Common Ground Ecovillage

Dear friends, 

Spring is a season of emergence and unfolding.  That which has been hidden behind winter’s grey cloak is flashing out in bright hues and pulsing song; strong winds and soaring flight.  All around us the natural world is awakening, stretching, tumbling, and bursting out of its winter bonds.  We humans, no less that the trees, birds, and frogs, can’t help but respond to the pull of Spring’s sun as it rises higher in the sky, bringing more light and energy to all that lives, breaths, and grows. 

At Common Ground Ecovillage, we’re coming out of a period of pausing and we expect to be making some decisions in the next few weeks; possibly even shifting course depending upon what we learn from contractors and funding agencies. The land and the vision continue to strongly beckon and our members are staying connected, cultivating gardens of plants and purpose in concert with one another. 

It’s important to hear the voices of our members as we work through what’s ahead.  In this Almanac, you will find much to do, enjoy, and contribute to what matters most.  We hope you’ll feel the magnetic pull of this Ecovillage vision and come join in the dance of creative emergence.  May we all be richly nourished by the depth of our dreams as they rise into our lives as sweet sap this Spring.

See you at Common Ground

Another world if not only possible, she is on her way.  On a quiet day, I can hear her breathing. —Arundhati Roy

Fresh February Almanac

Dear Friends,

Can you sense it?  It’s mid-Winter and all is not what it seems to be.  Beneath the soggy leaf litter, within the tight buds, and above the bare-branched trees, the natural world is aquiver.  Sensing the weather, feeling the sunlight, drinking the rain, and waiting until the conditions are right to awaken and emerge into a fresh incarnation.  Already there are signs of change.  Red maple buds are swelling, hawks are flying in pairs, and garden seeds are being sown in readiness for Spring. 

But it is not here yet.  This season calls for patience.  For full appreciation of what is, though it is not what we could wish.  For waiting attentively without complaint until forces align to support action.  For listening deeply to the pulse of life, dancing in concert with wants to happen next. 

At Common Ground, this is a time to turn towards each other and birth within our relationships the world as we wish it to be.  This Almanac is bursting with possibilities for such joyous engagement and purposeful work.  Let’s challenge ourselves and each other to shift out of our winter modes and emerge into the circle of community that is growing here.  The time is always right for this. 

See you at Common Ground.  

Janus January Almanac

Dear Friends,

January takes its name from Janus, the Roman god of endings, beginnings, transitions, and passageways.  It’s a time to take stock of where we’ve been and open gateways to future possibilities.  This hefty Almanac offers a rich tapestry of reflections on 2022 describing our achievements, the challenges we face, the ways we’ve learned and grown, how we’re connected in a myriad of ways, and what it all means to us. 

There’s a special feature this month: some members have shared personal stories about their experiences with Common Ground Ecovillage.  Farmer Doug Jones even wrote an inspired poem about what community means to him.  Peppered with pictures, these pages can be found below the newsletter portion.  We hope they will warm your heart. 

As we open into a new year and face an unknown future, it’s vital to celebrate who we’ve become and remember why we are so committed to each other and to this ecovillage vision.  You are invited to curl up with a yummy beverage and drink it all in. 

Happy New Year, and see you at Common Ground!

https://www.commonground.eco/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/Janus-January-2023-Almanac.pdf

Dear friends,

This Almanac is like none other.  You’ll read that our lovingly and diligently laid plans to build a village are being called into question, and we find ourselves in a  place of not knowing the way forward at this moment.  With the coming darkness and cold of Winter, we are being called into a new cycle of reflection and discernment and none of us knows exactly where it will lead.  So, we’re scaling back our activities at the moment to focus on that which will nourish our relationships with each other and the land; relationships which we trust will support, sustain, inspire, and guide us forward. 

For now, it’s okay to not know what to do or how to respond to the situation we find ourselves in.   What we can do is take time to deeply listen to our inner voices, to each other, and to the whispers of wisdom in the wind that may be seeking to catch our attention. 

As is the case in the natural world, much is happening underground that will undergird fresh action plans once they are woven from the threads of our deepest and most pure intentions.  In the meantime, we’ll keep on doing what can be done, as it’s revealed, one step at a time.  You are welcome to join in as you are so inspired. 

See you at Common Ground.

Neighborly November Almanac

Dear friends, 

November marks the mid-point of autumn.  The first frost came early this year, laying down its sparkling veil.  Yet October was filled with light and warmth and abundance at Common Ground.  These pages reflect the fruits of years of community building, and we’re particularly happy about the many young people and children, neighbors and friends, who showed up to experience–and enrich–our outpouring of autumn offerings. 

Are we where we want to be; living in houses on the land?  Not yet.  But we can be sustained in our strivings to “get there” by the beauty, nourishment, healing, and joy that that comes with already having so much to celebrate right “here,” particularly in our deepening relationships with each other and the land. 

Though shadows lengthen and darkness falls earlier now, it’s not a time to hold back.  We hope you’ll look closely at this Almanac and choose to accept some of the invitations extended.  You’ll be very welcome.

See you at Common Ground. 

P.S.  Want to enjoy healthy and delicious vegetables grown on the land year-round by Full Table CSA?  Contact happyhealthysolutions@yahoo.com

Original October Almanac

Dear friends,

In the waning days of summer, our farmers witnessed something miraculous.  Several monarch caterpillars chose to dangle from the farm fence, dissolve into chrysalises, and bust out as butterflies.  Though it happened in plain sight, it’s still hard to fathom how such a radical transformation can possibly occur.* 

Scientists tell us that the blueprint of the butterfly is hidden within the caterpillar in the form of single cells poetically called “imaginal.”  These seeds of future potential at first operate independently and are perceived as a threat by the creature’s immune response.  But gradually they persist, multiply, and connect with each other.  Ultimately, they begin resonating and acting together until they hit a tipping point, and presto—a butterfly is born!   

Creating an intentional community such ours takes imagination for sure.  But even more, the vision requires cooperation among all its pieces and parts to coalesce, take form and to emerge, maybe even in miraculous ways.  In this Almanac, you’ll find many opportunities to come together and originate something that has long been envisioned and is well on the way to being born.  We invite you to come and be a part of the emergence!

See you at Common Ground

P.S. There’s still time to come to the Cooperative Skills workshop on Friday, September 30, from 7-9pm.  RSVP to Hope for a link: hopematrix@fastmail.com

*Here is a short video showing the progress from caterpillar to butterfly.  Enjoy!  https://www.floridamuseum.ufl.edu/exhibits/blog/monarch-metamorphosis-video/

https://www.commonground.eco/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/Original-October-2022-Almanac.pdf

Dear friends,

Wild persimmon trees abound on the Common Ground land.*  Long after blueberries are picked and peaches are past, these gorgeous persimmon globes begin to turn from green to bright orange.  But wait–don’t pick them yet!  They are not completely ripe until the color dulls, the skin begins to wrinkle and sag, the body becomes mushy to the touch; even until they release their hold on the bough and fall to the ground.  If you rush it and eat them too soon, you’ll end up with a very unpleasant pucker!  But if you are patient, you’ll be rewarded with the sweetest taste of autumn ever. 

Though the persimmons are taking their sweet time to ripen, our pace is quickening.  In this Almanac, you’ll see that much is coming to fruition.  Every day, we are fostering caring relationships, evolving our structures and policies, working towards building the village, growing food and stewarding our forests, tuning ourselves to the rhythms of the natural world, and receiving gifts of beauty and connection that are available to us every moment of every day. 

If you want a place at our table, we strongly encourage you to start now.  The Almanac will show you how.

See you at Common Ground. 

*Persimmon trees are dioecious, meaning that some are pollinators and some bear fruit. 

It’s high summer and nature is unleashed.  Everything bursts its bounds.  Temperatures rise to oven proportions, storms dump rain like waterfalls, weeds and vegetables vie for soil, and insects and parasites become utterly uncontainable.  Even summer’s song is made of loudness, a primordial surround-sound, seething and swirling on air as soft and sticky as breath. 

Summer is not a time to hold back, and we’re in full swing at Common Ground Ecovillage.  This Almanac* is packed with goodies – news, events, and images that aim to feed inspiration, purpose, and delight in all our lives.  If you are hungry for meaningful connection and contribution, look at what’s cooking at Common Ground. 

If you like what you see, there’s a place for you at our table.

*https://www.commonground.eco/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/Abundant-August-2022-Almanac.pdf

Dear friends

There’s a lot to be grateful for at Common Ground Ecovillage.  New members with terrific skills and life experience are appearing at a steady pace.  We’re nearly through the pre-development engineering stage for the village and are making steady progress on achieving financing for our limited equity housing co-op.  The farm is in its high summer glory.   

Yet there are challenges aplenty as we feel the need to shift into a higher gear; evolve our systems to meet new needs; develop stronger relationships; and keep the faith that yes, we can do this, if we pool our talents and resources towards a common vision. 

This Almanac will help you to catch up and catch on to what’s happening.  Does this feel like something you want to be a part of and a world you want to help create?  If so, then let’s show up, lean in, and help strengthen each other’s hearts and will to make a real, positive difference in our lives and communities, right now. 

See you at Common Ground. 

https://www.commonground.eco/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/Jubilant-July-2022-Almanac.pdf

Dear friends,

The Summer Solstice is nigh and the natural world is exploding in fullness and fertility.  The tiny buds that wintered on the tress have yielded leaf upon leaf, each unfolding, stretching, and galloping towards the sun.  Itty-bitty seeds sown in Spring’s soil have (somehow) morphed into creamy cauliflower and exuberant cabbages.  Butterflies and bees visit eager flowers of every hue.  Who can fail to be dazzled by it all?

Amid the searing tragedies in our human world, we yet have it in us to behold beauty and create connection, aliveness, and harmony.  Sometimes its so simple and other times so seemingly impossible; the obstacles within and without too great.  But, at Common Ground Ecovillage, we persist in tending to dreams planted long ago that have firmly taken root and are continuing to emerge and evolve as conditions and resources support.  

You’ll find in the pages of this Almanac so many ways to grow, learn, and express your gifts and passions in the service of a more loving way of living.  It’s not easy and certainly not always pretty, but we continue to reach towards the sun by day and the stars by night, as best we can, together. 

See you at Common Ground. 

https://www.commonground.eco/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Jumping-June-2022-Almanac.pdf