Dear Reader,

We hope this finds you well - and suitably Autumnal!

It’s been one of the busiest seasons Wild Finca has ever seen. With a landslide of late deliveries, our DIY house build has turned into a race to get everything weatherproof before the next big storm (we’ve already survived one!). It’s been a little chaotic, but as ever, nature carries on around us.

The winter Meadow Pipit flocks have arrived, and the Grey Herons are back too - their calls echoing through the night as they glide between the ponds. The frogs have already begun their early spawning, and while working on the new roof the other day, Luke’s helper startled a Red Squirrel from the Walnut tree - the closest we’ve ever had one! It must have travelled up through the hedgerows that now almost reach the house.

On a quick family trip to the builders’ yard a few nights back, we even met a badger on the track. And tonight, as the rain falls steadily outside, we imagine the Fire Salamanders beginning their Autumn migration - though we’re far too knackered to pull our boots on and check for ourselves.

We’ve also been gathering a glut of chestnuts, throwing them into just about everything: roasted with veg, roasted for the boys’ snacks, fried up with Brussels sprouts. Such a wonderful abundant Autumn gift!

The house itself is slowly coming together - poco a poco, as they say here in Spain. Luke has been an absolute stalwart; everything you see in the photo below is his doing! Nature guide, photographer, filmmaker… turned builder. (Though he swears this will be the last time!)

🌿 A Little Wild News

Katie’s book is just weeks away from publication!
I (Katie) am feeling equal parts delighted and terrified to finally put something so personal out into the world. No Paradise with Wolves tells the story of how Luke and I came to Asturias - how we stumbled upon a defunct dairy farm and began rewilding it, all while raising our two boys amongst the mountains.

It’s already received a lovely early review from Publishers Weekly (click to read!), and here’s another I’m especially proud to share:

👉 Read the first chapter here​
And you can pre-order No Paradise with Wolves through your favourite local bookstore.

If there are any book reviewers or bloggers among you who’d like an advance copy, I have a very limited number available - just hit reply and let me know!

🌿 Walking The Loop

Another of our early readers has been my Dad - better known here as Grandpa. Of course, he’s a biased reviewer, but he’s also not one to mince his words. What he told me had struck him most about the book, was how open it felt - how it accepts many viewpoints, even when they differ from my own.

(He and I are well known for our colossal head-butting on certain topics, so honestly, it was quite the review to receive!)

It was also a relief to hear, because that openness is something I’ve tried hard to hold onto - to stay curious about the many ways people come to see the world, even when I don’t agree with them. I may not always share or condone every perspective, but I do believe that real change rarely begins in opposition. It begins in listening - in at least trying to understand where others are coming from.

The final chapter, The Loop, is about reflection and looking to the future - walking the same circular path that has quietly witnessed so much of our family’s growth and change over the years.

During their most recent visit, Grandpa - having just recovered from a second knee replacement and a long litany of other treatments - announced that he wanted to walk The Loop. Despite many visits to Wild Finca, and plenty of help with our building and land projects along the way, he’d never actually done it before.

And so, together with Grandma and the boys, we set off.
It was slow and steady, full of pauses, laughter, lessons from nature, a few remnant figs, and emotion as we shared our familiar, sacred route.

🌿 Introducing The Wild Shift

Some of you may already know that I (Katie) recently shared a new project I have been working passionately on: The Wild Shift - a Nature-Led Parenting mentorship that helps families lead their children back to nature.
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​(Sign up to be kept up to date with all things Nature-Led Parenting here!)

We’re often asked how our boys have become so confident and engaged with the natural world. Over the past year plus, that question has led me to reflect more deeply on what actually supports them to grow this way - and how other families can nurture the same grounded connection.

At the same time, like so many parents, I’ve felt my own worries about screens and how to protect my children’s attention, curiosity, and calm. In a world ruled by screens, I wanted to create a guide that helps parents gently lead their families from screen time to green time - rediscovering calm, curiosity, and connection together.

With the help of brilliant course creators, experts, and some generous early testers, I’m now putting the finishing touches to The Wild Shift.

It’s built around what I’ve called The ROOTS Framework - a simple, step-by-step process to help families reset with nature in small but powerful ways. Through daily rituals and gentle nature-based practices, it shows how tiny shifts can transform the rhythm of family life.

🌿 Try This Today - A ROOTS-Inspired Moment​
Next time you head outdoors - even just into the garden or on the school run - pause and say:

Maybe a new flower has opened, a puddle’s dried in the sun, or the air feels cooler on your skin.
This simple act, from the Open Curiosity step of the ROOTS Framework, helps both you and your child practise observation and wonder - turning even the most ordinary walk into a tiny adventure.

I was deeply honoured to have Kate MacRae (WildlifeKate) explore The Wild Shift and share these kind words:

In the coming weeks, over on my new Nature-Led Parenting focused newsletter, I’ll be sharing more about The Wild Shift - including an exclusive subscriber-only offer, so do make sure you are signed up below to receive that.

👉 Yes, keep me in the loop!

We hope autumn continues to bring you joy, wherever you are.

From our wild corner to yours,
​Katie, Luke, Roan & Albus

PS: For those subscribed to Inside Wild Finca, you may have seen our update about ongoing issues with Stripe. Sadly, the system finally collapsed and cancelled many subscriptions. We’ve decided to pause Inside Wild Finca for now - untangling the mess is a mountain we don’t have the capacity to climb at the moment! We plan to relaunch in the New Year.

Thank you so much for your patience and support - as always, it means the world to us.