Even though our Missouri Spring has been delayed by approximately one month, the tide of seasonal change still pushes forth with a fresh stride. With 7 inches of rain this April, we have now officially risen above the status of regional drought, which has weighed heavily on our minds, since so many of us were affected by the lack of water in 2012. As the equilibrium of normalcy over-compensates, it’s important that we acknowledge that we have so much to be grateful for, despite pining for sunny 70 degree days that won’t plummet into 33 degree nights. Having to endure unconventional weather occurrences will sweeten even further those long-awaited soft Spring days we so well deserve.
Julie here with this week’s article.
We have been itching with urgency to spot out seedlings into the garden, with an almost maniacal internal struggle of reaching for a potted tomato plant with one hand, only to reach out with the other to keep it indoors for a bit longer. I wrote recently that Spring is my favorite time of year, and an experience I had today reminded me of everything that is so special about the refreshing experience of cyclic renewal. My boyfriend Dan and I went morel mushroom hunting, and for a time, I felt as though my senses were intensified. I wandered off, following the sound of rushing water, only to discover a patch of yearling willows, opening to a grove of aromatic plum trees in full blossom sheltering deer-matted grasses. In that moment, I think that I felt pure happiness. I couldn’t think of a single thing that could have completed the moment more eloquently. I believe that there is magic in surrounding yourself with all of nature’s creation, as it does wonders for hushing the internal chatter, and there is a profound sense of being and well-being that’s akin to coming home.
I’ve been particularly mindful of the charmed life I am living this past week. My parents came to visit for a number of days for the first time since I moved here in 2011. They traveled for 4 days to experience the life I have chosen for myself, and seeing them walk down the path towards my house was special because it signified many things to me. They have worked and lived in main-stream society their whole lives. Having the opportunity to share an alternative way of living with them was a way of bridging my childhood to the choices I’ve made as an adult. Although our lifestyle here is a bit more rustic than what is within their long-term comfort range, the idea that they respect the choices I have made for myself is validating in a very personal way. I am particularly grateful that while here they got to hold Bri and Alex’s beautiful baby Dimitri, whose presence in my mom’s arms brought her to tears, as he did to me the first time I held him. My parents now understand that one of the reasons community is so important to me is that even if you don’t have certain elements in your life, such as a child, pet, or plentiful garden, there is always someone present who is happy to share their gifts with you.
On Friday, Ben and Mae got 3 goats that will be breeding stock for a future herd. As far as I know, these are the first goats acquired by Dancing Rabbit members in the 15 year history of its existence. I am hoping to enlist myself into the rotation of milking and feeding chores that will reap rewards far greater than the meat and milk they will provide us. Caring for animals has always resonated with me on a deep level, and at certain points in my life, has provided me with needed comfort and love. We will be naming each and every goat, and are hoping to eventually grow all of their food here, while also providing medicinal plants in their pasture feed, as well as seeding the roof of their shelter with goat-friendly fodder. For winter feed, we hope to produce silage, a fermented food produced from grasses such as sorghum or corn. I am in love with the idea of this ambitious and ingenious plan; I believe that animals are an integral element of sustainability, as they provide food, labor, and fertility. I firmly believe that preserving the old ways of providing for ourselves and the animals we raise will ensure that the superior knowledge of our ancestors will be passed onto our children, and for generations to come, long after industrial factory farms have ceased production. I can’t think of anything more rewarding than a life filled with wonderful organic food that either I, or friends and neighbors, grew with their own hands.
Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage is an intentional community of more than 60 members in Rutledge, northeast Missouri, practicing ecologically sustainable living. We offer a tour of our village on the second and fourth Saturdays of the month, April through October, with the next tour date falling on May 11th. The tour begins at 1:00 pm and generally lasts one and a half to two hours. You do not need to make a reservation for regularly scheduled Saturday tours. If you need directions, please call the Dancing Rabbit office at 660-883-5511 or email us at dancingrabbit@ic.org.