In Light of the New Year

 As the days lengthen, we welcome more light into our lives and pause to reflect on the highlights of 2012.

Dancing in the New Year on Jan 1 with caller David Kaynor and music by Still, the Homegrown Band. Our first Saturday dances continue to be a delight for folks of all ages.

The first ever Big Little Kids Dance on February 4 was organized by Rachel Gall and was so successful that we had 4 more. We're looking forward to even more in 2013!

 Thanks to a designated donation, Motherhouse took our bread baking workshop "on the road" to Geer Retirement Village in memory of former resident, Nancy Griggs.

David & Donna Hersh came all the way back from PA to be part of our Feb 23 Family Cow Forum panel and report on their first year as cow keepers. Also at the forum, we met Sisters Carol Bernice and Emmanuel. Helping them bring cows to their Bluestone Farm has led to planning a “Farming & The Feminine” gathering for this March.

As part of our May 12 Wool Gathering, Joe Benete brought his sheep dog and 5 lambs to Local Farm to demonstrate shepherding. We ALL got to participate! This year, we'll be taking the workshop to Lakeville to visit Rhonda Jaack's flock.

Our June 19 PregnanCy Tea and New Moon Gathering in honor of expectant mom's Iris and Rachel, was a lovely gathering of mom's and children. This year we'll continue networking for mom's at our 10^th anniversary family picnic on May 25 and of course, through honoring our cycles every New Moon.

Welcoming the Summer Solstice with a pot-luck campfire sing-a-long was so much fun that we've scheduled a repeat.

 Our second week-long Farm Camp adventure included visits to Chris Hopkins' Stonewall Dairy Farm, Ridgway's Family Farm, Debra Tyler's Local Farm, Ben Benjamin's cornlot and Dody Clarke's Strawberry Field. We're hoping to add-in an over-night at the end of this year's program.

Sunday lunch and meditation continues to be a highlight of my week and has grown to 7 regular attenders. Our Monday yoga class has begun learning beautiful vedic chants.

Many thanks to those who have contributed time and resources to make all our programs possible. 

May they all be blessed with the best in 2013!

CowMOOntary

The following cowmoonts arrived shortly after our September 17th workshop; Keeping a Family Cow.
Debra, I just wanted to thank you again for the workshop last Saturday. It was such a delight to finally meet you! I also felt a sweet kinship, with you personally, and also the work you are doing there with Local Farm. I find it is always a gift to rub elbows with such comrades, especially in these challenging days often imbued with materialism and paranoia. I also want to thank you for helping me to feel so much more confident than I ever thought I would about taking on my own cow, and also for helping me to feel like it’s even possible in the first place. Oh, how I have longed to nurture a close relationship with such a benevolent creature. Now that I have attended your workshop, I am pining all the more! Warmly, Brenda ArmstrongDebra, Thanks again for all your effort on Saturday, our family greatly enjoyed our visit to your farm. We have been talking about it together and with our friends ever since. :) One of the things that we appreciated the most was your willingness to teach and share in such an unintimidating way. (Peter never thought that cows could be calm and gentle, and insisted that he would never milk one) Now he admits that it would be possible and beneficial for our family to adjust to life with a family cow to take care of and milk. We are still discussing some of the fine details of how, when, and where, but I just wanted to share with you our admiration for all that you do to educate and encourage people about cow ownership. thanks Caity
Thanks, Zjeke, for the photos! For Margaret's report of a typical Family Cow workshop, click HERE.