Sorry to tell you this, but if you didn’t come, you missed a great talk at a spectacular farm! Or maybe it’s the other way around: spectacular talk at a great farm. …
In the comfort of an air conditioned barn classroom at the Newlin’s Peaceful River Farm, ten farmers gathered to get an overview of the work ahead. In one hour, Tony Kleese summarized the entire structure and reason for a solid crop budgeting system that will keep your farm “in the green”. Tony’s course will be held at Breeze Farm in Orange County over three evenings. The course is $75 for nine hours of training. All evidence and testimony from today point to the incredible value this will add to your work over the years to come. Thank you Tony! For more about Tony, visit Earthwise Organics.
The dedication and depth of thought present in this group of small farmers left me in Silence. Quakers practice Silence, and the Newlins come from a long line of local Quakers. Peace is a core value of Quakerism; Lee shared when we arrived how she’d just been sitting on the porch this morning and was once again struck by the peacefulness of her farm, saying that the farm is well-named.
When Larry shared that the river otters play in the Haw at the bottom of their farm, everyone smiled. Such is the promise among us: to care for the land and leave it better for our having been part of the community of all beings sharing the space. Add to that the minor miracle we heard when someone asked Larry if that fence was in any way deer proof: “Oddly enough, the deer don’t tend to bother the garden.” Now that’s a blessed farm!
They blessed us with their gift of time, space to gather, a beautiful setting to inspire, and delicious mint-lime-apple cider vinegar iced drinks. Thank you Lee and Larry for such an enriching day.