What a great evening we had at the potluck! We just got home and are still warm from all the laughing. It’s been raining off and on all day, but the storm let up as we arrived. The cars and trucks parked out front of our host family’s home let us know we would be in good company tonight. I parked and Brianne grabbed our salad from the back seat while I gathered up the bag of toppings and dressing.
Inside the home was full of children running around, a decorated tree, covered dishes laid out in buffet style on a pine kitchen table. There was hot chocolate and apple cider (which I gravitated to like a moth to the flame) and friendly faces I haven’t seen since our county fair in August. Sandy, my co-club leader was there decked out for the season, and Angela was manning the homemade pizza station. For a moment this afternoon I thought about not going. The rain has been horrid all day and the thought of driving was unappealing (even if it was only 10 miles), but how could we have miss this? I walked our salad over to the table and joined the ladies in conversation.
When we joined the club Brianne was 5 years old. The only projects she was allowed to take were gardening and poultry, but that was enough to get her started on what will be a life long trip into farm living.
When I wasn't talking I'd stop and look around the walls of our host’s home. Photos of the kids working with their chickens and turkeys, ribbons of prizes won at past county fairs, drawings of new building projects for expanding their rabbitry lined the walls of the family room. And I was here in a rain storm, after a long busy week and ending it with a hot meal prepared by friends in a celebration of community. There's feeling lucky, there's feeling blessed, and then there's being part of a community. What could be better?
After dinner, all the kids crowded into the living room for the gift exchange. The young kids wiggled with excitement and the older kids smiled probably remembering how they felt when they were that age. They each drew a number out of a basket to find out who got to choose a gift first. I was a spectator setting on a window seat, as each member agonized over which colorfully wrapped gift was the best.
Those of us with older children made the night social. I talked with my friends, Sandy and Angela. Sandy has been in the club as long as I have, our girls started at the same time. I also got to become better acquainted with other parents who I don’t know well because our kids are not in the same projects, like Gwen and Kathy. Gwen is from Sweden who teaches our entomology project, talked about traditions in the old country and how they try to keep them alive here, but when I mentioned the gigantic (completely gross) bug that keeps popping up in my garden each spring her ears perked up. After a bit of research, complements of Angela’s extensive library, turns out my prehistoric looking alien is a harmless member of the cricket family.
We talked chickens and turkeys, pigs, sheep, gardening, and moving farther into a more self-reliant life. And may have even convinced Kathy to raise a few meat birds, just to see how they like it. Angela let it be known that she had a source for fresh milk and promised to put me in touch with them. I’m excited about that. We also made plans to contact a sustainable farm for a club field trip, hopefully when the kids are out for winter break.
One of the parents handed everyone a goodie bag and we said our good-byes with hugs and good wishes and headed home. There was barely a drizzle, the air was clean and sweet, but damn, we were glad to get back to the farm. Gatherings like this make me feel lucky to be part of a group that has been around for over 100 years…that has taught thousands of young people how to raise livestock, cook, sew, work wood, live self-reliantly and much, much more. The world seems a little shaky right now - but God willing we will be able to take what we’ve learned to make it through.
One thing I do know is that this organization taught me the skills that still keep me moving toward a life of self-reliant living and it’s now teaching my daughter those same lessons. No matter how long it takes it is a dream worth having. This is where I learned to raise sheep taking me into a 30 year love affair with a woolly, not so bright, completely amazing animal. It’s where I have met some of my best friends and ardent supporters. Oh, there have been trials and tribulations along the away as any youth club can have, but it has made me the person I am today and it will have a strong hand in molding my daughter into the woman she is to become.
Inside the home was full of children running around, a decorated tree, covered dishes laid out in buffet style on a pine kitchen table. There was hot chocolate and apple cider (which I gravitated to like a moth to the flame) and friendly faces I haven’t seen since our county fair in August. Sandy, my co-club leader was there decked out for the season, and Angela was manning the homemade pizza station. For a moment this afternoon I thought about not going. The rain has been horrid all day and the thought of driving was unappealing (even if it was only 10 miles), but how could we have miss this? I walked our salad over to the table and joined the ladies in conversation.
When we joined the club Brianne was 5 years old. The only projects she was allowed to take were gardening and poultry, but that was enough to get her started on what will be a life long trip into farm living.
When I wasn't talking I'd stop and look around the walls of our host’s home. Photos of the kids working with their chickens and turkeys, ribbons of prizes won at past county fairs, drawings of new building projects for expanding their rabbitry lined the walls of the family room. And I was here in a rain storm, after a long busy week and ending it with a hot meal prepared by friends in a celebration of community. There's feeling lucky, there's feeling blessed, and then there's being part of a community. What could be better?
After dinner, all the kids crowded into the living room for the gift exchange. The young kids wiggled with excitement and the older kids smiled probably remembering how they felt when they were that age. They each drew a number out of a basket to find out who got to choose a gift first. I was a spectator setting on a window seat, as each member agonized over which colorfully wrapped gift was the best.
Those of us with older children made the night social. I talked with my friends, Sandy and Angela. Sandy has been in the club as long as I have, our girls started at the same time. I also got to become better acquainted with other parents who I don’t know well because our kids are not in the same projects, like Gwen and Kathy. Gwen is from Sweden who teaches our entomology project, talked about traditions in the old country and how they try to keep them alive here, but when I mentioned the gigantic (completely gross) bug that keeps popping up in my garden each spring her ears perked up. After a bit of research, complements of Angela’s extensive library, turns out my prehistoric looking alien is a harmless member of the cricket family.
We talked chickens and turkeys, pigs, sheep, gardening, and moving farther into a more self-reliant life. And may have even convinced Kathy to raise a few meat birds, just to see how they like it. Angela let it be known that she had a source for fresh milk and promised to put me in touch with them. I’m excited about that. We also made plans to contact a sustainable farm for a club field trip, hopefully when the kids are out for winter break.
One of the parents handed everyone a goodie bag and we said our good-byes with hugs and good wishes and headed home. There was barely a drizzle, the air was clean and sweet, but damn, we were glad to get back to the farm. Gatherings like this make me feel lucky to be part of a group that has been around for over 100 years…that has taught thousands of young people how to raise livestock, cook, sew, work wood, live self-reliantly and much, much more. The world seems a little shaky right now - but God willing we will be able to take what we’ve learned to make it through.
One thing I do know is that this organization taught me the skills that still keep me moving toward a life of self-reliant living and it’s now teaching my daughter those same lessons. No matter how long it takes it is a dream worth having. This is where I learned to raise sheep taking me into a 30 year love affair with a woolly, not so bright, completely amazing animal. It’s where I have met some of my best friends and ardent supporters. Oh, there have been trials and tribulations along the away as any youth club can have, but it has made me the person I am today and it will have a strong hand in molding my daughter into the woman she is to become.
(the photo is of the 50th anniversay commemorative stamp from the national 4-H organization)
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