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News from Reevis Mountain School
April 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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 April feels like it's been a lamb of a month ... sweet
weather, blossoms in the orchard, birdsong and frog harmony ... so it's
surprising to look back and realize how much happened this month. Some was
bittersweet - Travis and Matt left us, and we miss them but are delighted to
know they are having fun in Oregon. Some has been just sweet - such as living
and working with our current interns, David and Alix, who are as awesome as
they come.
In the past
month we have tackled some big projects: repairing the shower house solar water
heating system (still in progress ...), building a new chick nursery pen next to
the coop, cleaning the water tank (emptying it and then scrubbing out the
bottom with push brooms - many thanks to Peter and David working in their underwear!), tilling and hoeing and raking new beds for spring planting.
Throughout the month we have also
been culling the fruit trees. After the blossoms fall, the new fruit begins to
grow in profusion - an example of Mother Nature hedging Her bets. There are so
many young fruit that it if it all were to mature, the branches would break
under the load. Also, the fruit would be small and less tasty. So every spring,
we visit each tree to cull the young fruit down to a healthy population. One of
our highlights of April was a day when all four of us spent a lovely afternoon
working in the apricot trees together.
Another highlight of the month was
Earth Day at the Picketpost trailhead in Superior, where Peter and Patricia
spent the morning helping teach at an Arizona Trail Association learning day
for 240 Superior (AZ) school children. Patricia accompanied two groups of students
on a short hike where they learned about plants, animals, and geology. Peter
demonstrated friction fire starting to a captivated crowd. We are big
supporters of the AZ Trail - 800 miles of hiking trails connecting the southern
and northern borders of Arizona, built entirely by volunteers.
Also during April we welcomed a
group of high schoolers from Gunnison, Colorado. They spent three days at
Reevis, learning survival skills and helping with road repair (thanks, guys!),
and in between they hiked in the Superstition Wilderness. We all had a good
time, and we hope Gunnison H.S. will be back soon.
Peter and Patricia have been working on the revision of Peter's
book Natural Remedies for Bites and Stings. We understand that many
people (maybe you) have been waiting patiently for the new edition of Peter's Ancient
Natural Remedies book, which covers touch healing and herbs ... and that book
is also very close to being ready for the printer. Because of the expense of
printing that book, we will be printing Bites and Stings first,
and Ancient Natural Remedies will follow as soon as financially possible. We hope and expect that
both books will be available in their new editions this summer.
Near the end of April Peter's work
- both physical and authorial - was interrupted by an injury to his eye. He was
starting up the grain grinder, which is powered by a gas motor with a pull
cord, when the end of the pull cord came loose and hit him hard in the left
eye. Since then he has not been able to see out of the eye. After a few days of touch healing and herbal treatments, Bigfoot went to
an ophthalmologist in Globe. Turns out he has a torn iris and a puddle of blood
in the sclera. Both will heal, but Bigfoot will need to take it easy for a
couple of weeks - a difficult concept for him!
In addition to looking forward to
Peter getting better, we are also anticipating exciting classes in May - a
special session of the plant study class for SCNM and SWIHA students, and our new
Homestead Living class, where students will learn how the farm and we
inhabitants work for each other to keep all of us healthy and happy. May will
also bring the hatching of about 16 turkey poults, who are now cozily gestating
in our new incubator, in a corner of the living room. They're right next to the
spot where we gather to sing before meals, and hopefully they can hear us
singing.
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
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Homestead Living, at RMS, May 13-16, $238
Stone Masonry, at RMS, June 7-12, $143
Please see below for more information. Fall classes and events will be announced in June.
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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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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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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
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  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
This spring has been cool so far, and the orchard seems to be about a month behind where it usually is in April. We are also planting a little later this year. Last week we sowed lettuce, carrots, beets, kale, parsley, squash, beans, and cucumbers ... and, in the greenhouse, tomatoes.
What We're Harvesting
April means asparagus! Around the end of March, we begin to see
stalks peeking up from the bare soil of the asparagus patch. When they
are about a foot tall, we start harvesting. Every year, the patch
becomes more productive. (Our plants are about 25 years old!) This year,
we harvested nearly every day, and filled our basket with about eight
to ten pounds of stalks. We cut them to size (to fit a gallon-size
baggie) and cull any stalks that have started to open. This usually
leaves about six pounds to take to market and a few pounds of ends and
culls ... which always find their way to our table! We like them lightly
steamed, with olive oil, butter, or homemade hollandaise. Toward the
end of April the harvests begin to decrease, and then we stop harvesting
entirely to give the plants a chance to replenish themselves. April is an important herb harvesting time, and this year many of the herbs are glossy and big ... others (the cleavers and plantain) didn't get enough rain in the past few weeks. This year we had another beautiful harvest of chaparral, as well as brittlebush and deer vetch. What We're EatingEvery meal at RMS is built around greens, whole grains, and meat or eggs. We've been enjoying the very last of the winter root crops, along with
lettuce and kale - which we have in salads more often now, as the weather warms up. We are eating the last of the elk that Peter brought home in December - slow cooking the neck cuts and ribs. Although our asparagus season is already over, we figure you probably still have it in stores in the city, so we'd like to share our simple recipe for hollandaise sauce. Patricia's Easy HollandaiseIn a small but heavy saucepan (we use cast iron), melt 1 2/3 sticks (a little more than 3/4 cup) of butter over a low-medium flame. Allow it to foam, and keep the flame on until the foam stops increasing, leaving the clear butter underneath. Now pour it through a fine sieve into a cup or bowl that will be easy to pour from, and allow the butter to cool for at least five minutes. Meanwhile, combine two egg yolks and two tablespoons of water in a steel mixing bowl, ideally one with a curved (not flat) bottom and steep sides. Whisk the yolks and water for one minute, then turn on the stove flame to medium and, using a towel or pad, hold the bowl above the flame, continuing to whisk. Keep whisking until the yolk mixture begins to thicken (a minute or three). Now remove it from the flame - keep whisking! - and pour in the butter slowly, whisking all the time. As soon as all of the butter is incorporated, stop whisking. Mix in 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice and salt and pepper to taste. Makes 1 cup. (Adapted from one of our favorite cookbooks, Vegetables by James Peterson.) 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, for individuals, couples, or groups. Please email us for information. |
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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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Quick Links...
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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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"The greatest prayer you could ever say would be to laugh every day. ... Laughter is grand music to the soul and in a state of happiness you can achieve everything you desire. You can learn to transcend yourself beyond your illusions, beyond the fantasies of fashion and fad, society and judgment. For you are your greatest teacher. And the more you laugh and the more happy you feel, the closer you are to becoming God." - Ramtha
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