June Farm News: Occupied with What Matters

One of my favorite picture books when my children were little was "The Three Questions," a beautifully illustrated book by award-winning painter Jon Muth. It retells a story written by Leo Tolstoy about a young boy named Nikolai who searches for the answers to three questions: "When is the best time to do things?", "Who is the most important one?", and "What is the right thing to do?" His search leads him through a journey of compassion and being engaged in each moment.

At Living Tree Alliance, our programs, internships, and camps often point to the answers to these very questions. Surrounded by people of all ages and backgrounds, we come together with the seasons to care for the land and ensure all crops are in the ground within a month. When we find ourselves distracted by daily news or our own changing moods and emotions, we simply look to the land and the people beside us for grounding.

The hay field has grown from an inch to head-high in a month, and our hands are busy rebuilding treehouses, a testament to the constant flow of life and death in the forests. Birds have hatched and flown their nests, while the ephemeral flowers of late spring have already put out their seeds. We harvest ripe strawberries and bring in wood for our elders.

This year, we've transitioned to a model of collective farming, inspired by the Vermont Garden Network. Twice a week, our members gather to learn farming and build community while reaping and sharing the harvest together. For those with less mobility, we find seeding chores to do at the table, and for those seeking more rigorous challenges, we guide them to wheelbarrow tasks requiring heavy lifting.

We are blessed to learn with our hands and hearts at Living Tree Alliance. This month, we welcome the additional blessings of the strawberry and greens harvest, a new refugee family we are able to house in a time of need, three new farming interns, and the beginning of our camp season. We send blessings that you too may find yourself occupied with the tasks that matter most.