slice of life moments that can’t be found anywhere else. It’s the social media antidote, much like a Substack, and you’ll never miss a post because some AI algorithm suppressed it. Once you sign up, you can check the blog whenever you want right here on the site.

The blog includes:

  • Short slice-of-life updates on the Forty-One Acres and all the wonder and wildlife here.

  • Content that will not be shared in the monthly mailing or on social media.

  • Photos, videos, garden, woods, and animal updates, recipes, book reviews, personal stories, and craft ideas available only to subscribers.

  • Regular posting at least twice a week

  • Easy digital access for subscribers through the website while they wait for the next monthly letter to be delivered.

A circular logo with a dark green border and white text that reads "Forty-One Acres" at the top and "Wonder and wildness at 6, 500 feet" at the bottom. The center features a detailed black and white illustration of a dandelion.
The Forty-One Acres Crow watches over the Forty Acre Wood and the Homestead.
The Forty-One Acres Homestead Gardens provide ample food and entertainment, with wildlife, photography, harvesting and cooking opportunities. Featured: a bed of Chard.
Close-up of a Forty-One Acres Homestead Gardens sunflower with yellow petals and green leaves against a blue sky.
The Forty-One Acres Homestead Gardens produce a variety of cooking essentials, like this jar of chive flower vinegar.
The Forty-One Acres Hey Squirrel population provides endless headaches and smiles. Close-up of a squirrel sitting on a wooden surface, holding and eating a nut, with colorful yarn balls nearby and blurred background of trees and sky.
The Forty Acre Wood is a magical sliver of open space in Carbondale, Colorado, filled with trails through dense forests. Featured: a dirt trail running through a dense green forest with tall trees and lush plants on either side.