Windy day on the farm and frost last night.  We've been keeping our hopes up for the early flowering fruit trees!

Planting beets, kale, onions and potatoes. The olives are curing!

I made my first mozzarella cheese from Leche's milk (I still milk her once a day and the calf gets her the rest of the time).

Working on the farm today having just returned from leading our Community Building workshop in L.A. this weekend. 

What a great group gathered for doing to the work of looking at what stops us from really taking on the healing that community offers us all. Remember that your community may be your family, co workers, neighborhood, family or origin.... 

Our view is that community offers us all the opportunity to see what wounds are still open and oozing that we can take on healing.  It is an amazing workshop and we are grateful for those folks who show up and do the work. Thank you.

We are happy to be home on the farm and looking forward to serving free meals at San Rafael, San Francisco and Berkeley Cafe Gratitudes on Thursday. We plan on serving over 1000 people, once again, for our 8th year. While times are currently challenging, our Thanksgiving feast is so much a part of who we are that we are choosing to serve once more. Come join us and let's all GIVE THANKS TOGETHER!

We had volunteers from the San Rafael Cafe on the farm today as well as a Chaplain from Kaiser Hospital who knit us all winter caps to keep us warm. You can see Bernadino, Javier, Matthew and I in our matching hats enjoying our time together just after the community lunch. We are so grateful! Thank you Gina Rose. The cow stall got cleaned out today and new hay was spread in preparation for the upcoming birth, still a few weeks away. We had enchiladas, cheesy cauliflower, pea sprouts, spicy salsa and farm made wine for lunch today (just a taste of wine as chores are still happening). What a sweet day it has been. The broccoli and cauliflower are beautiful and being served in our Cafes. Stop by and enjoy the local harvest. We love you all and are GRATEFUL beyond measure. Happy Thanksgiving, we GIVE THANKS for you!

Love. Terces

Leadership training this weekend was so inspiring. Matthew and I kept on saying to one another, "look at_________(we could fill in so many names), how amazing they are!" What a powerful group of leaders out in the world fulfilling on their commitments! What a tremendous community they are. This was their final weekend of an eight month course, with people gathering from all over the country. I am so grateful for each one of you.
Winter mornings and nights have us warming up around a campfire. Leche is starting to show signs of an upcoming birth, and we are so excited. I'll keep you posted.
Persimmons and pomegranates are just about ready for picking. Walnuts are off the trees drying in the barn. Our wine has been filtered once and the flavor is amazing.
Our community is seeing legal threats as an opportunity to crank up the love! How wonderful is that? We couldn't have asked for better partners for keeping our attention on gratitude!
Love you all,
Terces

Today was the annual Pachamama Luncheon and we hosted four tables! Our friends, partners and community came out in powerful numbers to support one if the most Important causes of our time! Thank you all so very much.

The farm has brought in all the chilies now along with cabbage. Romaine and tomatoes have survived our first frost!

Cafe Gratitude had it's best month ever last month while at the same time holding space for our biggest challenge and trusting the outcome, no matter what.

We thank and love you all.

Terces

Click Here to learn more about the Pachamama Alliance.

Click Here to view the full luncheon on their website.

Well the SUN came out today and watermelon is back on the farm menu with 5 volunteers here today to pick corn before more rain comes our way! Chilies are drying ( see photo) and boy do they smell good. Bread is baking and everyone is working together. The feeling of teamwork always warms my heart, I am grateful.

Corn is being picked to then dry and take off the cob to make our masa. It is a beautiful process. This years wine is fermenting and will be pressed on Saturday morning and put into oak barrels. Last year's wine has been bottled and is now resting while the flavor deepens.

So first - the story. Yes! The story, who can i be without the story? A man in the wilderness sitting squatted in padmasana meditating about the self... Of course the story, once you succeeded, transforms into the path. The story is the funny thing we get to remember. The story is what puts bunions in the feet of our ego. The story, once expressed, is ether released into reality, and whoever gets to witness (if they are well enrolled) can help you reach the greatest goal. 

The earth is softer today due to rainfall. I noticed while walking about the farm early this morning as I opened up the chicken coops that my boots (yes rain boots) were treading softer on the ground. The smell of moist leaves, soil and wood chips is everywhere. The flies are vying for their last days. Today there is a group of volunteers coming out to help bring in the butternut squash from the fields, and the corn too.

Our campfire is going, the smell of smoke permeates those of us who live here, so much so that when we hug people they ask, "Have you been camping?" I call it "Campfire" cologne! I haven't yet put on any "window coverings" on the yurt screens but we can certainly feel the cool night air blow across our faces when we are tucked into bed at night!

Anna is still visiting from Kansas City and her assistance with Spanish (she speaks perfectly) is so wonderful and deepens our already deep connection to our family from across the border. She is a great "farm mama" assisting wherever she is needed. Newe our now 2 year old farm member loves her and she and he are a great duo to support his mama, Lindsay, who grows all our sprouts and wheatgrass.  

Well, here comes the calf! Cacao, our precious and super friendly Irish Dexter Cow is in labor. This is her picture! She is pretty cute huh?

We are hoping the calf comes on Wednesday or Thursday while we are here, as I really want to be the arms she is delivered into. 

We are back from Maine and our precious visit with Matthew's parents.  We are so grateful to still have them living and count our time with them as such a valuable gift.  I was able to read an autobiography of Carl's (Matthew's father) father who was born in 1873 and lived to be 96 years old. It was such a beautiful look at some of the strengths and endearing qualities of the Engelhart family: thier love of people and gathering of community, and their acceptance of different ways of thought and appreciation of others. I was also able to experience some living history from a very personal perspective.

How grateful I am for all we have and the ongoing love and support of our family and community. This is clearly a good time to be alive.

On my birthday I rode my bike with no hands and swam in a beautiful fresh water quarry. Thank you to everyone who extended their loving wishes for me in my special day, they were each so deeply appreciated. Anne, Matthew's sister, and her husband Doug came out to Vinalhaven from Boston and made me a delicious birthday cake! Thank you both.