Turkey Hill Farm, VT: Building Community

We both grew up in farming communities in the 1950s where it was common practice for neighbors to help each other with the work: spreading manure, cutting and hauling firewood, haying, even going into town for a big load of groceries. Familes worked hard together but they enjoyed life together as well. There were chicken pie suppers, dances at the Grange Hall, games of horseshoes after church, and Saturday evening card parties spent laughing and telling stories over pie and coffee.

Today, we’re deliberately cultivating similar connections with our neighbors. Much of what we do here would not be possible without the added capacity and emotional support these relationships offer. Here are some stories of what we’ve done. We encourage you to think about what you could try in your own neighborhoods. We believe it will help create the resilience we’ll need for rough times ahead.

CHICKEN FESTIVALS

A few years ago when our first batch of meat birds was ready for slaughter, we felt some apprehension about the process, both practically and spiritually. We asked our experienced neighbors if they would come give us a refresher course. In three short hours we processed 35 birds together and rediscovered how meaningful it can be to take responsibility for your own food supply.

Now we organize “chicken festivals” a few times a summer, sometimes drawing as many as 10 people. We relax afterwards with a picnic of homemade pizza, homemade rhubarb wine, and whatever else is in season.

OLD-FASHIONED SUGARING

Our primary partners in the sugaring operation are John and Lynn Lipkvich of Spruce Lane Farm in Brookfield but we welcome anyone who would like to help.

We sugar the old-fashioned way, with buckets hand-gathered in the woods and a collecting tank hauled to the sugar house by our team of Haflingers. Our wood-fired arch is fueled by wood we cut and stack together the preceding November.

Last April we had wonderful buffet dinners at the sugarhouse, taking turns bringing the main dish, and everyone else contributing. We’d open the arch doors to let the fire cool and just sit and gaze into the embers as people have done together for centuries.

CANNING ON THE ARCH

Canning can be a slow process if you only do a few jars at a time on your kitchen stove. When we fire up the arch in the sugar house in early September and get the neighbors involved, we do 50-60 at once and enjoy some visiting while we’re at it.

THE TROUBLE CLUB

From time to time, when our spirits sag, or one of us has taken on too much, or someone has an idea that their spouse isn’t so sure of, we know it’s time to convene the “Trouble Club.” We gather at one of our homes with some good food and a bottle of wine and sort out a better strategy.

MOVIE NIGHTS

We’re finding it useful to gather friends and neighbors together around a potluck dinner to view a documentary and discuss some of the key issues of the post-peak-oil era. Check our resource page for several DVDs which we’ve found to be good conversation starters for these evenings.

NEIGHBORLY FARMS STORE

Just down the road from us is Neighborly Farms of Vermon t, a producer of organic farmstead cheeses. Its owners, Rob and Linda Dimmick, have invited all of us to offer our products for sale at their Farm Store. We encourage you to stop by to sample fine local products from:

Fat Toad Farm: goatsmilk, goat cheeses, goatsmilk caramel, eggs

Be Cool Honey Products: honey, honey comb, candles, lip balm, soap

Spruce Lane Farm: dried floral wreaths, Christmas wreaths, fresh flowers