Donate to help us with the first phase of building a Bioregional Learning Center (BLC) at Kelly’s Working Well Farm
It’s more than just restrooms and food processing capability. This project is the first step toward allowing us to hold educational events year-round at the farm.
Reflections on the Green Roots Convergence
This past October a team of people from Great Rivers and Lakes Permaculture Institute (GRLPI), and local organizations, Reeds and Roots Skillshare, Organic Connects, Lake Erie Institute and Kelly’s Working Well Farm, planned and hosted a multi-day event we called the Green Roots Convergence (GRC). The four day gathering incorporated a combination of peer-to-peer skill-share, intensive instruction, and community building with a focus on the Great Lake Erie Southern Shore (GLESS) Bioregion.
The event started on Thursday with a two-day immersion session during which participants could engage in one of three offerings: Natural Building, Introduction to Permaculture, or Listening to the Land. A kid’s camp made the event intergenerational and kids joined in making cob with the Natural Building folks and and the music circles of the Listening the Land group. Delicious shared meals allowed for cross pollination among the participants. An evening camp-fire included stories and singing.
Saturday featured shorter skill-sharing sessions led by local practitioners across a wide variety of expertise. The evening meal was followed by a beautiful sharing of musical talent from the attendees, including several audience participation songs. And on Sunday, small groups held conversations on participant generated topics under the broad theme of creating a regenerative local culture and economy. Community art and music opportunities were sprinkled throughout the weekend.
Reflecting on the Convergence: There is a clear need for more such events. People are hungry, not just to build their own skills of self-sufficiency, but for the kind of community in which to share work, play, food, celebration, grieving, ritual, etc. Looking at the bigger picture and recognizing the ongoing collapse of our current socio-political-economic systems (who can deny that at this point?), we find ourselves called to take action. The Convergence was a temporary “island of coherence” where attendees connected with like minded folks who recognized the value of teaching, learning and simply being together. Participants left the event asking “when can we do this again?” We are resolved to build on the connections and learnings from the Green Roots Convergence to create an ongoing series of similar events throughout the year and in a variety of locations in the GLESS Bioregion.
Where do we go from here? We propose a series of multi-day, intergenerational gatherings at various locations throughout the bioregion at which multiple courses are offered, food is prepared and eaten collectively, and folks have the chance to form connections with each other while learning practical skills for navigating difficult times. Potential course topics include Herbal first aid, Food preservation 101: Canning, dehydrating, fermenting, Everybody poops (and pees): How to compost your own sh*t, Disaster preparation: How to organize your neighborhood, When the heating bills soar: Keep yourself and your family from freezing this winter, Clothing maintenance and repair: Make your clothes last longer, Let’s start a food co-op! DIY plumbing repairs, and more! In addition to courses, food and the chance to socialize, these events would include ritual and singing to connect our learning with a higher purpose and bring joy, education about mutual aid, gift-based economics, community organizing, etc. as well as activities for kids and the opportunity for children to interact with the adults and participate in the courses as appropriate.