Now! Back To The Land!

Being Restored to the Land

In that all things, even the virus, work together for the good we increased in our farming efforts during our time of “Shelter in Place”. Love gave us the faith to plant three gardens here in Oak Hill! We discovered seed that had been left behind by others and did germination tests. Some of these seeds were 12 years old but they were viable and sprouted. Quickly this Spring we had an improvised little greenhouse! Our children love small beginnings that is if we do. Faith and enthusiasm is always contagious just like good leaven!

Now we are enjoying lettuce, kale,collards, swiss chard, chinese cabbage, broccoli and cabbage every day! This is fruit of our labors together as we are being restored to one another and to the farming heritage that belongs to us as citizens on the earth. Soon we will be picking cucumbers, Cantaloupe, hot peppers, sweet peppers, watermelon, brussel sprouts. Mary Martha and Raphael, of the Island Pond nucleus, shared with us that in Quebec, Canada in the early 1900’s it was normal for children age 10 to only be taught by their parents and work on the farm. For such farm family children school attendance was waived as “their parents needed them to work, to bring in the harvest.” That sounds so normal does it not? We are striving to teach our children all that they will need to have character so that they can feed the many people that will be searching for “real food”. Growing food and passing on a heritage of understanding and compassionate thinking is what these times of crisis call for. Hopefully you will be able to see more of our agricultural efforts.

It has been a few years since our Oak Hill community has grown this much of our own produce. For Niflaah and I it has been 17 years since we have worked this closely with training group age children at the Basin Farm in Westminster, Vermont. We give thanks for this time to plant a love for agriculture in the hearts of the generation that will be a hope to the world!

So many years ago I was growing carrots alone on other farmer’s land in the Hardwick,Vermont area. In a freepaper that I received after the 1984 Island Pond Raid a seed was planted in me. A poem in that paper spoke to me! “A Carrot is Good but a Salad is Better” and now I plant and bring in the harvest with the children of my brothers and sisters!

Melevav