Taking you along with me on our farm, introducing you to our lovely animals, and bringing you into our lives has been nothing but a pleasure. However, just as the seasons change, so do our priorities. While our farm, fiber, and furry friends will ...

Let's be real—do you struggle with making decisions? Do you agonize over the next step, spending so much time weighing risks and doing research that you end up stuck and wanting to quit? Since moving to the farm, we've had our fair share of flops—...

You know how frustrating it can be when you’re exhausted and you finally get to lay your head on the pillow at night and then that thought comes in, “I didn’t get anything done today.”? It’s an awful feeling. And then the next thought is, and “Whe...

Every couple needs a "we" or a third thing—a focal point that exists not solely within one individual but rather something shared between them. Something cherished mutually, binding them together. There is an article by American poet Donald Hall, ...

This season, we've set out to capture and celebrate ordinary moments in our lives on the farm.  Because even the little things like the basics and the mundane are important.  They can be lessons on how to live well and,  in their simplicity or may...

It turns out that we humans are terrible at estimating the value of the present. There is a study I just read by Harvard researchers. They found that as time goes on, we regret how easily we let moments go.  So, maybe the question, “What’s next?” ...

This is the last episode of season 2. In this episode, I dive into the question, why do I write this podcast? What does reflection of this kind mean to me and others? And when the magic seems dimmed, how can we get it back? I talk to Laura Davis, ...

Humans are no different than guanacos or sheep or any other animal that finds comfort in the presence of others. We rely on each other for help and support, warmth and protection. But as humans, sometimes it’s difficult to ask for help and support...

Sometimes the best things in life are about the process, not the product. Working with your hands vs. working with your mind. In this episode, I sit down with several spinners to understand their motivation and love for the art. In this episode, I...

We’ve lost 6 animals in the last 3 years on our farm: five guanacos and one goat. Now, as a therapist, I’ve sat with so many dear clients in the grips of death and tragedy and the pain that floods in when we lose loved ones. And I’ve faced my fair...

Have you ever thought about what you’ll leave behind when your time on this planet is up? An amazing accomplishment of mine had me recently experiencing an existential dilemma. Searching for answers about where all of my prized fiber and tools wil...

Our goats, Daisy & Milo, taught us how to love better. In this episode, I tell you the story of how I found them and share a little bit about their breed (Pygora) and why they are so special. My husband, Greg and I will delight in our love for the...

What's the story behind the wrench in your junk drawer? It probably has a story. When was it purchased? Who used it first? What problems did it solve? In this episode, host, Lisa Mitchell, shares her thoughts about handmade tools. Greg and Lisa sh...

Fear is a fickle thing. We all feel it. It's part of the human experience. Yet many of us are also told to "fake it till you make it." Therapist turned Fiber Farmer, Lisa Mitchell lived by this motto for years. But, once she started raising wild a...

In our second season of A Fiber Life, “Homegrown and Handcrafted,” we are going to transport you to a life of making from nature. We are going to introduce you to our baby goats, talk about the tools that we use,  and chat with many of the maker f...

Pride is a tricky thing for many of us. We’ve been taught to dismiss compliments to keep us from attracting too much attention or getting a big head. We’ve been warned that focussing too much on accomplishments can suck the meaning out of living. ...

Facing death, losing loved ones, it’s a universal experience. But it can challenge you to the core. In the gut wrenching sadness, death can make you question everything about your life and your choices. In this episode, Lisa and Greg’s son, Mitch,...

This episode is about waiting for the birth of our guanacos. It’s my hope that this episode helps you see waiting as a normal part of life, in this case, a whole new life. Because as you may already know, every one of us is waiting for something. ...

Breeding animals is like sowing seeds. They are both acts of hope.   And when you perform acts of hope, you are not only doing something for your future, but you are enriching your present. This episode is a love story within a love story.  Lisa a...

Trust builds connection, and over time, connection builds bonds. So, how you show up–every day, over time, matters. It’s a practice. It doesn’t happen because you just want it to, it happens because you are consistent and trustworthy. My friend Sh...

As it turns out the key to being a successful farmer is having a crap management plan. (Yes, this episode is about poop.) Learning about “waste management” taught us about the importance of managing all the crap in our lives. The more pressure we ...

If you are going to change your life, you are going to encounter obstacles. And some of those obstacles might even be dangerous. Welcome to A Fiber Life.  In episode two,  Lisa and Greg get real about the darker parts of their journey. The parts t...

There are these moments in life, let’s call them ‘YES moments’. They happen when we stumble across a really good thing and say ‘YES’. Welcome to A Fiber Life. In episode one, owners of Aliento Luxury Fiber Farm, Lisa and Greg, share the story abou...

In 2018 we did a crazy thing…..we quit our stressful-suburban lives and bought a farm on an island in the Pacific NorthWest. Then, we bought a small herd of exotic animals called Guanacos.Now we raise them for their special fiber. If you have ever...