From mead making to bee keeping, from sowing seeds to operating a chainsaw, here at AMS, no two days are quite the same, and we spend much of our time on the farm making the most of this open air classroom we have come to call our home. Today marks one month of our residency here on Bear Mountain. Our busy schedule has brought June (and warm weather) on rather quickly, and it seems like only yesterday we came together as nine complete strangers. Now, merely a month later, I find myself reflecting on how organically we’ve grown into a family – well beyond the stage of establishing ourselves as simply a group of curious new friends.
Like any good family, we often find space for healthy disagreement (like over molecular gastronomy-can clear tomato soup REALLY be a good thing? Or determining whether or not a vegetable REALLY needs to be peeled. How about that poppy-looking thing in the lower garden – is it just a weed that should be pulled? Is dessert an absolute necessity after every single meal? [8 out of 9 would agree])
One thing we can all agree on, however, is that after a long week of learning and hard work, Saturday and Sunday are ours to cherish. Whether its hula hooping, hiking, cooking, or kayaking, we make the most of our time and space here in this beautiful area. And while we may find ourselves moving in different directions as the weekend approaches near, we’re all thread together by the wealth of the land around us, and simply coming together for this experience here in the Allegheny Mountains has been, perhaps, our fellowships greatest muse.
Kayaking on the Greenbriar River
**Also, because I love fresh, wholesome food, I would like to give thanks to the following foods our garden (and local area) has so generously provided us with this past week:
-Shiitake mushrooms (from last year’s inoculated logs)
-Fresh herbs: parsley, cilantro, sage, chives
-Greens: spinach, mizuna, and other assorted lettuces
-Fruit: STRAWBERRIES!!!
As I write this blog, the rain has come in quite strong, and the gardens are receiving a much needed drink. I think somewhere my blessing was heard. Be well and live well.
Much love from the mountain top,
Kayla
