Third Family Cow Forum
Mark your cowlendar and make sure there’s roominate for our FREE Family Cow Forum on Saturday, February 18. Share stories, tails, ruminations, favorite resources, farm moos, and moore with fellow family cow keepers.
We have confirmed use of the UCC-Cornwall, CT Parish House for our third annual family cow forum. Official start time is 10:00. There will be breads, spreads, fruit, and hot water out for tea at 9:30 for early arrivals. We will end by 2:00 after a cheesemaking demonstration.
We will have a panel of new and veteran cow keepers to share their triumphs and experiences. Lightning Tree organic feed grower/dealer Al Earnhart will be on hand to explain laboratory “feed analysis.” Participants are encouraged to bring a flake of the hay they’re feeding their cow in order to compare it with others. We’ll have someone there to identify the dried grasses and other plants making up the hay. Galleghar Fencing salesperson, Gund Sonpal will bring a display of supplies especially suited for the backyard farmer. Kathy Johnson from the Natural Resources Conservation Service will talk about caring for your pasure/grazing land. Bring a dish to share for a potluck lunch opportunity to keep asking questions and sharing our exSPURTice! Please contact Debra@Motherhouse.usor 860-672-0229 to let us know you are coming.
For blog reports from last two forums, click on FORUM.
Farm Camp Reunion
Remember the summer sunlight shining through the magical green forest of Ben Benjamin’s cornfield? It’s all turned to gold… stored in hard kernals of corn — ready for grinding to make into cornbread OR to feed to Tom Levine’s pigs! Bring your whole family, memories, photographs and a dish to share for a pot-luck lunch and Farm Camp reunion. Saturday, January 14th at noon at Debra and Margaret’s house: Please RSVP!
Here’s Peter Russ driving the combine and harvesting the corn for Tom Levine to feed to his animals to make our eggs, bacon, and sausage.
It takes a great combine-ation of farmers’ efforts to grow our food.
Board Meeting
The Motherhouse Board of Directors will be meeting at Debra’s home for 12:00 lunch, 1:oo meditation and a 1:45 business meeting on Jan 8, April 15, July 15, and Nov. 18.
Big Little Kid’s Dance
Organized by Darwin and her mother Rachel, our Big Little Kids Dances are especially for the younger crowd and their adults. Held at the Cornwall Town Hall (24 Pine Street) from 4:00 until 5:00. To be followed by a finger-food pot-luck. $10/family donations to cover costs will be greatly appreciated! Please contact Rachel for more info at 860-824-8404.
Family Contra Dance
Another Motherhouse event providing place, support, and time for mothers by promoting thriving families and vibrant communities.
Each Family Dance is taught and led by a “caller,” who explains how the dance flows and helps the dancers “walk through” the dance before the music starts. S/he continues “calling” instructions throughout the dance. Dancers of all ages and levels of ability are welcome to join in this everybody-wins team sport.
Dances run from 7:00 until 10:00 and are held at the Cornwall, CT Town Hall at 24 Pine Street. Music generously donated by Still, the Homegrown Band. Suggested donation to help pay the caller: $3/child and $5/adult. Call Jim or Jane Prentice 860-672-6101 for more info.
Callers scheduled for 2012 are…
January 7 – Bob Livingston July 7 – Eric Hollman
February 4 – Jeff Walker August 4 – David Kaynor
March 3 – Paul Rosenberg September 1 – Peter Stix
April 7 - Patricia Campbell October 6 – David Kaynor
May 5 – Bill Fischer November 3 – Paul Rosenberg
June 2 – Anne Banks December 1 – Fern Bradley
New Moon Gathering
Inspired by the book The Red Tent and ancient Jewish tradition, Motherhouse friend, Rachel Gall leads a monthly gathering for women of all ages on the eve of the new moon. Now meeting under a growing canopy of sewn-together red fabric scraps, women celebrate their fertility cycles and all creative endeavors with an unstructured evening of food, music, dance, story-telling, or just hanging out. These informal women’s get-togethers are an opportunity to celebrate Life’s cycles and femininity. All women, all ages, and their dependents (you can define “dependent”) are welcome from 10:30 through noon of the new moon. Call Rachel for details at 860 824-8404. Visit our New Moon web log for info on the last gathering and the upcoming moon at noonnewmoon.blogspot.com
Debra crashes after a great meal
August 07