About Us
The Pond Beyond is an unfolding dream of Tim Noah and his partner in music, and in life, Cyndi "Soup" Elliott.
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Celebrating 8 years this 2023 just south of Granit Falls. This 17 acres he land. Huge patches of asphalt had to be removed, concrete was broken up and hauled out by the truckload.
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Slowly but surely the land began to retake its natural shape and more birds and animals popped up every day to raise their young and live in harmony with their new human neighbors.
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Tim and Cyndi believe that if you want to make a difference in this world you need to walk the walk. Build places where you can improve the lives of young people and support the environment if you want to change the future of the world. It could really be that simple.
Tim Noah
Artist • Visionary • Generator • Singer-Songwriter • Author • Illustrator • Producer • And Guy With The Butterfly Bow Tie.
“There are these moments; We might be walking on a trail, playing a game, creating art, making friends with a critter or discovering who lives in pond water and suddenly, we see it. It is in that look of joy on the faces of young and old, out in nature, having a shared experience. These are the precious moments that make us want to sing. And when we sing together, something extraordinary happens - Faces light up, eyes shine, worries disappear, otherness evaporates, we relax, let go and move with the music. We take a breath, open our mouths and let the song sing through us. We listen into the sound, open our hearts and minds to possibility. We project our whole being into space, become conscious of our shared humanity, our connection with one another, to Nature and all living things.
Helping to create an environment where these moments can happen is what I have the great privilege of being part of at the Pond Beyond.”
~ TN
Cyndi "Soup" Elliott
Critter Choir Director with a Masters Of Arts In Education • Teacher • Performer • Artist • Visionary • And woman who communes with nature, and “all creatures great and small.”
“I have been an animal lover, dog breeder and horse owner all of my life. A friend and fellow Livestock Master and I started a traveling petting farm soon after we graduated from the Washington State Livestock Masters Program. Through this program, I was taught best practices in raising and caring for goats, sheep, pigs, cattle, and horses.
The Critter Choir, our educational animal farm here at The Pond Beyond, makes farm animals accessible to families. Since educating children has been a continuous thread throughout my life as a private and public school teacher, I am excited to offer education, exploration and fun!
My great joy is to interact with the public through songs and stories while teaching animal husbandry. It is my fondest desire to teach children that all creatures have feelings and needs. I have always believed, if a child grows up understanding and caring for animals, never harming and always nurturing both domestic and wild creatures, then that child will never harm another human being or the environment. I hope the people who join me at The Pond Beyond in learning animal husbandry will go away with an enlarged appreciation for the natural world and their place in it.”
~ CS
Judy Dahlberg:
Ecosystem Educator & Restoration Specialist
Habitat Restoration Director • Retired Science Educator • Native Plant Specialist • Grant Writer • And Lady with a Truck Full ‘O Ferns.
“I come to The Pond Beyond with 30 years of experience as a classroom science teacher and am excited to share some of my favorite lessons and activities here with kids of all ages. Exploring life in pond water, discovering what lives in the leaf litter, restoring habitat by removing invasive plants and replacing them with a variety of native ones...all of these have one common theme: biodiversity. Through observation, curiosity, engagement, and fun we are helping kids make personal connections to the natural world and teaching them the importance of preserving the variety of life on Earth for future generations.”
~ JD
Jane Wright:
Naturalist/Bird Guide/Photographer
Event Coordinator • Photographer • Social Media Specialist • Bird Expert • Naturalist • And Woman Easily Distracted By Birds.
“The Pond Beyond is a wonderful destination for kids and adults alike. There are so many opportunities for exploration, discovery and connections with nature. I feel fortunate to be a part of The Pond Beyond where I get to explore the wonder of nature, the excitement of bird watching and the importance of being stewards of this planet with the folks that attend our events. I combine arts and crafts with my knowledge of birds and other wildlife at The Pond Beyond to offer a connection and encourage a curiosity about the natural world we all live in. I look forward to growing with The Pond Beyond and offering classes like Nature Journaling, how to draw birds, teaching how to identify birds and the benefit of planting for birds and wildlife.”
~ JW
Jeff Vileta:
Ecosystem Educator & Restoration Specialist
Public Relations • Hospitality • Handy Happy Helper • And man who exudes and includes
“Unique Opportunity – is one of the reasons I enjoy being a part of the Pond Beyond. Seeing children and people of all ages working and playing together, hearing their laughter and comments like, “I could do this all day” is the pay in full I’ve received for any of my efforts. Whether it’s helping with art murals and trail signage, lending a hand with restoration projects, celebrating and encouraging young visitors with outdoor games and playful activities or picking up a hammer – watching and being part of something growing and becoming a family favorite place to be is a beautiful thing.
I’m proud to be part of this team and to know we are putting out a welcome mat. The Pond Beyond is an exciting, inviting opportunity for people like me and all members of the community to help restore native habitat while creating a joyful gathering place where we can all participate in a unique environmental arts and education experience.”
~ JV
Our Home
The Pond Beyond isn't just our environmental education project- it's our home! We recently completed building a quonset-hut style house to live in. We've been living off grid for several years and we're excited to enjoy some of the creature comforts the new home will afford us.
