It is no different in the country living a homestead-based life.
Surpluses happen as do total crop failures. Perhaps your neighbor grew really good squash this year and yours all died or another has a killer heirloom seed that's perfect in your bioregion and you'd also like to grow it. You have more milk from your goat than you know what to do with, but you need some more seed garlic. All of these trades could be done in the marketplace, but it's so damn empowering when we can skip the halls of commerce and play instead within a 20 mile radius and forgo the fiat economy altogether!
Local folk group, Hot Missoury
At our gatherings, we nearly always have a potluck with delicious, unique and homegrown food. This sets the stage for enthusiastic conversations, meaningful connections and a more rooted connection to place. Sharing food is but one way we share as we swap experiences, successes and failures and make plans for future collaborations.
We all live full lives and most of us work on many levels, so these gatherings are a great way to feel the connections between us. It's not always easy to get together but we really need each other for support and connection. We are so much stronger together and we need to forge bonds with each other through the highs and lows. This last gathering was certainly a high!
Gatherings give time for reflections as we see ourselves in others. We are share a bioregion, and many of us also share a watershed. This weaves us together for better or worse and learning to live with this awareness is in part what this gathering is helping us do.
We all need water, to eat, to be healed, to be protected and seen. Community is crucial for this.
