Treleven

The forestry management project has several goals: protecting the habitat for endangered species, removing invasive species, improving the timber stand, developing a sustainable process that matches economic and environmental concerns, opening the farm and woodland for enjoyment and meditation. One of the great “unanticipated” benefits for both the landowners and the non-profit programs, is the production of firewood. Don is thinking that it might be possible to produce 30 years worth of cordwood while he (and his helpers) are still young and active.  This was also the month that plans were finalized for the long term installation of the Invisible Odysseys Exhibit at the Vermont Folk Life Center.

This was the month that the Culminating Seminar for Child Care and After School Program Directors met on the farm for their retreat and presentation of their final projects. We have felt so energized to have the incredible energy of these strong community leaders on the farm.  The Treleven Board is excited to be working toward hosting a wider variety of events, including a workshop on Narrative Therapy in the fall, which Peggy Sax is arranging.  Benj Putnam and Cheryl Mitchell have been working with the town of New haven to clarify our role in the community. John Elder and Don Mitchell visited the Center for Whole Communities to gain more understanding of the ways non-profits and privately owned facilities can support one another. We are looking forward to making a major contribution as a vibrant retreat and learning community in the Champlain Valley.

As the forestry management program gains speed, Don has been clearing trails in order to reach deeper into the forest. We were so fortunate that his nephew Jacob and partner Jamie (who has built trails professionally) came to stay on the farm and helped to clear a path to the top of the back cliff. After marking and clearing the trail, it was blazed with white. On a full moon night you can follow the trail all the way to the top without turning on a flashlight!

Swarthmore in the Little City

We had a lovely fall and were glad to host the annual gathering of Swarthmore in the City.  So many alums have moved to Vermont because of its beautiful environment and proactive social justice work. We feel honored to share in the excitement. The forestry management program designed to improve habitat for endangered bats is well under way. We are trying to combine the physical aspects of the labor (crawling around the forest floor eradicating invasive species), the hopeful dimensions (that highly desirable roosting trees will become more accessible and the bat population will begin to increase), and the meditative aspects of this kind of work. We are learning slowly but steadily.

Early Childhood Dreamers

This mostly beautiful month ended dramatically: Hurricane Irene devastated large sections of Vermont. The spirit of neighborliness was alive and well as people helped one another to resettle and recover. Flooding on Otter Creek wiped out our neighbor’s cornfield for the third time this year. Treleven Farm was largely spared- only a few of the big, beautiful, old trees in the pastures were blown over- and the pond has now become a haven for a huge flock of geese whose regular sheltering areas are under water. During the month people continued to gather for dreaming, work, and celebrations. There was a small Touchpoints faculty retreat, a larger early childhood dreaming session, a tiny but lovely  working meditation day, and an open house about the Invisible Odysseys project and other upcoming courses. Andrea Suozzo did a lovely piece on Treleven’s current work and future dreams for the Addison Independent. Andrea Warren the summer intern who was raised on a diary farm in Bridport, did the photos.

We joined the Addison County Chamber of Commerce,  Treleven Annex hosted several guests including our old friend Juana Clipper, a  Midd alum, banker, pastry chef and international consultant. She made an amazing cake to celebrate Lauraine Warfield’s 87th birthday.  Don completed framing the ramp and roofing for the Handicapped Accessible walkway. The first round of rotational grazing was completed, the rams were removed from the flock (despite their vocal complaints) to avoid winter lambing, and the replacement ewe lambs have now rejoined the main flock. Work has started again on the forest management project–improving habitat for endangered bats and removing invasive species– and the garden is producing more tomatoes and basil than we can keep up with. Please stop by if you’d like some.

Middlebury College Organic Garden Interns at Treleven

This was a gorgeous month on the farm. The first cut of hay now fills the barn. Many thanks to our international friends and neighborhood children for helping to bring it in.  We have had several meetings, some in the gazebo and some in the annex. A group of early childhood dreamers took a morning to remember what has been wonderful in Vermont and to imagine how things could get even better in the future. This event was a tribute to the days when Senator Jean Ankeney used to gather people in her beautiful barn to dream and scheme. Culminating Seminar participants shared their final projects with one another and with Jan Walker, Director of Workforce Development for the Child Development Division of AHS and Sue Ryan, Director of the Vermont Child Care Industries and Career Council.  We had a fun and productive potluck supper and discussion with the Middlebury College Organic Garden Interns and their Advisor Jay Leshinsky. They had great ideas for creating internship opportunities for the summer of 2012.  Don laid in a 600 foot water line to provide fresh, clean water down by the gazebos. A 66th Anniversary and a 95th birthday were celebrated with great joy. We hope you will visit or join us for the working retreat and open house day on August 18.

Ninety Five!

Bringing in the First Cut Hay

Early Childhood Leaders

Despite the continued wet weather, life is flourishing on the farm. The gardens have gone in, the orchard has been mowed, a new deck connects the two gazebos, the geese and wood ducks have raised their young and departed, and the lambs are getting old enough to wean. A highlight at the beginning of June was the gathering of Child Care Program Directors. This great group of women are supporting one another in the hard work of preparing portfolios for the Early Childhood Program Director Credential. At the end of the month, After School and Summer Program Professionals will be implementing the Education in Human Values curriculum in their programs. It will also be implemented at the innovative Epiphany School in Dorcester, MA.

Registration is now open for the Invisible Odysseys Course. You can review the  Invisible Odysseys Syllabus here.  We are hoping to begin the working meditation days in the near future. And we are still hoping to hold a bi-lingual farm and forest camp later in the summer. If you have special requests for programs that fit the Treleven mission, please let us know.

Don and the bottle lamb

May was a busy and wet month on the farm.  The Annual Lamb Frolic on May 7, despite the earlier week of rain, was a beautiful day, attended by neighbors, friends, and the wonderful crew who helped birth the lambs.  We washed one of the newly shorn fleeces and will soon begin carding and spinning. The Invisible Odysseys Course (which starts August 17) was approved for graduate credit by Castleton State College. On May 26, the statewide celebration for 10 years of Touchpoints in Vermont, drew participants from every county of the state. Next will be the Faculty Retreat here on the farm and a series of new trainings around the state.  We look forward to beginning the Working Meditation Retreat series with the participation of child care directors who are part of the Culminating Seminar. Our first event for the teachers and program directors who are implementing the Education in Human Values Curriculum will take place June 20. This will be followed in July with a week long residency by a Buddhist Monk, who went to school with Susannah.  Hope you can join us.

End of Lambing Season Breakfast

April Happenings on the Farm.

Lambing Season a great success! We finished the 2011 lambing season admirably with the help of 30 students and local friends who took turns spending a night in the barn office to help birth the lambs! Many thanks to Xiauxue Weng who organized the volunteers (with coaching from Yuki Yoshida). Don Mitchell did an introductory workshop for interested parties, everyone arrived on time and  took care of the bottle babies during their tenure! Some groups just waited and watched and others were busy all night. There will be a lamb frolic celebration for all on May 7 from 3:00 – 5:00.

The Treleven Board Meeting took place April 23 and we are beginning to hone our ideas about the direction of the organization. Please take a look at the minutes, which are  posted on the Transparency Page.  We are especially looking forward to hosting the class for teachers interested in learning more about the experience of migrant workers on Vermont Farms.

Friends from Singapore, Malaysia, and Portland hold the babies they helped to deliver.