A fortuitous sequence of events brought a beautiful hand carved Balinese planter bed to Full Bloom last week.  Our neighbors Avara and Asher had imported the piece from Bali some years ago, then moved to Bali leaving the planter to be moved by the only guy in the area who could: our dear friend and earth mover Roarke Ball.  He took it to his land where it just sat for awhile till one day he offered to bring it over to Full Bloom.  Free Balinese art anyone!?

Rosie, my land partner on the left, and Roarke positioning the planter.

This is an example of the kind of resource sharing that is happening more and more in our community.  Its a fundamental principle of any sustainable community to move, circulate and put to best use its resources.  It doesn’t serve anyone to stash away wonderful objects whether its art or irrigation pipe.

Triumphant Victory after much shimmying and exerting.

“Whatever we possess becomes of double value when we have the opportunity of sharing it with others.”

Jean Nicolas Bouilly (1763-1842);
Writer, Politician

In the modern age there can be a tendency to outsource everything from childcare, to dinner, to dog walking.  As I’ve written in previous blogs its the intention here at Full Bloom to cultivate a first hand, direct relationship with food.  This starts with the planting and tending of a myriad different vegetable varieties and the harvesting and processing of those vegetables.

This week we processed over 7 gallons of cabbage and beets into sauerkraut.  For those of you who are wondering what exactly this substance called sauerkraut is let’s again turn to wikipedia:

“Directly translated: “sour cabbage”, is finely cut cabbage that has been fermented by various lactic acid bacteria, including Leuconostoc, Lactobacillus, and Pediococcus.[1][2] It has a long shelf-life and a distinctive sour flavor, both of which result from the lactic acid that forms when the bacteria ferment the sugars in the cabbage”

Sauerkraut is a way of simultaneously preserving a food as well as creating an immeasurable healthy food source that provides the body with high quantities of benifical bacterium that are often depleted through the use of anti-biotics.  Its also a fun thing to do with friends.  There is something really satisfying about bringing cabbages in from the field and processing them with others.  Its a simple and yet profound act, often overlooked and undervalued in the modern world.

It will be a joy to share the art of fermentation in classes and informal gatherings at Full Bloom in the years to come.

“When General Lee took possession of Chambersburg on his way to Gettysburg, we happened to be a member of the Committee representing the town. Among the first things he demanded for his army was twenty-five barrels of sauerkraut.”
Editor, The Guardian (1869)

Last weekend we had our monthly community work day at Full Bloom.  It was super gratifying and fun as we applied the finished coat of earthen plaster to our landmate’s Jo and Rosie’s sweet little Cob home on the hillside.  We had lots of help from the folks living here and some friends from the neighborhood.  It was really supportive to have master natural builder Lydia Doleman there to make sure the plaster formula was right and that the application methods were not too wanky or wonky for that matter.

Lydia Doleman: our local natural building guru.

It was also the kind of work party that easily incorporated kids into the scene.  No dangerous power tools and lots of mud and sand to play with.

Lydia’s daughter Madeline on track to surpass her mom in building skills.

There’s something very nourishing about this kind of “work”.  Everyone’s joking around, getting dirty, the kids are playing (and occasionally fighting: “That’s my bucket!”).  It makes me want to have these kinds of days more often than once a month!

Rosie full of joy as her house finally get’s its finish coat.

Next time you take a walk in nature look around and ask yourself: “Is there any tree, animal, plant or mineral that is struggling over-efforting here?”  I think that is why we receive so much nourishment and balancing in Nature;  it reflects back to us an easeful way of being.

Full Bloom is currently composed of a 13 adults and 3 children who are intentionally moving towards a more easefull way of a being, of moving, of relating.  A way of being that models the intelligence of the natural world.  The practices of Yoga, movement arts and dance, wilderness awareness, and permaculture design are invaluable tools that previous generations have left for us that facilitate this process, guide our journey.

Last weekend most of us (some parents were doing nap time)  took a walk through the forest adjacent to our property.  During the hike I notice how transformative it is to be in truly wild nature with these other individuals.  We let in the “spirit” of the natural world and begin relating to each other in different ways.  There a subtle air of sacredness that begins to infect the group.

I look forward to sharing the land here and its gifts with many individuals in the future as we open the Gates of Full Bloom to the broader public.  The Natural world has so much to teach us, so much to medicine to offer us if we only allow ourselves the opportunity.

“Climb the mountains and get their good tidings. Nature’s peace will flow into you as sunshine flows into trees. The winds will blow their own freshness into you, and the storms their energy, while cares will drop off like autumn leaves.” John Muir