in seven years on this land, we’ve seen hundred-year windstorms fell trees and electric lines, floods sweep away roads and through houses, wildfire smoke turn sunrise to sunset. the fierce cold of last winter burst pipes and froze well-houses so widely that it became hopeless to reach any of the plumbers on the island. these are the moments when we turn to each other.
good friends, good neighbours have helped so much in these times and more critically, they’ve taught me skills that i had found thoroughly intimidating. a community model of collective empowerment is a sign of resilience and a rural heritage tends to foster this. even local businesses participate in the commons, sharing knowledge and tools, and in each lesson i am so deeply grateful. for all my education, i am most thankful for the practical knowledge to mend what’s broken and design for the future we want to see, come what may (and for sleeping better for the greater peace of mind). relationships are the heart of this work.
thank you for being the heart of this small work.
if you’re also riveted by practical + philosophical, in a word, the praxis, of meeting the future with equanimity, you might like to join the farm tour membership and get access to the archives too.
what skills have you been learning lately?