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Greetings Friends and Neighbors, 

It is dark as I walk the narrow early evening footpath toward the house, Moon’s light obscured by high clouds. I turn on my headlamp. Two glowing eyes greet my arrival. We stand still for a long moment. Young Fox – Bright Eyes – has quickly become a faithful farm companion. It appears he wants to show me the treat he has found in the compost pile. His green-eyed dancing – up, down and around – reminds me of the Fireflies who danced this same meadow not long ago. How will we greet this Fall’s descent into darkness? With belligerence – kicking and screaming as what we had grown accustomed to seems to be ripped from our grasp – or with willingness and wonder at the World’s unflappable persistence in the face of a society turned toward spectacle and self-absorption? I know many of your eyes and ears are trained on the Election. May that we find the courage to ask again and again ‘How can I be of service?’ even as the newsfeed unravels and unspools around us, gathering in great paralyzing piles at our feet. Here at the Farm, the smell of rain-wet, rotting leaves whispers reminders that Death feeds Life. Life, and particularly Modern Human Life, seems to be squarely on the receiving end of this feeding – On the Take, if you will. It is interesting to think that our ‘Election Season’ and subsequent ‘Season of Giving’ arrive just as the more-than-human World approaches the darkest days and undertakes this steadfast work of death, decay and renewal – the Season of Feeding the Ground. Here, we affectionately call this season ‘Preparing for Winter,’ and every year there are endless good projects to complete before the snow flies. We ask for your help with this work. Here is the short list:

  1. Join us for a Work Day 10/11, 10/17 or 10/24 – SIGNUP FORM
  2. Help us to sustain the work financially by Buying a Bale and/or considering the Budget Request.
  3. Volunteer to Prepare a Warm Dish for one of our Barn Raising Lunches – Details below

We are thrilled to invite you to join us for our weekly celebration of the tremendous Gift of being Alive, Soup and Bread Gift Distribution, this Friday 4-6pm. We will have Soup made from carefully grown and gleaned ingredients, and hundreds of loaves of Fresh Bread, all offered as a gift to anyone who is hungry for any reason. There is often confusion on who this ‘anyone who is hungry’ invitation includes. I find that I get hungry at least twice a day, and so I have gathered that I am invited. You might be as well. 

Switch to Winter Schedule: Next Saturday 10/17 will be our first Saturday Soup and Bread Gift Distribution, from Noon – 3pm. As in the Summer, we will have quarts of Soup and loaves of Bread to take home. Here’s the exciting news: We invite you to join us for Lunch! Bring a bowl and spoon from home to be filled with Hot Soup and toast a Slice of Bread over the fire, which will be burning nearby. If you would like to make a fire-roasted grilled cheese sandwich, please pack your cheese or other toppings with you from home, and bring a camping chair to sit around the fire. 

Work Day and Potluck Supper 10/11: This will be the last of our Summer Sunday afternoon series, before the Work Day schedule changes for the Barn Building push(see below). We will be repairing the greenhouse end walls (bring a toolbelt and tools if you have them) in addition to making soup and preserving at the outdoor kitchen. 2-5pm, followed by a simple potluck supper.

Cow Barn Building Days: 

 Saturday 10/17: Digging and Setting Footings, Carpentry Preparation. 9am – 5pm, lunch at 12:30.       

 Saturday 10/24: Barn Raising. 9am – 5pm, lunch at 12:30. 

We would love your help on these celebratory days! The Cows have so generously provisioned the Soup Pot this summer and now is our time to thank them with our good labors in service of their care. Click to signup for one of the following slots: SIGNUP FORM

  • Work Shifts for 10/17 and 10/24 – including what to bring and skills required(or not!)
  • Volunteer to bring a Warm Dish for lunch to sustain the Work Crews. 

Buy a Bale for the Sheep and Cows:

We have gratefully received six $60 gifts to help us purchase a portion of the 20 additional bales needed to respond to the drought-induced grass shortage. Would you be willing to purchase one of the remaining 14 bales? $60 buys a bale, which can be mailed to PO Box 202, Huntington, dropped at the Stand, or gifted through our website.

Here is what you will find in this letter:

  1. SOUP and BREAD GIFT DISTRIBUTION 10/9 – Details and Menu
  2. Vegetable Preservation Request for Assistance
  3. FINANCIAL GIFT REQUESTS – detailed October Budget

With Great Care, 

Ava, Erik, Collin, Evan and Adam – The Brush Brook Community Farm Team

SOUP and BREAD GIFT DISTRIBUTION: Friday 10/9, 4 -6 pm

SOUPS:

  1. Brush Brook Soup – Roasted Squash, Tomato, Greens, Beef, Garlic, Herbs, Bone Broth.  
  2. Vegetarian Soup – Pureed Sweet Potato, Cucumber, Tomato, Garlic.

Please bring a pint or quart container with you from home and we will fill it for you. 

BREADS:  Mountain Wheat, Polenta, 3 Seed, Rye, Sprouted Grain, Backcountry Loaf (gf)

Would you consider coming by for bread and soup for your household, and/or some to drop off to a neighbor on your way home?

Vegetable Preservation Request for Assistance

In preparation for making Soup every week from Local ingredients, we are filling the freezers with greens and other vegetables. Would you be willing to help us by freezing a batch at home? We will have Preservation Kits (greens, instructions and containers) for pickup each week at the Gift Stand.

BUDGET UPDATE: Thank you for Considering the October Budget

Many heartfelt thanks to all who have responded to these invitations by sending in Financial Gifts. If you would like to support our work, you can mail checks made out to Brush Brook Community Farm to PO Box 202, Huntington, VT, 05462, bring gifts to the Friday Gift Stand, or donate through the website. We are 100% financially supported by these personal financial gifts. 

Brush Brook Community Farm and Bakery – Oct. Budget
As of 10/8
Gifts Received – Thank You!  $          1326.00
Estimated Expenses for October
Production Expenses
Bread Ingredients & Packaging  $          1,115.50 
Bakery Overhead (Insur., Electric, etc.)  $            555.86 
Bakery Rent  $            300.00 
Farm Expenses $           1,550.00 
Farm/Bakery Team Requested Gifts
Adam Wilson Personal Living (full time)  $            648.08 
Adam Wilson Rent  $            200.00 
Erik Weil (part time) Rent/Housing   $            500.00 
Collin McCarthy (part time) Utilities   $            100.00 
Investments
Cow Barn Purchased Materials  $            500.00 
Fees
Estimated Federal/State Taxes  $            351.22 
Paypal Fees   $            150.00 
Total  $          5,970.66 
 
Balance  $         (4644.66)

Support the Farm & Bakery

The operations of Brush Brook Community Farm & Bakery are maintained by neighborly working hands and financial gifts. Your generous monetary support propels the gift of food forward to those open to receiving it.

Thank you!

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