Stowe Farm Community

An Intentional Farm Community located in Colrain, Massachusetts

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Lessons from Geese

Five Lessons from Geese by Milton Olson

Cohousing is all about cooperative decision making and shared leadership. Here are some simple concepts taught to us by creatures who have smaller brains but are sometimes wiser than us.”

As each bird flaps its wings, it creates an “uplift” for the bird following. By flying in a “V”formation, the whole flock adds 71% greater flying range than if the bird flew alone.

People who share a common direction and sense of community can get where they are going quicker and easier because they are traveling on the thrust of one another.

Whenever a goose falls out of formation, it suddenly feels the drag and resistance of trying to fly alone, and quickly gets back into formation to take advantage of the “lifting power” of the bird immediately in front.

If we have as much sense as a goose, we will stay in formation with those who are headed where we want to go (and be willing to accept their help as well as give ours to the others).

When the lead goose gets tired, it rotates back into the formation and another goose flies at the point position.

It pays to take turns doing the hard tasks and sharing leadership—with people, as with geese, we are interdependent on each other.

The geese in formation honk from behind to encourage those up front to keep up their speed.

We need to make sure our honking from behind is encouraging – and not something else.

When a goose gets sick or wounded or shot down, two geese drop out of formation and follow it down to help and protect it. They stay with it until it is able to fly again or dies. Then they launch out on their own, with another formation, or catch up with the flock.

If we have as much sense as geese, we will stand by each other in difficult times as well as when we are strong.

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Life up here at Stowe Farm Community is "berry nice" around this time of year as we fill our bowls with fresh picked blueberries and raspberries from our planned gardens and harvest some of the wild blackberries too. More garden goodies and all about us at www.stowefarm.orgSummer's bounty rolling in with plenty of cucumbers to share in community for pickling, salads, and simply as a super crisp snack!A busy bee in the summer season in Lynn's flower garden. We too are busy at Stowe Farm Community harvesting veggies and berries from the gardens and     putting food by to enjoy throughout the rest of the year. More at www.stowefarm.orgLynn had a beautiful sunflower in her gorgeous gardens this year. On this day the birds were singing as the sunflower swayed in the gentle summer breeze and the clouds rolled by in the blue, blue sky. Simply splendid! More connections to nature at www.stowefarm.org
You know summer has arrived when the zucchini's start being passed around. Once the humans have their fill and have stored what they can the chickens and pigs then get their portion too! More gardening adventures at https://stowefarm.org/blog/Thank you, Ed for sharing this magical moment after the storm yesterday here at Stowe Farm Community.Harley's butterfly garden is attracting the guests she had hoped for with many blooms available in the sweet summer sun.Berries are ripening throughout our community in the hot summer sun. Some folks have their own home grown patches and there are wild ones to be picked by both humans and the local black bear!
The babbling brook that runs parallel to our community is lush with all sorts of glowing greens throughout the summer. A sweet spot to cool off on a hot summer's day!Peter has a grafting project going on one of the apple trees in our old orchard. Time will tell how it turns out - stay tuned!FrogsThe summer storms have been passing through multiple times each week as the heat and humidity have arrived. We are glad of the rain for the fields and gardens. More at www.stowefarm.org
A few apples continue to grow in the summer sun out in the old orchard here at Stowe Farm Community. Some may be used for cider in the autumn. Sweet!We are surrounded by lush greens and sunshine as summer is in full swing here at Stowe Farm Community. Plenty of open spaces to walk in nature. Discover more at www.stowefarm.orgJuly Morning at Stowe FarmSummerBreeze
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