Thankfulness is found in the turbulent waters of this historic time, by charting a path toward community and away from the idea of rugged American individualism, self sufficiency, and the nuclear family.
So many dream of moving to the mountains and become as self sufficient and removed from urbanity as possible. They want land where they can shoot their guns, light their fireworks, and grow all the food they need. Little consideration is given to the road their ancestors built allowing the access out to that land, just the expectation that the road will be there. From our very experience of actually homesteading a 17 acre parcel of land, in the mountains among the national forest, and opening it to the public on a daily basis, we can honestly share: until making toilet paper and light bulbs, one is never self-sufficient, one is survivor. The goal of Self-Sufficiency is a myth that disconnects us from community.
The promise that was the nuclear family is another myth that disconnects us from our intergenerations. How often do we see the generations as being different than one another, conditioning us to highlight contrasts, rather than connections. The labels of Boomers, Gen X, Millennials, etc. becoming distillations of differences, bitter liquors to be separated. Many focus on breaking of generational chains rather than building upon previous foundations.
Our elder generations are separated from family, placed in institutional care. The nuclear family, no longer able to accommodate or provide care. National polarization trickles downward toward a dissolution of familial ties among siblings and relatives. Each are dwelling within information bubbles that are becoming too fragile to bump into one another, more comfortable with estrangement instead. The blood of online engagement becoming thicker than the waters of relational reality.
At the ranch, we have found that if we shift our conditioned perspectives away from nuclear family and toward community connection, toward self-responsibility rather than self sufficiency, we can chart a course through the turbulence of social upheaval. We leaned into these concepts this year to counter the noise, chaos and turmoil of this nation. We find ourselves thankful for having done so. Profoundly, in dark times, our light shines brighter this year for having strengthened ties with those around us in solidarity.
In the early years of the ranch, we learned we simply could not grow tomatoes out here without expending a lot of effort. Instead, we found a hot house grower whose core competency was growing incredible on-the-vine tomatoes and bringing them to the local markets. We could rely on this community member and small business for our tomatoes. That taught us to know our core competencies and what we could bring to community. This season we did manage to grow an abundance of turnips. Eight crates of those were donated to our local food bank.
We learned to develop rapport, finding those we could invest in and position for success as well. Our very definition of success becoming positioning others to become successful. This year, we worked to expand our ranchhand program to include a few more persons who could use some extra income, or permaculture experience. We are thankful for reconnecting with one person who worked here over 9 years ago, and making new connections with a handyman person and another homestead oriented person. All of them local community members.
We leaned into growth this year at a time when others are hesitant. Our growth came in the form of spa amenities as part of a newly constructed bathing pavilion. Our core competency is offering hospitality and creating a space where transformation can happen. Having a sauna, soaking tubs, hot tub, and steamroom fits right into that wheelhouse.
Most importantly, to make manifest the new pavilion took connecting with the community. We wanted this to be a building of relationships as well as a construction project. The rapport we were able to make with tradespeople was a moment of grace. We are thankful for having expanded the ranch family to now include their families to come enjoy the fruit of their labors. When someone has vested their time and effort here at the ranch, we return that with what we bring to the table, hospitality.
We leaned into art as a form of resistance and that resulted in a scenic barn mural and whimsical bathing pavilion mural that brightens the entire ranch. The transformation adds to that feeling of stumbling upon a sense of the sacred blossoming in front of you when driving up our main drive.
Still out in our fields, are our seasonal run of meadow raised turkeys ending the final stretch of their journey. We bring them here as baby chicks in early Spring, and raise them so the public can see what they get from the store. They do a summer job of pasture renovation and bug control, until that Sunday before T-day when they go from farm to table. We are thankful to be able to sell many of them, but even more so, we are thankful to be donating a few to local families in need as well.
Our collective Thanksgiving tables seemed to have shifted over the recent years given the polarizing trends. You may have seen some distancing among those who’ve attended your past gatherings. But this season, a new solidarity seems to be rebuilding itself in its place, one that is highlighting Community and our connections to it. This season, try reaching out to your local community if you have space at your table. This is the best time of year to make a new connection or strengthen the bonds of one newly formed.
