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News from Reevis Mountain School
March 2010
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A Division of the PAAK Foundation, an Arizona 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization
Peter Bigfoot, Founder and Director / Patricia Sanders, Office Manager and Editor
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 Reevis was built to share. In the early days, we had 15 to 20 people here all the time ... for the past ten years or so, Reevis has been a quieter place, with just a handful of residents at any time. So it has been exciting for Peter and Patricia to welcome a larger number of interns over the past few months. In March, we had eight and sometimes nine at the supper table - and even better, we have been a harmonious and very hard-working family.
In the first days of March, David returned from visiting home in Ohio, and Brandon and Soon joined us. Brandon and Soon have already moved on - other interns' stories of places they'd been to inspired Brandon and Soon to travel the U.S. before they return to Korea later this spring. We miss them - along with the Korean dishes they cooked!
We also miss our friend Cynthia when she isn't here. She has been visiting a week or two at a time recently, helping to cook, clean, and keep us all well with her amazing Jin Shin Jyutsu treatments. We're counting the days until her next visit.
With five vigorous interns here - including Matt and Travis, who both arrived in February - we have accomplished an almost unbelievable amount of work. We have been repairing and improving the tree basins in the orchard - by enlarging the basins, so that the orchard is gradually being turned into terraces for water retention - and trying a new innovation of Travis's: burying branches in the heaped-up sides of the basins as a form of hügelkultur (this is gardening on raised beds filled with rotten wood). We hope the wood will absorb water that the trees can use, and the branches will discourage the chickens from scratching at the sides of the basins and tearing them down.
We've also built a new outhouse to replace one of those that fell into their holes during the January flood, are in the process of major renovations to the showerhouse plumbing, and have returned the garden to a state of tidiness and order ("deforested," someone said - the weeds really loved all that rain!).
And toward the end of the month, Alix (pronounced Al-ee) joined us from Victoria, B.C. She brings helpful gardening and community living experience, and her feminine energy is a welcome balance to the guys. We are delighted to have her here.
Every year March marks the beginning of Reevis's classes and events. Our plants class at Lost Dutchman might be the last for a while, as the state is closing the park in June - so it was wonderful to find such a variety of beautiful plants there and to have a large number of students. Our wilderness survival class last weekend was cozier, with just three students (one of whom flew in from Virginia).
One of the highlights of the month was a new discovery about the medicinal use of prickly pear, and possibly other cacti. While working a long afternoon in the garden, Travis received a fairly serious sunburn - even though the weather is still relatively cool. Of course, he applied prickly pear slime as the remedy, expecting the burn to turn to tan overnight. But it didn't - the burn hardly responded at all. Bigfoot surmises that in cool weather, the prickly pear is trying to stay warm, rather than trying to defend itself against the sun as it does in warmer weather. Just as garden plants like cabbage will turn bitter in hot weather and sweet in cold weather, cacti might change in response to their environment. So Bigfoot's theory is that because the prickly pear is trying to stay warm, it doesn't have the protective and remedial properties that it does in hot weather. This could be an important new piece of information about the use of cacti.
And now the answer to a question that seems to be on everyone's lips lately: do we have asparagus yet? Yes! We just began harvesting it on Saturday, and we expect to have it for about a month. And it is delectable. If you are interested in buying our asparagus ... or any of the fruit and vegetables and eggs that we will have throughout the growing season ... please make sure you're on our email and phone list. More information is below.
For more
information (and pictures!) about the farm, Peter Bigfoot's herbal remedies, and classes and events, please visit www.reevismountain.org.
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Coming Events
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Nature Retreat at RMS, April 9-11, $178
Wild Edible, Medicinal, and Useful Plants, Catalina State Park, April 17, $85
Wild Edible, Medicinal, and Useful Plants, at RMS, April 23-25, $178
Wild Edible, Medicinal, and Useful Plants, Catalina State Park, May 1, $85
Homestead Living, at RMS, May 13-16, $238
Stone Masonry, at RMS, June 7-12, $143
Please see below for more information.
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Wild Edible, Medicinal, and Useful Plants, at RMS or Catalina State Park
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  Our Sonoran desert plants, bushes, and trees harbor many secret treasures, from healthy nourishment to remedies for illness, injury, and venomous bites and stings. We make it easy and fun to learn ... and, of course, you'll get Bigfoot himself answering your questions, and his fascinating stories of healing and survival. You will receive a personal plant study book that contains information on more than 150 medicinal and edible wild plants (a $20 value!) plus room to add actual samples that are gathered during the class. Easy hiking through the desert, exploring the plant life as we go. Dress for the weather, including a wide-brimmed hat for protection from the sun. Choose from April 17 or May 1 at Catalina State Park (north of Tucson), 9 a.m. - 4 p.m., $85; and the two-day class at RMS, April 23-25, $178.
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| Nature Retreat at RMS, April 9-11, $198
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  Enjoy two days and nights in RMS's magical wilderness sanctuary - a place of inspiration and peace, a space to experience inner tranquility. Includes lodging in a cabin or yurpee (as available); a one-hour herb walk, one-hour natural healing lesson, and daily meditation lessons with Bigfoot; healthful and hearty organic meals from our garden; informal nutritional counseling; and ample time for relaxation or hiking in nature's beauty. Bigfoot's meditation lessons will aid you in learning and practicing several meditation techniques on your journey to achieving inner peace and a tranquil mind. Peter Bigfoot has been practicing meditation for over 35 years and will share his experience with you.
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Homestead Living, at RMS, May 13-16, $238
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Learn how we live on RMS's off-the-grid homestead in the Superstition Wilderness. We cover the farm's solar and water systems; heating and cooling; how we care for our garden and orchard; care and processing of livestock; how we manage waste and garbage; use of a solar oven; self-care and healing; attitudes that are important for survival and happiness; and much more. Three days.
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Stone Masonry, at RMS, June 7-12, $143
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Hands-on experience in the art and skill of stone wall construction: selecting native stones, mixing concrete, placing stones, esthetic and structural considerations, choice of tools and materials. Bring work gloves and work clothes. Help build something that will virtually last forever and never need paint. Five days. For this class, shuttle pickup on the first day is at 10 a.m.
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Planning to attend a class or event?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Classes held at Reevis Mountain School include: meals (arrival night meal is a potluck party - bring a healthful, natural dish to share!), class supplies, hot showers, and campsite. Camping is free, or stay in a yurpee ($10 per night) or cabin (single $25 per night, double $50 per night) - availability permitting. Yurpees and cabins have beds and pillows; bring your own sheets and blankets or sleeping bag.
Complimentary shuttle service from Roosevelt, 10 miles one way - or caravan in your own 4X4. Shuttle pickup is at 4 p.m., first day of class (please note exceptions listed in class descriptions), at M&S Marine, Hwy. 188, Roosevelt (between milepost 233 and 234).
Early Registration: 10% discount if you register with full payment 30 days prior to class date.
To Register: 3 ways: visit our website and register online; or mail your name, phone number, postal and email addresses and full payment or a 50% deposit to the address below; or email us with this information and mail a check or request Paypal instructions. Indicate whether you will need shuttle service from Roosevelt and/or wish to rent a yurpee or cabin instead of camping. Balance due prior to class.
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How to Buy Reevis Produce
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Throughout the growing season (March through December), our garden, orchard, and chickens will produce a cornucopia of fruit - including apricots, peaches, plums, grapes, figs, quince, pears, pomegranates, and persimmons - a variety of veggies, and multicolored fertile eggs from pastured chickens. We'll also have pastured turkeys for the holidays, and occasionally we have Muscovy ducks.
We visit Roosevelt, Globe/Miami, and the Phoenix metro area on an irregular schedule, so the best way to buy our produce is to be on our email list. We'll email you the day before our trips to let you know what we have and the prices; then you can let us know what you'd like to have, and we'll harvest it just for you. To get on the list, just email Patricia and let her know your location and a phone number where you can be reached during the day.
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What We're Growing, Harvesting, and Eating
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 We'd like to share with you what's going on in the garden, the orchard, and the kitchen - the vegetables we're planting, the bounty (fruit, veggies, livestock, and herbs!) we're harvesting, and how we turn our harvest into nourishing, delicious meals.
What We're Growing
In March, the orchard is glorious, with the apricots, plums, and peaches blossoming in an ever-changing progression, the sound of bees buzzing as you walk among the trees, and the heavenly scent of plum blossoms. The fruit season starts around the end of June, with apricots and clingstone peaches.
What We're Harvesting
While we eagerly wait for spring crops, we're savoring the last of the rutabagas, turnips, beets, carrots, and collards, which sustained us through the winter. We still have beautiful Tuscan kale, as well as lettuces - which we are harvesting from the garden now as well as the greenhouse. In the herb department, we've just dug up burdock root, and any day now we'll be harvesting chaparral, brittlebush, and deer vetch. What We're EatingEvery meal at RMS is built around greens, whole grains, and meat or eggs. Because the mornings are still cold, we have steamed winter greens at breakfast and salad at supper ... and our protein is often coming from vegetable sources - in addition to turkey and elk - as we wait for the chickens to start laying more eggs. We still love our dutch-ovened veggies, but recently Matt introduced a new way to serve root vegetables. He discovered a recipe in an old cookbook that he modified to create ... Matt's Rutabaga FluffCook about a pound of rutabaga until tender. (We cook them on the stovetop in an oiled dutch oven with a tight-fitting lid.) Saute half of an onion, chopped, until tender. Combine rutabaga and onion and add 2 tablespoons butter, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and a dash of pepper. (Optionally, add between a tablespoon and a quarter cup of your sweetener of choice. Our rutabagas are sweet enough this year that Matt doesn't use any extra sweetener.) Mash with a potato masher or beat with an electric mixer. Add 2 eggs and beat well. Turn into an oiled casserole and bake at 375 degrees, uncovered, for 35 to 40 minutes. You can substitute parsnips or turnips for the rutabaga. Please visit our website for lots more farm recipes! |
| Wilderness Retreats at RMS
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ RMS is a sanctuary free of most modern-day distractions and pollutants (including television and cell phones!), a place to reconnect with Earth and Spirit while enjoying the school's organic/whole foods cuisine and wilderness surroundings. Yurpees and cabins are available for overnight, weekend, or longer retreats. Please email us for information. |
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How to Purchase RMS Remedies
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Peter
Bigfoot's herbal tinctures and salves are available to order by email
(orders@reevismountain.org), phone (928) 467-2675, on our website (click on Country Store), by mail (7448 S. J-B Ranch Rd., Roosevelt, AZ 85545), or at retailers in Phoenix (Healthy Habit, 6029 N. 7th St., and Total Body Awakening Legacy (602-774-0160), Scottsdale (The Natural Medicinary at Southwest College of Naturopathic Medicine, 8010 E. MacDowell Rd.), Mesa (Preparing Wisely, 144 S. Mesa Dr.), Tempe (SWIHA's
bookstore, 1100 E. Apache Blvd.), Flagstaff (New Frontiers Market and
Village Healing Center), Sedona (New Frontiers Market), Cottonwood (Mt. Hope Foods), Camp Verde (Healthy Thymes), and Globe (Back to Basics, corner of Broad and Cedar).
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We Welcome Donations
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ RMS is a division of the PAAK Foundation, an Arizona 501(c)3 nonprofit educational organization; donations may be tax deductible. Currently our highest priority to is replace our gasoline creek pump with a solar pump, and any assistance toward that goal will be greatly appreciated. Cash donations are always welcomed with deep gratitude and will be put toward the pump fund, ongoing expenses, or the costs of housing and feeding our interns, who pay for their stay here in work rather than money.
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Quick Links...
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"We find greatest joy not in getting, but in expressing what we are. Men do not really live for honors or for pay; their gladness is not in the taking and holding, but in the doing, the striving, the building, the living. It is a higher joy to teach than to be taught. It is good to get
justice, but better to do it; fun to have things but
more to make them. The happy man is he who lives the life of love, not
for the honors it may bring, but for the life itself." - R. J. Baughan
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