And now here is my secret, a very simple secret: It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye.
~Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, The Little Prince
Dear Reader
This week, while chatting with an acquaintance and sharing some of what I’ve been up to, they innocently commented, "Wow, you are busy." No, I am not busy, I replied with a little bit of an edge. Checking myself, I realized the resistance to that word was because I try not to be busy. There’s a distinct difference between a day that is busy and a day when I am focused on a goal or goals that bring meaning to my life. I hadn’t realized I was so triggered by the word busy and am now aware that it is busy-ness that our culture honors over focus and service that feels offensive—two very different ways of being. Busyness doesn't serve; instead, it depletes.
The period from Sunday, August 17th, through Friday, August 22nd, offers the gift of commitment. The Hexagram for this period is 29, Repeating Chasm or The Abysmal. It's about going down deep, mining what you know for certain, and committing to it. What are you sure of in your heart when nothing else is sure? I am sure I want to be committed and focused on projects that will continue to be of service well past my lifetime. My wholehearted sense of surety in this likely fed a sense of low-level irritation this week when I was abruptly pulled into busywork.
The peak of the growing season is waning, and there is much to do. We are already preparing for the next season in the forest, seeding cover crops and flipping silage tarps onto summer’s terminated beds. In our family garden, we are seeding trays of cabbage, spinach, mache, beets, and carrots to extend our access to fresh produce until the first snow. Beds that won’t be used are seeded with Oats to replenish the soil in preparation for next spring.
During these full days when the afternoon temps soar, I begrudgingly shift to office work. My reluctance is not because it lacks value but because my heart is with the land, and my hands wish to be in soil, not dance on a keyboard. What am I sure of in my heart when nothing else is sure? The most helpful service I can be engaged in today involves working with the land and supporting the growth of plants that will feed and nourish my health, so I might teach others to do the same.
This is why I was shaken to hear a new neighbor on our street had once again filed a formal grievance with the city against Gemmo Forest non-profit farm and our neighboring non-profit Mill Hollow Craft School. Here are two organizations deeply committed to supporting skill-building for the future, and their right to operate is being questioned. The complaint isn’t that the programs are noisy or an eyesore, but that our agricultural-based operations undermine her plan to flip her recently purchased home for a profit. To be clear, she plans to force the closure of two farming businesses that actively support the entire Monadnock region and then leave the neighborhood.
So, with the help of a friend and Gemmo Forest supporter, I moved my focus from the tasks at hand to draft a response to the city. In it, I cited the various ways Gemmo Forest engages in agricultural activities under the NH right to farm statute (NH RSA Section 21:34a). It felt like busy work and was undoubtedly an emotional distraction from our mission. But it was important. I am just a tiny example of organizations and individuals needing to defend what feels true and correct, as our national agenda blatantly focuses on short-term personal profit for a few over long-term investments for future generations and the good of the collective.
As I write this, the case against the Gemmo Forest and our right to operate an agricultural operation has been excused by the City of Keene. But that doesn't make me feel it is any less vulnerable in the current climate. I don’t yet know the fate of our neighbors who have operated this craft school that serves all of New England since 2019. It is quite possible that they must face a hearing to defend the rich array of services they provide.
It is more than interesting that this all comes to the surface during the week when both non-profit programs and our family's, Well Seeded Gardens, proudly participate in the Monadnock Farm Tour. Today, we will all open our doors to share the land and activities within to inspire, encourage direct participation, and honor farming and farming skills at a time when they are threatened locally and nationally. If you are in the area, please drop by!
There is no time in my life when I have been more sure of being in the right place and doing the right thing to be of service. This week ahead is a fertile time for you to consider this theme for yourself. I’d love to know what comes up.
And now may I draw your attention to a few other opportunities:
I am hosting a live Gemmo School Open House on Monday, August 18th. Registration is here. Please join me to learn what’s on offer now and what is planned for the future.
Ready to dive right into the all-new Gemmo School? You can subscribe now right here.
Listen to my latest conversation with friends Lois and Christine. Together, we will explore the energy and opportunities available over the next ten days.
Until next week,
