Delicious December Calendar & Newsletter link
Dear friends,
This fundraising letter* from the Foundation for Intentional Communities came my way a few days ago and struck a chord. There’s a truth spoken here; that the growing polarities in our society will not be reconciled by seeking sameness, and that intentional communities have a vital role to play in creating spaces where we can live amongst differences, to learn from each other, and to stay in relationship even when we disagree.
If this were easy to do, our world would look very different. In the 10 years since we’ve been developing our community, we’ve tried to lean into our conflicts and come out the other side enlarged. There have been some wonderful hits and tragic misses. Nonetheless, it’s a vision we continue to try to actualize as we seek to build the more beautiful world our hearts know is possible.**
In this wintry time of enveloping darkness, we hope you’ll come and experience some communal warmth and genuine connection with others at Common Ground–whether in-person or from afar. How about taking a look at the December issue and choosing just one morsel, if you like, and see how it tastes and feels to you?
We look forward to growing together,
Hope, for the Governance & Training Circle
*https://us7.campaign-archive.com/?u=3a6b1f42b79b29b236f3098b2&id=9280a28499&e=cd8e5e8c95
**Thanks to Charles Eisenstein for this inspiration
There’s something different about autumn on the land. The light is different. During the day everything is golden as if bathed in the glow of the sun’s low flame. But as the sun sets and day turns to dusk, things get dark quick. The trees that draw the horizon line turn black in silhouette. I don’t remember that about summer evenings; it seemed like there was more light even as the sun was setting. I feel myself retreating earlier as well, spending more time in reflection and coziness. Funnily enough though I also find myself reaching out more for connection. I look to the plants around me and realize I’m not so different after all. As the temperatures get colder, they begin to put precious energy into their roots rather than into new growth, flowers, or fruit. As my initial internship with Common Ground winds slowly to a close in the coming weeks I find myself desiring to put energy into setting roots here for perhaps another season, rather than buzzing off to the next new thing. Like the delectable persimmons that have been nourishing my taste buds, I am finding life keeps sweetening right where I am and the beauty of building relationship to place.
stratification and scarification. Some seeds need to go through a dormancy period before they can properly germinate and ultimately sprout to their fullest potential. So, too, do we and our relationships need to pause and go inward to bring forth new life. Other seeds need to be scratched a little bit to break through the hard exterior shell in order to germinate. Only then can they break through to spread their leaves. It takes another being whether that be a human, a stone in the soil, or another animal to exfoliate or scarify the seed. So too we need each other to push through our self- and society-imposed barriers. We need both the loving nudges and sometimes the abrasive challenges of community to blossom.
Speaking of blossoming, I continue to revel in the fullness and abundance of the garden even in the colder season. I’ve found in my time here on the farm that farming in this way is more than a job or occupation but is really a way of life. I see myself more and more reflected in the food we are growing, in the relationships we are tending, and the land we are occupying. I have really begun to love the way life on the farm has spilled out into other aspects like fostering pollinator habitat, cultivating the perennial patch, and tending to the trails and land structures. I am inspired by the passion, creativity, and ingenuity of the folks in this community I get to work with in all the above. This furthers my desire to engage in deeper more meaningful and creative ways to foster my own role in Common Ground beyond my time and title as the farm intern.
As sweet September rolls in on the crisp autumnal breeze, I am beginning to reflect on the rich relationships this community has offered to me. I think about my intentions from the beginning of my internship some three and half months ago and so much has changed. My body has begun to cycle with the seasons, waking earlier with the sun, craving sleep as the darkness descends (despite continuing to stay up too late watching the stars). I survived the summer heat with no AC in the loft of the barn with no problem–I’d say I actually came to embrace and enjoy the sunshine as well as the reprieve of the nearby trails and pond. 
In between and in the midst of my farm workdays, trail meanderings, and recent bonfires beautiful threads of relationships have been cultivated. Through my role in the member bios project, I have gotten the privilege of interviewing several community members and gotten to know some of the stories and deeper layers of their lives. (If you haven’t already filled out the bio form, do so 
Integrating myself into an already established (yet forever evolving) community has brought with it ample opportunity for story sharing and importantly story listening. As the seasons begin to change and we are asked to create new rhythms I am encouraged to explore more deeply the history of this land, the stories she holds of this community and the ones before it. I am urged to continue to tend both to the human and more than human relationships that have blossomed here this summer and continue seeking ways of contributing myself to the soil of Common Ground.
Doug Jones, a professional farmer here at CGEV, says that “collaborative farming is the farming of the future, a contrast to the small family farm that necessitates a large financial outlay. This is how farming has been practiced historically, as a tribe.” And this is how it is practiced at intentional agrarian communities. Doug, a resident in intentional communities for many decades, believes this way of life to be central to promoting collaborative farming.
themselves.
As many of you may know, last month Common Ground held its first racial reflection circle in order to both continue and start the conversation around race. Inspired by Juneteenth, we reflected on where the community is in terms of its racial awareness after a year of collective, national, and individual reckonings with the way race impacts our lives. The circle was facilitated by two newer members of the community- Jess Cudney and Lara Struckman as well as long time member Amy Halberstadt. We had a full circle of folks joining which demonstrated how needed and welcome this conversation was to the community. 
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The event was warmly received and there was much rich dialogue during and following the event. Our hope is that this conversation continues both within Common Ground and in all of our lives as we embark maybe for the first or the hundredth time on our lifelong journey of anti-racism work and continually walk towards our mission of living in justice and harmony with each other and the land. If you have interest in helping facilitate more conversation, action, or celebration around racial equity and diversity feel free to reach out to Amy, Jess or Lara. 
e reviewed Six Components of Conflict Resolution from the by Yana Ludwig and Karen Gimnig to help us to handle any disagreements or confusion. Crystal was patient and accepting while making sure we understood that unintentional harm still causes suffering. We were not patronized or coddled. We were informed that it is not fair to ask the person(s) harmed to reassure or comfort the person(s) causing harm. She defined microaggressions, cultural appropriation, subversive judgement of age, youth, disability, mental health, body size, skin color, cultural origins, sex & gender preferences, and I realized that these all exist in me.
