Farm Fresh, July 2026
This month's highlights:
This month's highlights:
- Community Circles
- Farm Artist of Blownfuse Studios
- Farm Market Day Saturday, August 8
- Farm Experience October - cancelled!
- Dances of Universal Peace November 5-8
Hi friends,
Let me begin with a special thanks to all of you who have monthly subscriptions or have made one-time contributions! This helps cover the cost of my email distribution service and your support is very much appreciated!
Let me begin with a special thanks to all of you who have monthly subscriptions or have made one-time contributions! This helps cover the cost of my email distribution service and your support is very much appreciated!
Reunions and Circles
For over 40 years, our community has been hosting an annual reunion of former members who are now all around the country and around the world. As part of that tradition, we hold men's and women's circles, a chance to check in and renew bonds with old friends, welcome new guests, and explore life's questions and purpose. Below are some notes from this year's circles.
For over 40 years, our community has been hosting an annual reunion of former members who are now all around the country and around the world. As part of that tradition, we hold men's and women's circles, a chance to check in and renew bonds with old friends, welcome new guests, and explore life's questions and purpose. Below are some notes from this year's circles.
As you might expect from a community of creative free thinkers, art is abundant around The Farm. Look below to see one of the newest murals and a little bit about the artist who created it.
Please note that The Farm Experience Weekend has been postponed until spring. Host Mark Hubbard has several large projects that are requiring his time and attention. Stay tuned for when we announce next year's dates.
Which means if you'd like to come visit The Farm, take a tour of the community, and experience a deep immersion in joy and music, come join me for my weekend of Dances of Universal Peace, November 5th through 8th. I promise you will not be disappointed.
Namaste y'all!
Douglas
Douglas
- Chanting and singing together.
- Simple and easy to learn, with everyone in a circle
- Temperatures in Tennessee are perfect!!
- All meals included
- Check out my music on YouTube to get a preview.
Click here to learn more.
In these challenging times, our dances are embodied prayers. Reap the Harvest of the Heart!
In these challenging times, our dances are embodied prayers. Reap the Harvest of the Heart!
Community Circles
The Women's Circle, 2026
Corina Fitch (front left in green), one of The Farm midwives, describes the Women's Circle:
I had the honor of co-facilitating the women's circle for the 3rd time.
This year's the circle shared a theme with the recent Sanctuary Summit, Weaving Webs of Resilience.
A few hours after choosing this theme I got an email with the following quote that I shared in the circle:
“We must treat not only the wound, but the world that caused it. Resilience is not just survival; it is the refusal to be dehumanized.” - Dr Samah Jabr, Palestinian psychiatrist, psychotherapist, and mental wellness advocate
We often think of resilience as the ability to bounce back, but I don't think it's about bouncing back at all. I think it's about our ability to adapt and to stay connected to ourselves and each other through challenge, and to keep choosing life, even when it kicks our ass!
We explored both personal resilience and collective resilience, sharing stories in pairs and small groups so everyone's voices could be heard.
We wove a web with red yarn, tossing it across the circle and speaking aloud a word that represented resilience to us.
We closed with a song led by my friend and apprentice, Saturn, called “Peace like a River.”
Men's Circle, 2001
The Men's Circle
I (Douglas) typically open the circle to establish a theme for our conversation. This year I chose:
Essential Truths and Farm Values.
- What do you consider the values of this community?
- How have you seen them play a role in your personal life?
- What is it that brings people back here for this reunion year after year?
Sure, it’s a fun reunion, seeing old friends. But I think it runs deeper. These are our shared Farm values.
We used to say that there were Universal, Essential Truths shared by all faiths and religions, things like,
“Attention is energy.”
“Nature as a teacher. Nature as a healer.”
Then there are shared values, such as empathy and justice, that foster a peaceful coexistance.
Here are some notes from around the circle:
"Our land is sacred, like a cathedral. This connection to the land is something we hold in common, our homeland."
“Our commitment to non-violence. It makes me proud to say that we still have the agreement, there are no guns in this community.”
“We can resolve our differences through truth, coupled with compassion.”
“Bringing what is real to the surface.” “Bringing our honesty and integrity to our shared field.” This means pursuing truth in our relationships, our interactions, especially when resolving conflicts.
“Not holding someone to a place.” This is Farm jargon for forgiveness. It means giving someone the space to change and not making negative assumptions based on past interactions.
“Working on yourself.” In joining a spiritual community, we make a commitment to ourselves to learn and grow, to put aside those shortcomings in our personality that hold us back.
“There are words in other languages to express, “Our ways - how we go about.” We recognize that over the decades, The Farm has developed a unique culture, asumsptions and outlooks we take for granted. For someone new coming in or joining the community, it is about resonating with "our ways."
Ultimately, it comes down to “Community as extended family. ” It doesn't matter if you have been here 50 years or one year. It is about Heart Connection.
Fuse - Artist, Educator, Mother, Lover of Life
Every person who becomes part of the community brings their gift.
Farm artist Fuse joined the community just before the pandemic, which was a tough time to make it here as a new person. Virtually all social activities were shut down, and it took some perseverance to get established.
Fuse had been living in Memphis, Tennessee, where she operated a blown glass studio and taught classes on the tools and techniques of blown glass art. For the first couple of years, she commuted back-and-forth, working on projects, doing classes in Memphis, while making the transition to a business based on The Farm.
It’s fun to watch her creations take shape as she demonstrates the process from her booth during our monthly Market Day. Come see for yourself!
Our newest mural, created by Fuse, of Blownfuse Art Studio
Although Fuse’s other artistic talents have been on display here and there in the community, this new mural project takes things to a new level.
The semi-trailer is used by a theater group for storage, and they were requested to turn the trailer into something beautiful. They turned to Fuse, who expressed the concept of “from the mountain to the ocean and how water connects us all.” Stay tuned next month for the mural on an adjacent trailer.
Thank you for your time and attention! Come visit us!
A big thanks to everyone who has become a patron of Farm Fresh!
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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!
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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
