Greetings from Emerson Farm!  Mornings are nice out here, and the first hints of fall are showing. We needed some rain, but so far the crops are holding on despite very few big rains over the last month. Here is an update on summer farm camp and other happenings. An abundant cucumber crop found us scrambling to make use of it all. Before summer camp, I traded a couple bushels for chicken feed at Joelton Hardware and Farmacy. We need plenty of feed right now with the arrival of 40 baby chicks and 20 guinea keats that are now about a month and a half old. To accommodate this fledgling flock, we needed to build a bigger chicken coop and so the summer camp crew got to work. Max, Alia, Lily S., Elijah, Samuel, Reuben, and Meridian worked out a pretty nice coop on an old farm trailer that can easily be pulled around the pastures with the sheep.  Speaking of sheep, Alia, Reuben, Lily S., and Meridian succeeded in the year-long goal of halter training one of the sheep whi...

You are within or without.  Emerson Farm at sunset This was my inspiration as I prepared to gather with our board members for our retreat, and how apropos as we serve at a school named Abintra which means, "leaning from within." We gathered at Emerson Farm and started our morning with mindful practice led by Abintra guide John Toomey. It was a treat to experience the work he does with our children throughout the year. His commitment and presence is inspiring. Then our Executive Director, Sherry Knott, shared her plans for the year. To listen to her, to really listen from within is a revelation. She talked about how to avoid getting lost: stand still. How many times as board members we can get lost in the numbers, the bylaws, but to stand still allows us to see clearly what's important: the child. Board President Irma  When you feel lost because all is new or you feel challenged by change, I invite you to stand still and see from within, reme...