Farm Fresh News - March 2017
Service and the Martyr Syndrome
There can be one pitfall to watch out for when it comes to service and giving: The Martyr Syndrome.
You may have heard the expression, ‘Give till it hurts.” This is about stepping out of your comfort zone. Sacrifice for others, for the greater good, is what produces the uplifting energy which makes a difference that can be felt,.
But if that dynamic is coming at the expense of your own emotional or physical health, or drains energy from your family and friends, the gain is lost.
Are you giving so much to your cause that it is affecting the well-being of those closest to you? Your partner? Your children? Your colleagues at work?
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 March in Tennessee, fields of flowers followed by snow |
Be aware of how what you are doing affects those around you. If you are not sure, ask. You may find that bottled up resentment can be dissipated when people feel included. You can shift resentment to support when those around you are given a choice, and they receive from you a sense of gratitude rather than being taken for granted.
This is the time to remember that life is all about keeping your balance. You must maintain your strength if are to carry the load, to be of service.
Peace,
Douglas
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The Farm Experience Weekend Dates for 2017 – Register Now!
The Farm Experience Weekend Dates for 2017 – Register Now!
March 24-26 and October 20-22
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I now have several people ready to commit to the June 8-11 Organic Gardening Intensive, but I really need a few more folks to fill out the group. If you want to see how you can grow most of the food your family needs, to learn the nuances of growing organic, go inside my bee hives, and see for yourself the many different approaches to producing food in the course of a single extended weekend, register now for this unique experience. Register Now!
Vegan Lasagna
My go-to recipe for The Farm Experience weekend is lasagna. Everyone can relate to the familiar dish, and I can prepare it ahead of time, place it in the freezer and then pop it in the oven a few hours before everyone arrives, freeing me from doing a lot of cooking that day.
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Ingredients:
1 package lasagna noodles
2-3 jars of spaghetti sauce
1 lb. frozen spinach
1 lb. tofu
1 package vegetarian sausage
fennel seed
Optional Ingredients:
basil pesto
sliced green pepper eggplant rounds
zucchini rounds or chunks
Bake 1 hour at 350 degrees
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During the summer, I am able to incorporate a lot of veggies from the garden. In winter I can also add my own canned tomato sauce and frozen basil pesto. Click here to see my basil pesto recipe.
For Retreats and Experience Weekends, I've also been including a gluten-free lasagna. I have found some tasty, gluten-free, oven-ready, lasagna noodles at a local supermarket.Some people like the easiness of the oven-ready noodles, but I’m old school and still prefer boiling my wheat noodles.
In Italian, the word lasagna refers to a single noodle, with its cousin lasagne referencing a dish with multiple layers of noodles. Of course it's all the same to us over here, to the point that lasagna now means anything with multiple layers, including “lasagna gardening.”
So when it comes to making a traditional vegan lasagna, it's all about leaving out the meat and the cheese, alternating layers of noodles with a variety of additional ingredients in between.
I start out with a little tomato sauce from the very bottom, followed by a layer of noodles and some more tomato sauce. Next, I crumble a layer of tofu, equal to about 2 thin slices. I use medium firm tofu, because it's easier to break up into small chunks. I don't really need the super density of extra firm tofu or the almost pudding-like consistency of silken tofu. If I'm baking in a 9 inch by 13 inch casserole dish, then this equals out to about 1 Lb. of tofu divided over 3 layers.
Next I'll spread a layer of frozen spinach that has been thawed so I can distribute it evenly. If you want to incorporate additional vegetables, consider adding a layer of eggplant sliced into thin rounds, slices of green pepper, or zucchini cut up into chunks or thin, round slices. I usually prefer to sauté these a little bit in a skillet until soft, so I'm not relying completely on getting them cooked just by the baking.
For flavor, I like to crumble or slice vegetarian sausage links into each layer. Unfortunately, the MorningStar brand is really a highly-processed food, with questionable ingredients like soy protein isolate which may come from GMO sources. There are also non-vegan ingredients, like whey protein isolate and milk protein concentrate. There are a few other brands out there with better ingredients, but most rely on wheat gluten to make them chewy. I personally have been pretty much gluten-free for the last eight months, and unfortunately I have not found anything else yet to substitute. Boohoo.
If it was summer, I would add fresh basil leaves to each layer. I turn my basil from the garden into pesto, freezing it in ice cube trays. This gives me small amounts that I can thaw out and use as needed. They add a great bit of flavor to my lasagna, but you don't want to overdo it. Again, just crumble small bits here and there across the layer.
The last thing I do is sprinkle my secret ingredient, fennel seeds! Way back in the day, before moving to The Farm, when my wife Deborah and I were just out of high school, we spent a winter in Kenosha, Wisconsin, renting a small apartment in an ethnic neighborhood. Our sweet landlords spoke some sort of Slavic language and the kids were our translators. Having been brought up on a pretty white bread existence of southern cooking, it was our first exposure to the flavors and foods of other cultures. It was here that we learned the unique Anise flavor of fennel seeds could be used to add authentic flavor to Italian cuisine.
I personally find that if there is not enough tomato sauce, the lasagna can be a bit dry, so I always add an extra layer of tomato sauce on top of my other ingredients before starting another layer of noodles. Generally speaking, I will have three layers of noodles and ingredients with a final layer of noodles on top, again with another coating of tomato sauce.
And now for the final ingredient: nutritional yeast cheese sauce. Again, way back in the day when The Farm was completely vegan, we discovered the great flavor of nutritional yeast flakes. We turned these into a thick gravy or cheese sauce (stay tuned for the recipe next month), pouring it over the top as a cheese substitute for dishes such as lasagna. The Nut Yeats cheese sauce really adds a lot of fantastic flavor, the perfect finishing touch!
I cover the top of the casserole dish with aluminum foil while baking to keep this top layer of noodles from getting dehydrated and turning crunchy. I will remove the foil for the last 10 minutes of baking to brown the nutritional yeast sauce. The browning adds to the eye appeal. Enjoy!
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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 the work at Standing Rock and other important projects and causes. Take this one small step to be part of the solution!
Click here to make a one time donation.
When you become a subscriber, your contribution helps spread the word about the work at Standing Rock and other important projects and causes. Take this one small step to be part of the solution!
Click here to make a one time donation.
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 take the survey. I look forward to hearing from you.
I hope you'll make the effort to take a firsthand look at The Farm during one of my GreenLife Retreat Weekends, and that it will inspire you to pursue your dreams and find your chosen path!
Speaking Engagements
At the same time, I recognize that I can reach a lot more people if I go outside the community. One of my goals for 2017 is to speak around the country, especially at colleges and universities where I can speak to young people about Right Livelihood, Service, and Finding Sanity in an Insane World. This is a time when people need to hear an uplifting message of hope.
At the same time, I recognize that I can reach a lot more people if I go outside the community. One of my goals for 2017 is to speak around the country, especially at colleges and universities where I can speak to young people about Right Livelihood, Service, and Finding Sanity in an Insane World. This is a time when people need to hear an uplifting message of hope.
If you are part of an organization, event, or school (or you just want to learn more about my life's work), I invite you to visit my web site www.douglasstevenson.com, where you'll find information on my lecture topics and how to bring me to speak in your area.
"With our love, we can change the world!"
Douglas
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March 24-26 Farm Experience Weekend
Inspiration is a key element of personal transformation. Farm Experience Weekends open you up to new possibilities and give you the courage to take the next step in living your life to the fullest! This weekend gives you the best overview of life in community, exploring green building and solar technology, organic gardening, midwifery, alternative education, starting a small business, and so much more. Learn how community can leverage your ability to live true to your ideals and make a difference in the world. Watch the video. / Farm Experience in Photos
Inspiration is a key element of personal transformation. Farm Experience Weekends open you up to new possibilities and give you the courage to take the next step in living your life to the fullest! This weekend gives you the best overview of life in community, exploring green building and solar technology, organic gardening, midwifery, alternative education, starting a small business, and so much more. Learn how community can leverage your ability to live true to your ideals and make a difference in the world. Watch the video. / Farm Experience in Photos
Surviving a Trump Presidency: The Conference on Community and Sustainability May 26-28
Co-sponsored by the Fellowship of Intentional Communities (FIC), this weekend is an immersion in all things community and achieving a lifestyle in line with the values of sustainability. This is one of our most popular events that promises this year to be even greater !
I like to give each conference a theme or point of focus, and as I had to personally come to terms with how a Trump presidency would affect our future, I found inspiration in the many voices of resistance coming from all corners of our country.
It was important for me to acknowledge with a definite sense of gratitude that those of us living in community are in many ways better prepared and able to maintain a buffer of sanity inside our bubble. The Farm was born during Nixon, survived Reaganomics, and endured through Bush 1 and Bush 2. We will keep on keepin' on and remain true to our path and recognize that our ability to maintain a sense of joy in the midst of turmoil is because of our life together in community.
Folks here and there started saying to me, "You should call your Community and Sustainability: Surviving the Trump Presidency.
It made sense to me. This May 26-28 we will plot a strategy for the years ahead.
It made sense to me. This May 26-28 we will plot a strategy for the years ahead.
In a bit of astounding synchronicity, I am in contact with a group of students and faculty from a class called "Sustainability and the Apocalypse" who are making plans to come the week before.
Let's work together to make this a truly dynamic event! I hope to see you here!
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An Incredible NEW BOOK!
Following 7 years of research, Farm Community member Thomas Hupp uncovers the subtle forces that presently affect Politics, Economics and Your Health.
Only $15 plus $5 for shipping!
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June 8-11 The Organic Gardening Intensive
4 Days of hands-on gardening and immersion in Permaculture, as well as garden tours on and off-The Farm to visit Permaculture Homesteads, a bamboo nursery, the nearby Amish community, and more.
4 Days of hands-on gardening and immersion in Permaculture, as well as garden tours on and off-The Farm to visit Permaculture Homesteads, a bamboo nursery, the nearby Amish community, and more.
Oct 20-22 Farm Experience Weekend
Fall Colors and a Fire Circle: Always a jam packed weekend. A time of reflection and introspection.
Fall Colors and a Fire Circle: Always a jam packed weekend. A time of reflection and introspection.
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www.awakeningbirth.org - the Web Site
www.awakening birth.net - The Podcast
Our new birth resource web site is up. The Awakening Birth podcast is now available on iTunes.
Please spread the word to anyone in your circle who is thinking of having a baby, expecting, your favorite midwife, or care provider.
Please spread the word to anyone in your circle who is thinking of having a baby, expecting, your favorite midwife, or care provider.
Please like us and give us a good review on iTunes. It helps!
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Permaculture Apprenticeships: Learn straw, cob, earthbag, turf roofs, bamboo, thatch, clay plaster, adobe, alis, and food self-reliance at The Farm Community.
Spiral Ridge Permaculture - Workshops and Classes at a Permaculture Homestead down the road
Green Life Retreats
A division of Village Media Services
PO Box 259Summertown, TN 38483
931-964-2590 - office 931-626-4035 cell
Douglas@villagemedia.com
www.villagemedia.com
www.greenliferetreats.com
www.douglasstevenson.com
Douglas@thefarmcommunity.com
A division of Village Media Services
PO Box 259Summertown, TN 38483
931-964-2590 - office 931-626-4035 cell
Douglas@villagemedia.com
www.villagemedia.com
www.greenliferetreats.com
www.douglasstevenson.com
Douglas@thefarmcommunity.com
