Farm Fresh April 2022: Ukraine, A New Song, Market Day returns!

Farm Fresh News - April 2022

In this issue:

Ukraine
Midwives Supporting Mothers of Ukraine
Ecovillages as Safe Havens for Refugees
The College of Traditional Midwifery
Market Day April 16

The Farm is now open for visitors!

Watch and Listen on YouTube to my original song

Dear Friends,

For us as peacekeepers, the attack on the country of Ukraine is particularly difficult to watch. The blatant aggression and unrestrained violence is the exact opposite of what we need for the sake of humanity and the future of our planet.

If soldiers are "pawns in the game," Ukraine is a Rook, caught in game orchestrated by forces on both sides of the conflict. I believe it is important to remember that the United States has orchestrated its share of coups, regime change, assassinations of lawfully elected leaders, and out and out invasions of sovereign nations. There is a price that is paid for all war, and we hold steadfast in our commitment to peace and nonviolence.

In every situation like this, it is the people who suffer, from the people who could or chose not to leave, to the refugees, to the mothers in Russia whose son's are lost in a senseless endeavor, never to return.

So what can any of us do?

My wife Deborah began by reaching out to a family from Ukraine that had moved to Tennessee some years ago, and she had delivered their second child here on The Farm.

Deborah: "Three years ago this family from Ukraine came to The Farm for the birth of their second child and I was their midwife."

As you might imagine, this family was doing everything in their power to assist those back home, "I am helping my former classmates evacuate women and children from the war zone. We are raising money for car repairs as road conditions are deteriorating quickly." Deborah sent some money and then let our friends know this was a way to get money directly to families in need. People gave and lives were saved.

Midwives respond to the Crisis in Ukraine

From the United Nations:

“An estimated 80,000 women will give birth in the next three months in Ukraine – many of them without access to critical maternal health care. For some, childbirth will be a life-threatening rather than a life-changing experience.” https://www.unfpa.org/ukraine-war

Diana Morningstar, a long time friend and neighbor of The Farm, had a vision of bringing women from around the world together in support of birthing mothers of Ukraine. She contacted my wife Deborah, a Farm midwife, and like the sunflower which has become the symbol of Ukrainian resistance, the project is blossoming into something that can make a real difference.

From Diana, "Forming Sunflower Birthing Circles with community volunteers and midwives/doulas, we are building a network of midwives in Ukraine, Poland and throughout the world."

Varvara is one woman helping to organize this effort, “The future of the Ukrainian people is hidden under the hearts of mothers. In the face of a cruel war, we especially care that as many mothers as possible are surrounded by care and love and that the birth takes place in an atmosphere of peace and respect for women, without violence."

Visit and consider joining their Facebook group Sunflower Birth Circles to learn more and how you can contribute directly to people on the ground doing the work.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ecovillages and The Green Road

Global Ecovillage Network Ukraine, Permaculture Network Ukraine, Global Village Institute, Gaia University and Ecosystem Restoration Camps have come together to mobilize our ecovillages and permaculture farms to host displaced people fleeing the war zone and to grow extra provisions to share.

Being in locations situated mainly in the countryside, we are in a position to shelter families either on a long-term basis or temporarily, as people wait for the best moments to cross the border to a safer place, or to return to their homes if that becomes possible.

We’ve called our project the “Green Road.” We have 62 sites in Ukraine and 265 around the region, a northern road, a road through the cities and a southern road. These are something like the underground railroad, but with very few places to rest along the way.

Albert Bates

Farm member Albert Bates was one of the founders of the Global Ecovillage Network, an effort to connect intentional communities and foster the development of ecovillages around the world. Shared here is a recent post by Albert about the response of GEN to the current refugee crisis in Ukraine and surrounding countries:
 
"Since we put out the call to aid European ecovillages and permaculture sites to assist refugees from the Ukraine crisis, we have raised nearly $10,000 in donations.
 
We have launched a new page for regular dispatches so that those in the project can directly report on what they have been doing. https://www.gvix.org/ukraine-dispatches 
 
That page also posts links to social media sites where our partner organizations are telling their stories.

As of March 30, there were 70 sites in Ukraine, 300 sites worldwide, and they have hosted about 1000 people.
 

Thanks to everyone who donated for your vital assistance and rapid response. You have saved lives.

Please let your friends know about The Green Road and where they can donate. We are at gvix.org/greenroad.

Recently a Belorussian forum for back-to-the-landers, Downshifter, interviewed GEN Ukraine’s Maksym Zalevskyi. Maksym spoke about how ecovillages got going in Ukraine, some of the lessons learned along the way, and how the Green Road started. A few excerpts from the article:

“Frankly speaking, the people who live in ecovillages were not prepared for the fact that they would receive dozens of refugees. This is not green tourism, but people fleeing war.
 
Maksym Zalevskyi (center, shirtless) coordinator of the national ecovillage network of Ukraine and curator of the Green School
 
“All housing is provided free of charge, and all services are also free. Many people move into huts that have not yet been warmed up and have to deal with basic household tasks. On the one hand, this is good, because people in the stress of war switch to simple things and such work turns into psychotherapy.

 
“At the moment, about 200 locations across Europe have joined our 'green corridor' and are ready to host people. Most of the refugees now go to Moldova and Poland, where there are few ecovillages as such. But, for example, Danes, Italians are ready to come to the border with Ukraine and pick up people.” Click here to read the entire article

Check out Albert's blog, The Great Change

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Market Day returns April 16!

The Midwifery Assistant Workshop, March 2022
Learn about workshops and the degree program by visiting The College of Traditional Midwifery.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

A big thanks to everyone who has become a patron of Farm Fresh!
When you become a subscriber, your contribution helps spread the word about community-based alternatives and the spiritual path.
Take this one small step to be part of the solution!

You can help keep Farm Fresh going by pledging $2, $5, or $10 a month, or by making a one-time contribution.

Click here to make a one-time donation.

Let me know your interests. Click here to take the survey. I look forward to hearing from you.

Check out my newsletter archive, going back to 2012!

Peace,

Douglas

Douglas@thefarmcommunity.com