Learning Nature's Ways on the Prairie   

Thirty people gathered the first of the hottest and driest Oklahoma August on record to learn how to live sustainably on the Great Plains. Scott Pittman, founder of Santa Fe's Permaculture Institute, taught four days of classes in the principles and practices of permaculture. It was the first session of four that will be held in Oklahoma through November. It is the kind of education that brought hope to a beleagured land. We were thrilled to welcome the participants and Scott, who lodged in our strawbale and mud hermitage.

We began to learn nature's systems and how humans can cooperate in those systems to live sustainably. We began to learn about water catchment and how plants cooperate with and help each other and how to apply excess to the care of earth and its people; how we can increase rainfall by planting trees. There's much to learn and process and adapt to each of our situations. But it is thrilling and extraordinarily hopeful that there are ways to live sustainably on the warming planet and live in ways that decrease the amount of greenhouse gases that are creating the conditions that cause the warming. We are excited that we will be able to apply what we learn to our farm and help teach others what we learn.  

A very hot and dry August is a good time for retreat leaders to head for the mountains and go on retreat themselves. Pat made her retreat at the YMCA of the Rockies outside of Estes Park, Colorado. Led by Thich Nhat Hanh, the mindfulness meditation retreat was a time of rest and renewal. And, once again, we look forward to passing along what  was learned. Our next Living in the Moment Retreat is in October and our next Meditation Retreat is in November.

We look forward every year now to our Prairie Dinner and Concert. It's coming up on October 1. It's a magical evening - we don't use that description loosely. it's a magical evening because we have no idea why it is so pleasurable and so meaningful; but, again and again, that's what we hear, and what we experience for ourselves. It does make sense: a table set alongside a lovely creek, friends and interesting people gathered, good wine, delicious, fresh local foods topped off by a sunset walk, a fine concert and the sky lit by a jillion stars. We hope you can join us for this splendid time together.

We look forward to all that is developing at Turtle Rock Farm; to sharing all we are learning and experiencing; to cooler autumn days spent in retreats and workshops and simply enjoying the prairie together.