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February 2011
Dear Friends,
Having just returned from participating in the Ecological Farming Conference, my mind is swirling with information and inspiration from so many people involved in the sustainable and organic food movement. This year Camp Joy celebrates forty years of being involved in this work and we have both much to celebrate and much more work to do. Hearing speakers from other farms share about the volumes of people seeking out opportunities to work on farms and learn directly from those already farming, reminds us that one of the most important pieces of the work we do is to “grow farmers”. The organic farming movement needs new and young and enthusiastic farmers and we feel honored to encourage these people on this path.
While at the conference, the news arrived from Washington about the de-regulation of Roundup Ready alfalfa; without regulation of this genetically modified crop, organic farmers will have no protection from its pollution of organic standards. Once GMO alfalfa is released into the environment, it cannot be recalled. Nearly all meat and dairy begins with alfalfa feed. It is a crucial perennial crop which can easily be cross-pollinated. The decision also weakens the possibility of regulation for other GMO seeds. To say this was a discouraging announcement is a bit of an understatement. However, the power of having all these concerned individuals together was apparent, as a group immediately broke off to draft a statement to condemn this decision. We encourage you to become educated about this issue and do what you can to help!
In the company of these like-minded people, the importance of the work we have chosen to do is obvious and increasingly meaningful. People in this circle of farmers know Camp Joy and our family and I am always proud when the mere mention of Camp Joy brings a smile of recognition to those I meet. Forty years ago when the founding individuals stepped into the four acre meadow, which is now Camp Joy Garden, they could not see into the future, what they brought were their ideals for the present. In preserving and nurturing the land for all these years, a future has been created.
Back on the farm we move closer to real spring. There will be less talking about what to do and more getting down to the work of doing it, getting our hands dirty with the labor we love. While we aren’t free of challenges here, we forge on to do the best we can.
As a child of the farm I played with the goats and danced down the paths. I picked blackberries and peaches in the summer sun and gobbled them up in the shade of the redwood tree. I had no shortage of people to learn and grow with; each new crop of apprentices became my friends, whom I knew would one day leave for their next home. I inhaled the smells of roses and apple blossoms and honey bee hives. The farm was our home and school and playground.
As an adult I look to fit into the future of the farm and the future of the world. I still smell the smells and taste the freshness of what we grow and I still make room for new friends to call this their home as they learn from the land. But now I think of how to keep the farm alive for the next forty years. How to honor what has been done before me and how to evolve to make it something new, something even better.
At a recent board meeting we discussed the idea of passion to determine what each member is dedicated to in the coming year. One of the things most important to me is maintaining the infrastructure of the farm. Forty years later, many structures around the property need our attention so that they’ll weather what is to come. Everyone is feeling a tightening of resources, and we need now more than ever to be resourceful if we are to continue with the work and the programs we do; growing good food and flowers, teaching children and adults, modeling sustainable and organic farming and caring for ourselves, to name a few.
This year we have already received some generous support which has enabled us to replace the main house’s woodstove, the primary heat source, which has been a blessing on all these sunny but chilly California winter mornings! Last year we worked on replacing old windows and upgrading some living spaces for some the long term residents of the farm. The main house is still on the list for some of these upgrades.
We also start the year off with ideas to repair the roof on the quirky original building known as the Crooked House; we are currently looking for an experienced and creative builder/roofer to assist us. Our greenhouse had some temporary fixes in the last few years but the glass panels are slipping and in need of some more work as well. We must add additional space for plants coming out of the greenhouse before making their way into our garden beds (and yours). Our honey room, which has seen more action this last year, requires some improvements to maintain a healthy space to process the honey and teach people about these crucial farm members, Apis mellifera, aka the honey bees!
We truly need your support to continue to create and maintain a crucial part of our community and our world. Children, adults, animals, plants, farmers, artists, students, teachers all come to our little farm and go away with a piece of it in their minds, hearts or bodies. In a world of uncertainties we do know that what we do is valuable, fulfilling and sustainable! Please join us in this work by making a tax deductable donation to Camp Joy Gardens, signing up for our yearly membership or coming to one of our classes or events. Feel free to contact us if you have suggestions on how else to get involved. We’ll see you in the garden!
Warmly,
Towhee Nelson Huxley and all the Camp Joy Family