The Magic of Water


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If there is magic on this planet, it is contained in water.

Loran Eisley

Dear Reader

Constraints do indeed feed ingenuity and creativity, yet removing those barriers can often unleash a storm of ideas. That is exactly what I experienced on Friday as pumped water flowed onto the Gemmo Forest land. A working irrigation system was and is a cause for great celebration as options open up and potential expands.

It was the hands-on skill of volunteers Klaus and Tanya Renner that transformed a diagram into a working system, coupled with a very committed local Natural Resource Specialist who guided us through the more than tricky process of securing USDA/NRCS funding in these times.

The journey spanned three years from initial inquiry to final approval, and required navigating a dismantled agency, government shutdowns, and the city zoning committee. Yet here we are with magical running water. Working through systems when everything seems to be falling apart has its own challenges, yet a few dedicated individuals along the way serve as helpful reminders of the power of human relationships.

When landowner Peter Hansel and I first walked the former fields of the Ellis Farm in October 2022, he shared an interesting fact. A culvert existed under the city road between properties, and it had been successfully used to pump water from a natural spring pond across the street, onto a field where corn and berries were grown. It had been over 25 years since that system had been used, but it had once worked. That 12.5-acre field is where the Gemmo Forest now exists. Of course, the idea of reinstating that irrigation was intriguing to both Peter and me; the path from curiosity to actualizing can be long. In this case, it was, but then again, I do accept that all occurs at the perfect time.

So what does access to water mean for the Gemmo Forest this season? That is exactly the current conversation among the board of directors, as projects that remain aligned with our vision below are discussed.

The Gemmo Forest is a 12.5-acre permaculture laboratory in Keene, New Hampshire, growing plants, trees, and shrubs for not only their medicinal benefits but also for the vitality and well-being of all who interact with it. Through intentional experimentation, we model accessible practices that invite everyone to engage in new and meaningful ways with this land we all share.

In the meantime, this new flow of water makes two recently installed projects much more viable: the 14-tree fruit orchard and permanent nursery beds for cuttings and young saplings. Both will enable us to provide greater service to our community.

It’s been a big week, and so I will end this chapter of an unfolding story here. If you haven’t had a chance to watch our Gemmo Forest film, perhaps now might be a good time.

Until next week

The sun transits through Gates 8 & 20

video preview

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Field Notes from Lauren

I began expressing my big Cancer emotions through writing at a very young age. For me, the unique act of writing is what allows me to process and evolve fully . Today, my weekly missives follow themes that weave between the literal fields of my work in the Gemmo Forest, our family homestead garden, and the energy field we all experience. My life now follows the rhythm of the land. From spring through fall, I can be found outdoors, hands in the dirt, working alongside her husband, Joachim, to tend our 7,500-square-foot family garden or with local volunteers caring for Gemmo Forest. When the cold sets in and the fields rest, I return indoors, where I rekindle my love of writing by the wood stove, always with my faithful calico, Ruby, curled close by.

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