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Your vision will become clear only when you can look into your own heart. Who looks outside dreams; who looks inside, awakes.

CG Jung

Dear [FIRST NAME GOES HERE]

A soft, low-lying fog hangs over the landscape this morning, muting the vibrancy of mid-July, softening all the edges, and lending an air of mystique. Though we think of fog obstructing our vision, it has the potential to dial down distracting sensory input and extend moments of brilliant clarity. ​​

As a native of the California Bay Area, fog is a welcome old friend, and this morning I was reminded of the first and likely only poem I ever memorized,

The fog comes
on little cat feet.

It sits looking
over harbor and city
on silent haunches
and then moves on.

~Carl Sandburg

We have no harbor in Keene, NH; instead, our fog weaves itself through the forests and blankets the rolling farmland. This morning's fog won’t linger long, lifting as the sun warms the air. But its gift of clarity was delivered and received.

Intern Lucie and I gained our individual moments of clarity in the final hours before this week's Idea Jam at the Hannah Grimes Center for Entrepreneurs. On a shared Google Doc, I tightened up my message while Lucie refined her story. With only 3 minutes to speak, every word needed to count. Arriving in downtown Keene, we joined the already packed and buzzing room of community members also here to pitch or support those who would.

In the preparation, our focus was on this one specific event - but in hindsight, I see that the Idea Jam was the needed catalyst for us to each clarify our future vision. The fixed date gave us the tension and constraint of a deadline, and within that limited space, the essence of what we truly desired emerged. For Lucie, it was about defining how she aspires to farm and live a life where she gets paid to do what she loves each day. For me, playing even a small role in Lucie’s ability to do exactly that with confidence, creativity, and resilience brings coherence to all the efforts I’ve made thus far on this land.

So what did we pitch? The Gemmo Forest's latest offering, a Growing Growers program. Our initiative to address one of the many pieces that need attention in a nationwide failing food system. We aspire to do our part locally, attending to the furthest-upstream challenge by developing the next generation of growers. The Growing Growers program makes sense right now because we need to support the Lucies out there who are able and willing to grow our food in ways that benefit the land and all who interact with it for generations to come.

After two successful pilot seasons of sponsoring paid seasonal interns and supporting dozens of volunteer gardeners in their efforts to learn permaculture practices and to reimagine urban food production, we are expanding our offering. With support, we can begin a year-round farm apprenticeship in October for two individuals ready to commit to farming as a vocation and open space for up to three interns for the summer of 2027. This team will, in turn, be available to help address the expanding number of citizen growers who wish to learn while volunteering in our gardens.

These positions are not only important to the individuals who will fill them, but also vital to the sustainability of the Gemmo Forest. This fall, we will launch a large-scale herb production and processing project. The very fields I have written about, transitioning and prepping for production, are ready. Trays of yarrow and spotted bee balm plant starts are in the high tunnel maturing for an early August planting, and countless comfrey roots have already been tucked into beds. We have recently joined Meeting House Herb Collaborative and are on track to cover our annual fixed costs through the sale of dried medicinal herbs.

To make this all a reality and fund our apprentices and interns during these start-up years, we do need additional financial support. Should you, or perhaps an organization you represent, be in the position to help, your donation to our Growing Grower Fund will be used strictly for these stipends. As always, feel free to reach out should you want to learn more.

I'll be closing here as I need to prepare for one of our local volunteer gardeners who spends her day in the construction trades and winds down her week spending in the gardens and forest. I've pulled together a crate of thyme and yarrow to tuck under the trees in the orchard guilds, and we will chat about her day and how plants and people thrive in healthy communities.

Energies I will be noting in the week ahead:

Today, 18 July, the Sun begins its transit through Gate 56, Stimulation. The energy is one of transition, movement, and being in unfamiliar territory. What does this place ask of you is a question to ponder this next stretch of days.

Adding to that energy, also on the 18th, is a very rare transit: Uranus trine Pluto. Astrologers seem to all agree it will be remarkable. I enjoyed Pam Gregory's take on this and the other aspects that follow, creating what is referred to as The Basket.

Friday, 24 July, Mercury goes direct, making external logistics and communication a bit easier. The Sun also begins a new transit on Friday through Gate 31, the gate of Leadership, Democratic decision-making, and collaboration. I'd watch this stretch closely in your own relationships and in the collective.

Until next week,

Follow the Sun July 13-24

​

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