| ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
News from Reevis Mountain School
February 2011
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A Division of the PAAK Foundation, an Arizona 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization
Peter Bigfoot, Founder and Director / Patricia Busnack, Office Manager and Editor |
 Yesterday, the last day of February, you could still find little heaps of snow from the dusting we received on Sunday. Today, the first of March, the daffodils around the house have opened, and the weather service is predicting seventy degrees!
The almonds and plums and early peaches are blossoming - the peach blossoms are rosy, with little scent; the almonds are white and musty smelling; the plums are also white, and delicately sweet. Our rose bushes are leafing out, and the violet patches are covered with blossoms, perfuming the whole area near the shower house. And Sara and Tessa found frogs in the creek, a ways up the canyon! After the coldest winter in memory, we are enjoying these signs of spring.
Our expedition to Winter Count is a highlight of February every year. Bigfoot teaches plant study and natural remedies to folks who come to the gathering from all over the world. This year, our Winter Count experience was enlivened by some dramatic car trouble - we were about a mile from the camp entrance when the van's battery exploded! Bigfoot spent most of three days repairing its many complications. He had a pretty good idea early on that the ignition amplification module needed replacing, but given that that was the most expensive part involved, he switched out a few others instead. That didn't work too well. So we learned a lesson that seems to have been presenting itself to us lately - to trust our intuition.
Prior to Winter Count we enjoyed the lovely company of Laura from Canada, whom Peter met at Winter Count some years ago - she is a botanist and it was great fun to toss Latin names back and forth. And the week after Winter Count we had the delightful company of Jesse, who had been a student of Bigfoot's last year. He is on to more abo adventures now, but we enjoyed his mellowness and love while he was here for a short time.
Our wonderful interns Sara, Tessa, and Peter V. took care of the farm while Peter and Patricia were away. With this group, hugs in the morning and at bedtime have become daily miracles, and any time music and dancing may break out. Sara continues to amaze us with her physical feats (rebuilding tree basins, digging an irrigation trench), and Peter is quietly but wonderfully in tune with the needs of the farm.
Tessa's enormous gift is that she has been giving Bigfoot Rolfing treatments. In their first session she identified what caused Peter's hip troubles in the first place: his big toe. Years ago, Peter ran down Mt. Timpanogus in Utah, seven miles, and injured his toe with the repeated impacts. After that he changed his gait to accommodate the painful toe. This threw his hip out of alignment, and the rest is history. Tessa is giving Peter daily treatments and teaching him how to walk properly. For now his hip and foot are adapting to the changes and sometimes actually more painful than before ... but we feel these treatments and proper walking are going to benefit his hip enormously.
We had lots of fun speaking at REI stores this month, in conjunction with Bigfoot's book Natural Remedies for Bites and Stings. Bigfoot spoke at REI stores in Tempe and Paradise Valley, and at both events listeners filled all the chairs and left many standing. It was wonderful to catch up with friends who attended. For updates about Peter's talks in the valley, please check our website.
We're excited about our new connection with Smiling Dog Learning Center in Gold Canyon. Tom McDonald runs the center, currently offering mostly classes on gardening and plants. Bigfoot will be there on April 23, teaching Natural Remedies for Bites and Stings (10 a.m. - 2 p.m., $45) and then presenting the slideshow of his 1976 solo trek in the evening (6:30 p.m., by donation). We anticipate offering Oriental Acupressure there in the late spring or fall.
This coming weekend begins our spring season of classes and events! Registrations for the March classes have been high (just two spots left in Wilderness Survival!), so please consider registering early for the April and May classes. The schedule and online registration are available on our website. Late March or early April will see the beginning of our produce season - asparagus lovers rejoice! If you would like to receive notices of produce availability, please email Patricia.
For more information (and pictures!) about the farm, Peter Bigfoot's herbal remedies, and classes and events, please visit www.reevismountain.org.
|
|
| Coming Events
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Oriental Acupressure, at RMS, March 3-6, $238
Wild Edible, Medicinal, and Useful Plants, Lost Dutchman State Park, March 12, $78
Wilderness Survival, at RMS, March 17-20, $238
Nature Retreat at RMS, April 8-10, $178
Wild Edible, Medicinal, and Useful Plants, Catalina State Park, April 16, $85
Natural Remedies for Bites and Stings, Smiling Dog Learning Center, April 23, $45
Wild and Free: Bigfoot's Solo Foraging Trek, Smiling Dog Learning Center, April 23, by donation
Wild Edible, Medicinal, and Useful Plants, at RMS, May 6-8, $178
Off-Grid Living, at RMS, May 12-15, $238
Stone Masonry, at RMS, June 6-11, $143
Please see below for more information.
|
|
Bigfoot's Book of Ancient Natural Remedies - now available!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  We are very excited to announce the publication of Bigfoot's long-awaited healing book, the Book of Ancient Natural Remedies! This book has been years in the making, gathering Bigfoot's lifetime of wisdom about health and healing. The first part covers a variety of ailments and injuries, from cuts to candida - with remedies including herbs, honey, Oriental Acupressure, dietary changes, and fasting. The second part provides a full introduction to Oriental Acupressure, a simple and powerful way of energy healing. Of course, along with the information are Bigfoot's amazing stories of healing! The 240-page book has a beautiful full-color cover featuring a magical painting by Claire Long, and new material on common conditions like heart disease, cancer, parasites, and diabetes. It is wire-bound to stay open during treatments, and includes a fold-out chart of pressure points. The book is on the way from the printer in Minnesota, and we expect to have copies in hand by the end of this week. The price is $18 (plus shipping, and tax if you are in AZ). It is available to order on our website now. |
| Oriental Acupressure, at RMS, March 3-6, $238
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A doctor may not be available when you need one - now you can learn to take care of yourself! Oriental Acupressure is a simple and profoundly effective healing art founded on the understanding of the human body as animated by life force energy that constantly flows through meridians in and around the body. Most illness is caused by a restriction in the free flow of life force. Oriental Acupressure is an art designed to reestablish that free flow and return us to our natural state of being: painless, joyous, and loving. You will learn the philosophy of Oriental Acupressure, the meridians and pulse points, diagnosis through reading the pulses, techniques of touch healing, and first aid with Oriental Acupressure. Includes Bigfoot's Book of Ancient Natural Remedies. Three days. Click here to register. |
| Wild Edible, Medicinal, and Useful Plants, at RMS, Lost Dutchman, and Catalina
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 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 200 medicinal and edible wild plants (a $20 value!) plus room to add actual samples that are gathered during the class. And if you have a wild plant you want to learn about, you can bring a sample to 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 March 12 at Lost Dutchman State Park (north of Apache Junction), 9 a.m. - 4 p.m., $78; April 16 at Catalina State Park (north of Tucson), 9 a.m. - 4 p.m., $85; and the two-day class at RMS, May 6-8, $178. Click here to register. |
|
Wilderness Survival, at RMS, March 17-20, $238 Only 2 spots left!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
This is a comprehensive desert skills course. Experience life on a working homestead in the mountains of the Superstition Wilderness while acquiring wilderness skills and nature awareness in a desert environment. Skills covered: bow and drill primitive fire making; knife sharpening; all-natural emergency first aid including wilderness healing of venomous bites and stings; rope and string made of natural fibers; emergency shelters; land navigation; traps and animal preparation for food; and so much more. Meet new friends, eat home-grown food, enjoy evening campfires - a unique, life-enriching experience. Maximum 14 students. Three days. For this class, shuttle pickup on the first day is at 3 p.m. Click here to register.
|
| Nature Retreat at RMS, April 8-10, $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. Click here to register.
|
| Natural Remedies for Bites and Stings at Smiling Dog, April 23, $45
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
In this four-hour indoor/outdoor class (10 a.m. - 2 p.m.), Bigfoot will demonstrate how he uses wild plants for healing venomous bites and stings, from gnat bites to dog bites - including scorpion stings, rattlesnake bites, and brown recluse bites - using the plants around us. He will teach you how to do the same for yourself and your family and friends - and his fascinating stories of healing and survival will amaze and inspire you. Includes a copy of Bigfoot's book Natural Remedies for Bites and Stings. Click here to register.
Smiling Dog is located in Gold Canyon, near the Basha's on Hwy. 60.
|
| Wild and Free: Peter Bigfoot's 1976 Solo Foraging Trek, at Smiling Dog, April 23, by donation
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Peter Bigfoot - wilderness survival expert, respected herbologist of the Sonoran Desert, and founder of Reevis Mountain School of Self-Reliance - is perhaps best known for his solo trek in the summer of 1976, when he hiked from New River to Four Peaks, 85 miles in 15 days, foraging for all his needs. Temperatures exceeded 135 degrees, and Phoenix had had no measurable rain in 120 days. He brought no water or food: only deep knowledge of desert survival, a clear mind-and photography equipment. In this lecture with slides, Bigfoot tells the story of his trek from the first step to the last-including his amazing and inspiring stories of survival against the elements. A rare and not to be missed event.
Donations will support Reevis Mountain School and Smiling Dog Learning Center. Seating is limited. Click here to register.
Smiling Dog is located in Gold Canyon, near the Basha's on Hwy. 60.
|
| Off-Grid Living, at RMS, May 12-15, $238
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Learn how we live on RMS's off-the-grid homestead in the Superstition Wilderness. In the course of a comprehensive tour of the farm, we will cover the farm's solar and water systems; how we care for our garden and orchard; care and processing of livestock; how we manage waste and garbage; nutrition and cooking, including use of a solar oven; self-care and healing; attitudes that are important for survival and happiness; and much more. You will have an opportunity to get your hands dirty working on an actual project, such as preparing and planting our corn field. Three days. Click here to register.
|
| Stone Masonry, at RMS, June 6-11, $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. A physically demanding class (lifting heavy stones and working on scaffolding). Five days. For this class, shuttle pickup on the first day is at 10 a.m. Click here to register.
|
|
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 (singles $25 per night, doubles $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.
|
| Would you like to help out at Reevis?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Patricia is compiling a list of folks who would like to help with projects on the farm, either for a day or a few days at a time. Projects could range from road work to helping install our new solar pump system. You would receive meals, yurpee lodgings, and possibly homemade oatmeal cookies. We also sometimes need help with the website, graphic design, illustration, photography, and videography. If you are interested, please email Patricia and let her know your skills, interests, and availability. Thank you!
We are also looking for a digital camcorder to allow us to put video content on our website. If you have a camcorder to donate, we would appreciate it very much, and you will receive an in-kind donation receipt. Please email Patricia.
|
| 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
With dramatic ups and downs in temperature this months - including freezes that turned one of our plum trees into a lovely ice sculpture! - the garden plants have been stressed and confused. The entire bed of lettuces and endive that we hopefully transplanted in December and January looks morose indeed. (As are we all when we must ration out greens at the supper table!) Happily, the plants in the greenhouse are doing well, and with those reaching good size, just in the past few days we have been able to enjoy our usual heaping Reevis-style green salads.
This month Bigfoot planted two more plum trees. He also finished pruning the vineyard and orchard and has been making runs to Globe for wood chips for orchard tree mulch and to Gilbert for a stockpile of manure. Sara, Tessa, and Peter V. have been rebuilding many of the tree basins and adding a thick layer of mulch.
What We're Harvesting With the carrots and beets over, rutabagas are the root vegetable we're depending on for the rest of the winter. We also have leeks, which Patricia loves to use in a simple and delicious frittata. For steamed greens we have a small supply of kale, plus rutabaga greens and bok choy. For green salads, we are harvesting from the greenhouse - lettuces, endive, and the bok choy. Patricia likes to add young rose petals, violet leaves and blossoms, and lemon thyme. And Tessa makes an amazing mustard-balsamic dressing!
What We're Eating
Every meal at RMS is built around greens, whole grains, and meat or eggs. On our late winter table this year, it is typical to find winter squash (the ones that have lasted till now are the sweetest!), rutabagas, and kale. Tessa has been making delicious bean dishes (she has been vegetarian since she was six). And when someone might be coming down with a cold, we make chicken soup with the roosters that we have in the freezer - this is Bigfoot's favorite cold remedy! On the warmer days we have been enjoying the citrus that friends have been giving us.
Patricia's Leek Frittata
You can make this frittata in any size; just adjust the amounts of ingredients. I use about ten eggs, one large leek, and about two cups of cheese.
Prepare the leek by cutting off the green tops and removing the roots, leaving just enough of the base to hold the leek together. Slice through the leek vertically so that you can fan open the layers to wash out any dirt inside with running water. When it is clean, slice it thin and saute in butter until tender. Beat the eggs and add the shredded cheese, the sauteed leek, and salt and pepper.
Place a cast iron skillet on the stove and turn the heat on medium. Swirl butter or olive oil in the skillet to coat the bottom and sides. Pour in the egg mixture (the skillet should not be too hot). Cover the skillet and reduce the heat to medium-low. Cook until the frittata is firm. (It can take some practice to learn how high the heat should be to brown the bottom without burning it.) For a fun top crust, after the frittata is finished cooking, sprinkle the top with more shredded cheese and put under the broiler until the cheese begins to brown.
|
| Wilderness Retreats at RMS
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
RMS is a sanctuary free of most modern-day distractions and pollutants (including television!), 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 visit www.reevismountain.org or email Patricia for more information. |
| How to Purchase RMS Remedies
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Peter Bigfoot's herbal tinctures and salves are available to order direct from RMS by email (orders@reevismountain.org), phone (928) 467-2675, on our website (click on Country Store), or by mail (7448 S. J-B Ranch Rd., Roosevelt, AZ 85545), or at these local retailers:
Phoenix: Healthy Habit, 6029 N. 7th St., and Total Body Awakening Legacy, 602-774-0160
Scottsdale: The Natural Medicinary at Southwest College, 8010 E. MacDowell Rd.
Mesa: Preparing Wisely, 144 S. Mesa Dr.
Tempe: SWIHA's bookstore, 1100 E. Apache Blvd.
Flagstaff: New Frontiers Market
Sedona: New Frontiers Market
Cottonwood: Mt. Hope Foods
Camp Verde: Healthy Thymes
|
|
|
|
| We Welcome Donations
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
RMS is a 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 purchase of a solar water pump, ongoing expenses, or the costs of housing and feeding our interns, who pay for their stay here in work rather than money.
|
| Quick Links...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
|
|
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Wake up! ... Wake up and be content with this knowledge: There is no need to search; achievement leads to nowhere. It makes no difference at all, so just be happy now! Love is the only reality of the world, because it is all One, you see. And the only laws are paradox, humor, and change. There is no problem, never was, and never will be. Release your struggle, let go of your mind, throw away your concerns, and relax into the world. No need to resist life; just do your best. Open your eyes and see that you are far more than you imagine. You are the world, you are the universe; you are yourself and everyone else, too! It's all the marvelous Play of God. Wake up, regain your humor. Don't worry, you are already free!" - Dan Millman, Way of the Peaceful Warrior
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ |
|
|
|
|
