February begins, and we’re still embroiled in clean-up work parties. Thought we’d be done by now, but we’ve moved from organizing to micro-organizing, to still deeper micro-organizing. Or at least that’s the plan. Our start date for seedlings in February 14, Valentine’s Day! Between then and now, we need to both haul off stuff to ReStore and wherever special things like scrap metal go, plus regular dump (not much of that), plus to a composting place for the continually dropping branches and other stuff from our constantly renewing land!  Will borrow neighbor Dave’s truck. This coming Tuesday?

Unfortunately, so many of us were on hand for yesterday’s workparty that the greenhouse became crowded. And there were times when one or two would be standing around, wondering what next? Luckily, I was on the lookout for this, and would direct the person to “Please take this to the basement where the paints are” or, “Please take the bicycle out of the greenhouse while we’re working.” Or: “Let’s consult on what should go in the lockable cabinet in the inner room.” On and on.

Good humor was maintained by all as we kept weaving around each other on our various tasks. One major task: to test all the tools that use electricity. Do they have batteries? Are they charged. In other words, do they work, or can we get them to work?

You’d think that this would be yearly task, but it has not been. So many extra drills (I mentioned this in a recent post), and it’s all because each time somebody went and bought a new one (and charged it to the GAPV), because either they couldn’t find one (which is why we’re finally getting more organized), or whatever they found, they couldn’t get it to work!

So we (especially Marita, Camden, and Ben) tested everything, sent off tools that need some kind of work to ReStore, labeled those that now do work — and besides, we were able to gift Ben one of our extra drills. 

Our bi-weekly dinners are a great idea. We really look forward to our gatherings, now that they are no longer once weekly. 16 of us this time, and the atmosphere both warm and excited.

Thanks to Joseph, who used to live at a farm upstate with an old woman who used Julia Thun’s Almanac as her gardening bible, he ordered the one for 2023, North American edition, to help guide us in the gardens this year. (If you recall, we used to have an official garden manager, a resident who lived and breathed growing food. Now we don’t. We’ve all picked up a lot of permacultural ideas over the years; but we’ve decided to accelerate our own growth via biodynamics.

Closer . . .

Keep in mind that I take photos exactly once on each occasion, work parties and community dinners. None of them “composed,” and some blurry, due to both quick movements and my hand tremor; the entire photo session might last 30 seconds .   .

Just want to give the flavor.