I had the pleasure of staying for one week at the Orchard Keeper farm this summer. My time at the orchard was my first residency, and I spent it in the hills and mountains of northeast Tennessee near the Cumberland Gap. Though I wasn’t as disciplined as I would have liked to have been, I did get quite a bit of work done. The orchard is the perfect place for solitary writing time. No wifi. No tv. Just me and my computer’s word processing program. Needless to say, I felt a little lonely at times, but the solitude was perfect for my writing. Denton Loving, the man who owns the farm, was welcoming and super helpful. If you’re looking for a residency or a retreat, consider applying to this one.
Monic Ductan 