BLURRING THE EDGES

PERHAPS this is my favorite photo. We are all mushed together, A BLUR, our energy all circling together, yet the smiles stand out. WE ARE ONE

WE WISH YOU WELL, and hope that your work will make positive change in our world.

White Mountain School visits FARM/ARTS at the SANCTUARY

White Mountain School
Located in the mountains of northern New Hampshire, The school's intentionally small size allows students the freedom to discover who they are, how they contribute to their communities, and how they can become responsible citizens of the changing planet, all within a supportive and caring environment.WMS students  visited our community and were  interested in the farms and our exchange with artists and writers. here are some photos to complete the 2014 cycle of REVERSING FALLS  FARM/ARTS EXCHANGE

Meeting with these high school students from White Mountain School filled me with hope and joy. This visit was an unexpected gift from our exchange with  local food people. The students also visited E.B. White's home, Tinderhearth Bakery, David's Folly Farm etc. They loved the sea and sky, the boats and rocks of our place on EARTH and were doing place based writing in the sanctuary after our meeting.

We shared our art and our stories. Anne Ferrara  facilitated the circle emphasizing that everyone's story is important.

JOYFUL NEWS FOR OUR COMMUNITY

NEWS FROM TINDERHEARTH at VALLEY OF STARS FARM:

We joyfully announce the birth of our son,

Kieran Cordell Schoonmaker Semler

August 24th, 2014
2:21 AM
9 lbs, 2 oz

We are flooded with gratitude for all of your big thoughts and prayers that helped him come into this world.

All blessings,
Lydia and Tim

LITTLE MIRACLE, CHRIS & PAM

Veriditas
Experience the Wisdom of the Labyrinth                                    www.veriditas.org
Little Miracles on the Path

August  2014

Dear Chris, 
     
   I'm so excited to share this "Little Miracle" story with you this month.  It comes to us from Chris Farrow-Noble, a member of the Veriditas Council.   Chris and her husband live in Cambridge, Massachusetts and also in Maine.  This story takes place in Maine and is very timely as we reach the harvest time. 

Blessings to all of you in your labyrinth lives.


Veriditas Council
NE Regional Rep
Labyrinth Journeys


    
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The Bee Garden Labyrinth




As part of the Reversing Falls Sanctuary Farm/Arts Exchange 2014 here in Brooksville Maine, I paired up for the growing season with Pam, a woman who was my neighboring vendor at our local Farmer's Market.   Following up on her creative idea, we decided to create a vegetable, flower and herb labyrinth on her farm.  Beginning in mid-May, we planted bush tomatoes, green beans, winter kale, cabbage, dill, parsley, Swiss chard, nasturtiums and marigolds in our four-circuit classic labyrinth.  I learned first-hand about depending on natural rain and conducive weather to help our labyrinth grow.  Ironically, the gently looping "rows" closest to the Center had great difficulty. The dill and parsley didn't flourish, and after several plantings, we replaced them with annual flowers.  They too had a rough time.  Pam has decided that a ledge must exist below the swath of ground, retaining excessive water. Aha! A metaphor from the labyrinth!  Meanwhile, the outer rings of beans, tomatoes, and marigolds burst into color and produce.
Since July 31st, we've delivered weekly produce from our labyrinth and her extensive gardens to the local Tree of Life Food Pantry as our "Farm to Your Table" offering.  On August 10th, we hosted the first Bee Garden Labyrinth Walk, welcoming 26 people to walk the labyrinth, taste our home-baked rosemary shortbread and blueberry lemon squares, and talk about our experiences.  For that occasion, Pam wove a straw figure of Earth Mother, cradling the labyrinth in her outstretched hands.  We now have Earth Mother and a collage of the Bee Garden Labyrinth at the Farm/Art end-of-the-season exhibition called Gallery Within.
Pam has walked the labyrinth several times in pre-dawn moonlight after she finishes her morning chores, including feeding the horses, fox, and crows.  I walk it whenever possible and have shared it with visiting family members. Our friendship continues to blossom. There is nothing like creating and nurturing a labyrinth together...
-Chris Farrow-Noble
August 27, 2014





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FINALE

BEA GATES AND RON KING WITH PAINTED GOURDS : KING HILL FARM, PENOBSCOT

GAIL PAGE & ANNIE POOLE PRESENT SWEET DOG FARM, ANNE FERRARA DID INTROS

GALLERY WITHIN OPENING

GARY VENCIL AND ROB SHETTERLY AT OPENING CELEBRATION

SHERRY STREETER'S PAINTINGS OF FOUR SEASON'S GREENHOUSES

GOODNIGHT FARM'S EARTH MOTHER

OPENING SHOTS

THREE CROWS IN THE FIELD, WHEELER

CHANGING THE LANDSCAPE, WHEELER, VALLEY OF STARS FARM

B. JOY HARE SPEAKS OF HER EXPERIENCES AT THE FARM

PATRICIA WHEELER SPEAKS AT OPENING ABOUT TINDERHEARTH AND WELCOMES THE NEW BABY BORN THE SAME DAY AT THE FARM TO TIM AND LYDIA. SHOUTS WENT UP FROM THE CROWD TO WELCOME THE NEW BOY

BIRTHING OF GALLERY WITHIN

DAVID TIDYMAN PLAYED AN IMPROV OF PHILLIP GLASS PIECE, MAD RUSH TO OPEN THE EVENT  (silencing the crowd with his excellence.. gratitude)

BECKY POOLE & 2 STUDENTS PRESENT THEIR FARM QUILT AT THE OPENING SUNDAY: partnered with david's folly farm, brooksville

JOY HARE USED OLD WINDOWS TO FRAME HER COLLAGE OF SALTGRASS TENNEY FAMILY

JOYS PHOTOS CAPTURE THE SEASONS WITH THE TENNEY BOYS

MAPLE SYRUP & STRIPES, WINTER

BROOKSVILLE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL'S QUILT

ERIC ZINER'S WELDED 7 FORGED STEEL CANDLESTICKS, YELLOW BIRCH FARM, DEER ISLE

ART WORK AT OPENING SUNDAY

ANNIE POOLE: SWEETDOG FARM

GAIL PAGE: STORY OF MARTY & BUN, SWEETDOG FARM

SHERRY STREETER: WINTER GREENHOUSES FOUR SEASON FARM

SIRI BECKMAN WOODCUT, DEER ISLE HOSTEL

PATRICIA WHEELER,  SONGLINES: TINDERHEARTH BAKERY AT VALLEY OF STARS FARM

LESLIE MOORE: HORSEPOWER FARM

detail THRESHOLD OF MYSTERY, P. WHEELER, LYDIA & TIM OF TINDERHEARTH

WELCOME TO RFS FARM ARTS EXCHANGE EXHIBITION

OK I THINK WE ARE READY

COME IN PEACE

THANK YOU MAINE COMMUNITY FOUNDATION  and everyone who worked on creating this amazing and beautiful system. you know who you are!!!

Greetings from Sweet Dog Farm!

Greetings from Sweet Dog Farm!

We are Bob Jones and Doris Groves of Brooksville. Our artists are Gail Page and Annie Poole.
We are a small plant-based farm and we do what we do for the following reasons:

to promote farming in accordance with a vegan lifestyle which includes emphasis and experimentation with extensive composting and the use of “teas”.

to connect with young people through exchange programs such as WWOOF (Worldwide Workers on Organic Farms).

to oppose Genetically Modified Foods, and the Monsanto and Corporate takeover of
our food systems.

to provide for ourselves and to share with others, fresh, nutrient rich foods.

This year we provided seedlings to the Tree of Life Food Pantry in Blue Hill and continue to donate produce on a weekly basis. We also provide Spring seedlings to the Good Life Center in Harborside.

Here are some of our wwoofers from this season: Chrissy, Liz, Taylor, Lucas and Nicole. Also our good friends Joel and Ivy out at the Good Life Center.

Upcoming projects for Fall of 2014 and Spring of 2015 include:

DORIS GROVES & BOB JONES

seed-saving

a closer look at ways of determining and maximizing nutrient density of crops grown

cultivation of grain crops such as amaranth, hull-less oats and wheat.

potlucks and workshops on food issues.

A reading group which will start this Fall

We are supportive of the efforts of Peace Ridge Sanctuary in Penobscot and encourage you all to acquaint yourselves with the work they do in rescuing abused farm animals and shelter dogs/cats. This local organization very much deserves the support of the community it serves.

We think it is important to take on worthwhile projects and to optimize what good we can offer up during a time of mounting fears and uncertainties for the future which include climate change, corporate takeover of our food systems and the unnecessary suffering and cruelty to animals inherent in our present food system. We are looking to build a network with other like-minded individuals and/or groups in the community who share similar goals - that we may evolve into a less violent and more compassionate society through the choices that we all make.

BAGADUCE FARM

LABRYINTH AT GOODNIGHT FARM

TONY FERRARA BOUGHT A WONDERFUL BASKET FROM PAMELA at GOODNIGHT FARM

CHRIS & PAMELA