Farm Fresh, January 2026
This month's highlights:
This month's highlights:
- Ice Storm!
- Gluten-free Peanut Butter Cookies
- Sanctuary Summit April 16 - 19, 2026
- Universal Peace Dance Weekend, April 23 - 26, 2026
- Community Birth Events
Ice Storm 2026 will be one to remember!
photos by Julia Skinner
Dear friends,
Tennessee doesn’t get a lot of snow. What we get is freezing rain. As the rain falls, it freezes on the limbs of the trees.
Pine trees bend and then hopefully stand back up after the ice melts.
The pattern of rain and freezing continues, forming coat after coat until the smallest twig can have a circle of ice 1/2 to 1 inch in diameter surrounding it. The ice puts a lot of weight on the trees, and if their roots are weak, the trees fall...
Like the one that landed on my car. The car was not parked close to the woods and the tree that fell was not near the edge of the woods. But we do have some big, tall trees, tall enough so that the top of it still slammed into our car, breaking or bending just about every surface front to back. It took out both windshields and bent their supports, bent the driver's side door, the hood and tore off the bumper. We’re still waiting to find out if the insurance will say it’s totaled.
The power company to the rescue!
Between the trees falling and ice hanging on the powerlines, many people in the community were without power for six, seven, even eight days. It was especially rough for those with electric heat, which meant their pipes froze and burst when temperatures went down into single digits.
The last time this happened was back in '94. The power was out a total of four days, and the local civil defense brought us a huge tank of water. This time we were better prepared with a propane powered generator to keep our pump running and our water tower full. This meant people had water and could trickle their water faucets at night which helps keep pipes from freezing.
Over the last few years, our cell service has improved, and this has made it possible for the community to stay in communication. Our internal email discussion list kept track of people who needed special assistance, which roads had their power restored, and was a forum for discussions about generators and battery backups. In many ways it was a community bonding event.
Our hearts go out to the people of Minneapolis who faced the extreme cold to call for an end to the invasion of their city. United we stand!
Namaste,
Douglas
Douglas
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One of my favorite recipes of late is these gluten-free peanut butter cookies. They are so easy to make and I like getting a bit of protein with every bite. They are sugar-free thanks to a variety of sugar substitutes available today.
The Recipe
Place in a large bowl:
Add dry ingredients:
- 1/2 cup sugar or your sweetener of choice
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 cup flour or Pamela’s flour for gluten-free or cocoa for chocolate cookies
- 1 large egg
- 1 cup peanut butter or you can also use almond butter, at room temperature or cold (not warm)
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
I use a handheld mixer to blend the ingredients.
My favorite flour substitute is Pamela's Pancake Mix. I find it works in all my recipes, with a mix of different flours and is a better option than using something like pure almond flour. If you want to make chocolate cookies, just substitute cocoa for the flour. I typically use almond butter if I am making chocolate cookies, since the flavor is not as strong as peanut butter.
Roll the dough into small balls and place on a cookie sheet. Don't forget to press a fork into the top to give them the classic peanut butter cookie look!
I prefer to use the thicker, insulated baking sheets that keep cookies from getting too brown or burnt on the bottom. I also like using parchment paper, which keeps things cookies from sticking to the cookie sheet and makes cleanup so easy.
Bake at 350 degrees for 10-13 minutes.
The cookies hold their form well, but I have found they can get crumbly after you bite into them. Therefore, I like to make small cookies that I can pop into my mouth in one bite. Yum!
How Sweet it is!
Our sweetener of choice these days is allulose. It’s sold in crystal form, so it tastes, bakes, and dissolves, just like sugar. It’s slightly less sweet than sugar, so they recommend using 1 and 1/3 cup allulose to one cup of sugar. Allulose is found naturally in small amounts in foods like wheat, figs, and raisins. When sold commercially as a sugar substitute, it’s concentrated from fructose in corn.
Our sweetener of choice these days is allulose. It’s sold in crystal form, so it tastes, bakes, and dissolves, just like sugar. It’s slightly less sweet than sugar, so they recommend using 1 and 1/3 cup allulose to one cup of sugar. Allulose is found naturally in small amounts in foods like wheat, figs, and raisins. When sold commercially as a sugar substitute, it’s concentrated from fructose in corn.
Allulose is absorbed in the small intestine and passes through your body quickly, so it doesn’t spike blood sugar, making it a better choice for diabetics. In high amounts, some people complain of bloating and digestive issues, but this can be a common side effect from eating too much of any sugar.
While regular sugar contains 4 calories per gram, allulose only provides 0.4 calories per gram, making it an attractive option for those looking to reduce their calorie intake.
Another option is xylitol, also naturally occurring in fruits and sold in a crystal form like sugar. One benefit is that it fights plaque by neutralizing plaque acids on your teeth. It has 40% less calories than sugar and is considered safe for diabetics with a low glycemic index. It does not have the aftertaste of stevia, another common sugar alternative. Xylitol is an alcohol sugar typically made from corn. Sometimes used as a laxative, too much xylitol can give you the runs and in lower doses, some people feel it gives them an upset stomach. It’s never affected me that way, but because of this, it’s not my first choice.
Often, I prefer to use date sugar. It’s less expensive than allulose and more natural, offering benefits like fiber, potassium, magnesium, and antioxidants. However, it still contains calories and carbs. The fiber content slows sugar absorption, so it may still be a better choice for blood sugar control.
A full weekend of Dances of Universal Peace! Only $150 per person. Click here to learn more.
Our primary Dance Leaders for the weekend.
NurAna Wilansky: NurAna has been a certified Dances leader since 1992. Together with her husband, Hakam Liechty's musical accompaniment, she leads in her local (central Illinois) and other Midwest circles. She loves delving into the teachings and light of all the spiritual paths, and has particular focus in the Jewish and Sufi traditions. She mentors new dance leaders and serves as a Board member of DUP International.
Your host for this event, Douglas Stevenson: Douglas has been singing and playing music since junior high. He has been a member of The Farm Community for over 50 years, leading Kirtan and then Dances there for the last 10 years. He is a Board member of DUP International.
Amira Jones: leads Dances of Universal Peace monthly in the Atlanta area and is currently mentoring for Leaders-in-training there. She also helps with Dance leader training in Mexico for Latinos and Latinas wanting to bring Dances to their local communities. She has been on the Sufi path for many years.
Your host for this event, Douglas Stevenson: Douglas has been singing and playing music since junior high. He has been a member of The Farm Community for over 50 years, leading Kirtan and then Dances there for the last 10 years. He is a Board member of DUP International.
Amira Jones: leads Dances of Universal Peace monthly in the Atlanta area and is currently mentoring for Leaders-in-training there. She also helps with Dance leader training in Mexico for Latinos and Latinas wanting to bring Dances to their local communities. She has been on the Sufi path for many years.
Additional Leaders: After the opening evening, we will welcome guest Leaders to join us for morning and evening sessions.
Dance Leaders in Training will have the opportunity to lead and receive feedback on Friday and Saturday afternoons.
There are only 500 weekend tickets available, get yours before they sell out!
At the center of The Farm Community is a large dome, the location of the Sanctuary Summit.
We will have Dances of Universal Peace on Saturday afternoon during the Summit. This space can hold 200 dancers or more!
We will have Dances of Universal Peace on Saturday afternoon during the Summit. This space can hold 200 dancers or more!
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Thank you for your time and attention! Come visit us!
Douglas Stevenson
Douglas@villagemedia.com
www.douglasstevenson.com
www.villagemedia.com
Douglas@villagemedia.com
www.douglasstevenson.com
www.villagemedia.com
My books:
- Out to Change the World! $12 plus shipping
- The Farm Then and Now $19.95 plus shipping
- Order both for just $33 including shipping!
Watch my TEDx Talk: Out to Change the World - Living the Hippie Dream
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Douglas
