July 1, 2011
Today was a little different than the last few days. We are half way through the course and we have covered a lot of material and did a lot of improvements on the land. Today the reason we were all here started to come together, or at least if did for me. I had some major Ah Ha moments today.
I slept late because we were up so late last night and I was cold. At 6:30 I crawled out of bed and dressed for my run went to the house When I can outside it was raining, justb that fast. And that just set the mood for the day. I felt a little lazy anyway.
Our morning session started out with cover crops, green manure, living mulch. Then went into food crops, forest gardens and guilds or groups/companion planting. This is where I just started my own brain storming for what I wanted to do in Florida. Since we were talking about a whole different kind of crops and growing conditions. As a permaculture designer using the principles that I am learning and adapting them to my area is going to really make a difference. I need to apply my specific knowledge and skills as a gardener in my local area and be creative.
Then we talked about farm animals. Did you know that pig hate rattle snakes? Or should I say love to kill and eat them. I was interested in grazing habits of mostly farm animals and some wild animals. And management of grazing pasture land which I hope to try in the future on our land for the horses.
After lunch Dawn the farm owner talked about this land and the crystals that are on the land. According to her this land was a meeting place for the natives Indians, there were four different tribes that would come here because they were called. She talked a lot about her connections to the tribal elders and the work she did with other natives here including sweat lodges and hosting of gatherings. She also talked of others in a negative way that had owned the land and what the buildings had been used for, it was a retreat or treatment center for people with mental issues that needed therapy. And that explains a lot of the energy we were all feeling and dealing with when we arrived. She actually said, "people come here feeling distress and leave here shiny and polished" but I was not distressed till I got here and we are the ones doing the shining with our work and magic.
We chose our master projects, which means that five small groups will survey, plan and design in specific areas on the farm for future use and development. Our group will interview, draw up the permaculture design plans with detail for use and application and summit to our client (and the class) in a 30 minute presentation next week. That will be our final, we do not have to do the work, just the design.
But the rest of the day was all about RITUAL! YES! New Moon! We co-created a beautiful ritual. Our intent: Transforming our despair into rooted action. See… I told you we were not the only ones feeling the energy on this land, and I thought it was my coffee addiction I was dealing with….
I called in Gaia, needing some Divine intervention We did a brief tour through the property. Starting at the driveway where we all arrived on Saturday, remembering how we felt. Then walked through our completed projects. We could all feel a difference in the energy. We sat in a rock pile and chose a rock to dump our despair into. And went back to the barn area where we built a herb spiral with the rocks.
At dinner we talked about important issues in our lives. Our table including Starhawk was talking about Mothering and several women talked about not being able to have children, including Starhawk. I took that moment to tell Starhawk how I much appreciated how she had mothered so people and many things in her life. That her work had changed my life and many people, through her courage, creativity and inspiration. Kim Butterfly also expressed her feelings with Star. It was a beautiful moment for me to have the chance to tell her this because I have always wanted to.
We closed our ritual after dinner, writing our intentions for transformation on a piece of paper and putting it into a closed metal can where we made Bio-char. A type of charcoal made from Organic Matter that changes the structure of soil, actually an easy process with the right tools. We closed with a beautiful chant as we planted the spiral with herb.
Tomorrow is our day off!! I am going to town with Iris a beautiful French woman and her two young sons. We are planning to go to the market and the crystal mine!!
As I was about to post this Noah sent me an e-mail that our neighbor Serene Collins was hit by a car and killed. David her husband is a lawyer in Monticello and she was crossing the street near their office, the man that hit her was a rival of Davids. Please send healing prayers to her family.
.
Today was a little different than the last few days. We are half way through the course and we have covered a lot of material and did a lot of improvements on the land. Today the reason we were all here started to come together, or at least if did for me. I had some major Ah Ha moments today.
I slept late because we were up so late last night and I was cold. At 6:30 I crawled out of bed and dressed for my run went to the house When I can outside it was raining, justb that fast. And that just set the mood for the day. I felt a little lazy anyway.
Our morning session started out with cover crops, green manure, living mulch. Then went into food crops, forest gardens and guilds or groups/companion planting. This is where I just started my own brain storming for what I wanted to do in Florida. Since we were talking about a whole different kind of crops and growing conditions. As a permaculture designer using the principles that I am learning and adapting them to my area is going to really make a difference. I need to apply my specific knowledge and skills as a gardener in my local area and be creative.
Then we talked about farm animals. Did you know that pig hate rattle snakes? Or should I say love to kill and eat them. I was interested in grazing habits of mostly farm animals and some wild animals. And management of grazing pasture land which I hope to try in the future on our land for the horses.
After lunch Dawn the farm owner talked about this land and the crystals that are on the land. According to her this land was a meeting place for the natives Indians, there were four different tribes that would come here because they were called. She talked a lot about her connections to the tribal elders and the work she did with other natives here including sweat lodges and hosting of gatherings. She also talked of others in a negative way that had owned the land and what the buildings had been used for, it was a retreat or treatment center for people with mental issues that needed therapy. And that explains a lot of the energy we were all feeling and dealing with when we arrived. She actually said, "people come here feeling distress and leave here shiny and polished" but I was not distressed till I got here and we are the ones doing the shining with our work and magic.
We chose our master projects, which means that five small groups will survey, plan and design in specific areas on the farm for future use and development. Our group will interview, draw up the permaculture design plans with detail for use and application and summit to our client (and the class) in a 30 minute presentation next week. That will be our final, we do not have to do the work, just the design.
But the rest of the day was all about RITUAL! YES! New Moon! We co-created a beautiful ritual. Our intent: Transforming our despair into rooted action. See… I told you we were not the only ones feeling the energy on this land, and I thought it was my coffee addiction I was dealing with….
I called in Gaia, needing some Divine intervention We did a brief tour through the property. Starting at the driveway where we all arrived on Saturday, remembering how we felt. Then walked through our completed projects. We could all feel a difference in the energy. We sat in a rock pile and chose a rock to dump our despair into. And went back to the barn area where we built a herb spiral with the rocks.
At dinner we talked about important issues in our lives. Our table including Starhawk was talking about Mothering and several women talked about not being able to have children, including Starhawk. I took that moment to tell Starhawk how I much appreciated how she had mothered so people and many things in her life. That her work had changed my life and many people, through her courage, creativity and inspiration. Kim Butterfly also expressed her feelings with Star. It was a beautiful moment for me to have the chance to tell her this because I have always wanted to.
We closed our ritual after dinner, writing our intentions for transformation on a piece of paper and putting it into a closed metal can where we made Bio-char. A type of charcoal made from Organic Matter that changes the structure of soil, actually an easy process with the right tools. We closed with a beautiful chant as we planted the spiral with herb.
Tomorrow is our day off!! I am going to town with Iris a beautiful French woman and her two young sons. We are planning to go to the market and the crystal mine!!
As I was about to post this Noah sent me an e-mail that our neighbor Serene Collins was hit by a car and killed. David her husband is a lawyer in Monticello and she was crossing the street near their office, the man that hit her was a rival of Davids. Please send healing prayers to her family.
.
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