What’s Happening: May 2013

East Wind’s 39^th Land Day

East Winders past and present celebrated East Wind’s 39^th Land Day on May 1^st.  Partiers enjoyed a beautiful sunny day at the creek with friends, food, and drink.  At sunset, East Winders and friends gathered around a beautiful old elm tree to take a group photo and wrap the tree with ribbons.  East Wind will celebrate its 40^th anniversary on May 1^st of next year, and we are anticipating an East Wind reunion that will be remembered for a long time.  Many past East Winders will be attending, and there is talk of organizing an East Wind renaissance fair.  You can find out more information here.

Construction in Community

East Winders have been motivated to create and build this spring, and a number of different projects have been undertaken and completed.  A new aquaculture greenhouse is being added onto the south side of our exercise room/recording studio.  Our ice machine has been moved outside of RB in a new shed built specifically for that purpose.  The outdoor shower at Fanshen has been renovated using timber framing and thatching techniques.  Sunnysiders built a nice new front porch for Sunnyside, one of the original residences built at East Wind. Natural building at the new gazebo in the Mulberry Garden is well underway, with a cob/stone table and three benches nearing completion.

Plans for the hopefully near future include renovations to the floor and foundation of Rock Bottom, our kitchen/dining hall.  A lot of work has been done on a substandard personal shelter, Barnabus, in hopes that it will soon be inhabitable.  There are plans to build a new wood shed next to the general shop in the near future. There is also talk of rebuilding part of the showerhouse that burnt down in December 2011.  Maintaining, improving, and expanding our infrastructure is a never-ending job at East Wind, and we are always grateful for people willing to take on these kinds of projects.  This certainly looks like a promising year for construction at East Wind so far.

Garden

Mother nature has been kind this spring, and ample rain, sunshine, and pleasant temperatures are being enjoyed by people and plants alike.  The landscape is lush, green, and growing rapidly. Tomatoes, cucumbers, hot peppers, zucchini, and figs were all planted out into our gardens during the first week of May.  Melons were planted later this May.  Lettuce, asparagus, and strawberries became harvestable in early May, and are now being enjoyed daily in abundance.  Strawberries are a garden favorite of many East Winders, and are being devoured by the bucketful raw and cooked into desserts.  Many of us are eagerly anticipating the mulberries, blackberries, raspberries, and blueberries that will come in during the next few months.  Garlic, cabbage, and broccoli will be ready to harvest soon as well.  Small peaches, apples, and figs have already begun to grow on our orchard trees.  Many East Winders have been putting a lot of love into our gardens this year, and we’re about to reap the benefits as we head towards the peak of summer garden harvests during the next few months.

Herbs

Hibiscus, basil, holy basil, sweet marjoram, borage, lemongrass, nasturtiums, and echinacea were planted in our herb gardens this May.  Our new copper alembic column still for essential oils is up and running, and herbs are being distilled fresh from the garden.  Lemongrass, peppermint, spearmint, wild rose, and catnip were the first hydrosols that we made this spring.  We’ve already started drying large quantities of herbs for next winter, including lemon balm, oregano, peppermint, spearmint, tarragon, sage, thyme, violet, chives, etc.  Chamomile, calendula, valerian, and sage have already begun to flower and enchant our herb gardens.  To support East Wind’s growing interest in natural medicine, we are growing and processing more medicinal herbs than ever before.

Elections

East Wind holds annual elections for the management of different branches, including garden, ranch, dairy, food processing, recreation, medical, utilities, grounds, forestry, house, kitchen, pets, finances, membership, auto shop, nut butters, etc.  All East Winders are able to sign-up to run for any of these positions during the month-long sign-up period.  The last week of May is reserved for voting, and new managers take their positions on June 1^st.  There was a lot of participation this year, with over 35 East Winders running for 40 positions (with some people running as teams and some people running for multiple positions). Eleven positions are being sought after by at least two opposing parties or individuals, allowing voting East Winders to choose their preferred candidate for the job.

East Wind is an egalitarian community that strives to offer a viable alternative to the hierarchical structure that dominates the workplace elsewhere.  Managers here aren’t bosses and don’t have employees working beneath them. Managers don’t make more money or enjoy other additional benefits (other than the satisfaction of helping to maintain and improve the quality of life in community). Instead, managers are self-motivated individuals who volunteer to be responsible for a particular aspect of community life.  This system has its drawbacks, but generally seems to work quite well for a community of this size.

What’s Happening: April 2013

Spring

Onions, carrots, lettuces, collards, cabbages, broccoli, and potatoes were planted out during the first week of April.  Each year, we do our best to grow more of our own food and reduce our reliance on store bought goods. Last year, we successfully grew, harvested, and stored enough potatoes to last our entire community for about four months (potatoes are a major staple food at East Wind).  We’ve planted even more this year, and hope to supply community with homegrown potatoes for over six months.

Parsley, dill, oregano, fennel, elecampane, calendula, valerian, marjoram, spilanthes, marsh mallow, hollyhock, hyssop, and hibiscus, among others, were transplanted from our greenhouse into our herb gardens this month.  Chamomile, cilantro, and oatstraw were direct seeded and have begun to sprout and grow. Comfrey, lemon balm, valerian, feverfew, rose, and marsh mallow, among others, have broken dormancy and sprouted fresh green growth.  The season’s first harvests of yarrow, violet, chickweed, cleavers, tarragon, and thyme have already been brought in and dried.  Our new Mulberry Garden has expanded in all directions, and this promises to be its best year yet.

Peach trees were among the first to flower and have been pruned.  Apple trees flowered later this April.  In the woods, carolina buckthorn, elms, and ashes were among the first trees to leaf out, and by the end of April few trees remained bare.  Dogwoods bloomed during the last week of April, dotting the understory with enchanting white blossoms. The forest is green and vibrant and unabashedly full of life.  The rains have been frequent and plentiful.  Many days have been warm and sunny, though the nights are still often cold and wet.  A few late frosts have done some damage to our spring crops and fruit trees, and another cold snap is expected during the first week of May.  Because of this, we will be holding off on planting some of our warm season crops like tomatoes and cucumbers until later this May.  Even so, spring is undeniably here at last.

Largest Black Gum Tree in Missouri

The largest registered blackgum tree in the state of Missouri lives at East Wind.  The tree was nominated recently, after the previous state champion of 30 years fell to strong winds in August 2012.  The Missouri Department of Conservation came out and took measurements of the tree, and have verified that it is the largest known blackgum in the state.  The tree stands 92 ft tall and has a circumference of 129 inches and a crown spread of 46 ft.  East Wind is home to a number of very large and beautiful sycamores, oaks, elms, cedars, and pines.  The champion blackgum resides on our New Land, a 700 acre wooded plot set aside by East Wind as a wildlife reserve and nature sanctuary.  We practice sustainable forestry on the land as well.

FEC Conference

Delegates from the five communities that make up the Federation of Egalitarian Communities met at East Wind this April to hold an annual conference.  Delegates from Twin Oaks, Acorn, Sandhill, The Midden (a community-in-dialogue), and Emma GoldmanFinishing School participated in the week-long conference.  East Wind welcomed the delegates from our sister communities, and many individuals were happy to make new friends and hear about life in other communities.  Many of us who live communally believe that a strong network of communities is fundamental, and are happy to have the chance to strengthen our relationships with like-minded individuals and groups of people. A strong network of communities presenting viable alternatives to the mainstream culture can help to change people’s lives and make the world a better place.

LEXers from Twin Oaks and Acorn

Ten individuals from Twin Oaks and Acorn spent a week at East Wind in late April.  Communities in the Federation of Egalitarian Communities participate in a labor exchange program that allows members of each community to spend time working at other FEC communities.  East Winders were happy to host guests from our sister communities, and many of us were glad to spend time with old friends and to make new friends.  LEXers were ready and willing to help out around community, and their hard work in our garden and our businesses, among other things, is much appreciated.  The LEXers were a lovely bunch of folks, and we hope that they enjoyed being here as much as we enjoyed having them here.

Although there is occasionally a sense of sibling rivalry between the communities, we love our sister communities and appreciate the relationship we have with them and the fact that they exist.  Folks from other communities are always welcome to come spend some time at ours (just let us know that you’re coming first).  Thank you to everyone who lives communally with the intention of creating a better way of life!

Natural Building

The land we call home offers abundant resources to East Winders willing to use their resourcefulness and ingenuity.  Materials for our current natural building project (a stone/cob table and benches in our new gazebo in our new garden space, the Mulberry Garden) are being sustainably harvested from our own land.  Clay, stone, sand, and straw are the essential ingredients for our table and benches, and are all readily available in abundance.  Our gazebo roof has been completed, along with a beautiful stone floor and steps.  The gazebo will soon be surrounded by a lovely nervine herb garden (herbs for the mind, such as valerian, chamomile, holy basil, rose, lemongrass, borage, lemon balm, hops, passionflower, etc).  As soon as the danger of a frost has passed, we will begin mixing cob and constructing the table.  There has been a lot of interest in helping out with this project in community, and we hope that this will inspire future natural building projects.

Waiting List Continues to Grow

The waiting list continues to grow with no end in sight.  Some potential members have now been waiting for over six months for rooms to open up.  Even so, six more individuals are scheduled to participate in the May visitor period.  Individuals on the waiting list are welcome to camp out during the warmer months, but will be asked to leave during the winter until more space opens up.  We’ve heard that many of our sister communities are experiencing similar situations.  Hopefully this demand for communal living will inspire the creation of more intentional communities and other alternative ways of life.  There are many forming communities looking for members, as well.  You can find out more information about established and forming intentional communities at ic.org.

What's Happening: March 2013

Spring Equinox

East Winders gladly greeted the spring on March 20^th this year.  We celebrated the equinox with homemade beer, wine, root beer, snacks, and fun.  East Winders appreciated the beauty of the coming spring and the anticipation of the warm sunny days ahead.  At dusk, many of us gathered to watch a “dragon log”, which was undoubtedly a spectacle to behold.

Forsythias, flowering quince, cherry, and peach trees have all put on a beautiful display of flowers this month.  On the ground, toothwort, trout lily, dandelion, chickweed, cress, henbit, dead nettle, and sweet violet are beginning to flower.  Elderberries and dogwoods have begun to bud and leaf out, though most hardwoods will continue to remain dormant for just a little while longer.  This winter’s spinach and kale are still producing in our gardens, while spring wild edibles appear in abundance along trails and throughout the woods.  Some favorite wild salad greens this time of year include toothwort, trout lily, chickweed, chives, violet, cress, dandelion, chicory, and yarrow.

Population Capacity

East Wind is still at population capacity, with 73 members currently residing in the community.  There are still 6 individuals on the waiting list for available rooms (some are currently staying in the visitors’ quarters while others are waiting for space to open to return).  There will be another visitor period this April, but any visitors wishing to stay after three weeks will be asked to camp.  Turnover has been low this year, and some individuals have been on the waiting list for rooms for over six months and are still waiting.  Due to the prioritized acceptance of women (to balance our gender ratio), men especially are undergoing long waits for space.

Though we may have a waiting list into the forseeable future, interested individuals are still welcome to visit and apply for membership.  Individuals on the waiting list will be allowed to camp in community during the warmer months, but will be asked to leave until a room opens up during the winter.  People on the waiting list do not receive all the benefits of membership, but are welcome to live and work with us while they wait.  Just remember: good things come to those who wait.

Our growing waiting list suggests that more and more people are becoming interested in communal living.  People are becoming more disillusioned with the mainstream consumer culture, and are seeking alternatives and better ways of living in harmony with our planet.  We hope that this awakening will inspire momentum in the communities movement, and that more communities will arise and flourish.  You can learn more about intentional communities at ic.org and thefec.org. 

Garden Season

Garden season is upon us, with onions, garlic, potatoes, and lettuce already enjoying the spring sun and rain.  Healthy young leeks, tomatoes, peppers, greens, broccoli, cabbage, kale, and some lettuces are still cozy and warm in our greenhouse, getting bigger every day.  Chamomile has already been seeded in our herb garden, while other medicinal and culinary herbs like elecampane, dill, fennel, oregano, parsley, marsh mallow, holly hock, passionflower, hibiscus, echinacea, valerian, and rosemary gain strength in our greenhouse.  In our gardens, herbs like peppermint, spearmint, comfrey, tarragon, feverfew, rose, lemon balm, and yarrow have begun to sprout fresh green growth.

Our garden space has continued to grow steadily for the past three years, and this year it is looking bigger and better than ever.  Perennial plants like blackberries, raspberries, blueberries, strawberries, and rhubarb have recently become established, while newly planted trees like chestnuts, persimmons, cherries, and figs are still small.  What was a cow pasture just three years ago is now a thriving vegetable, berry, and herb garden and orchard.  Established perennial herbs in our new Mulberry Garden include lemon balm, peppermint, spearmint, yarrow, oregano, thyme, sage, catnip, tarragon, echinacea, marsh mallow, chives, elecampane, pennyroyal, comfrey, and more.  This year’s garden promises to be even better than the last.

East Wind Nutbutters Free of GMOs

East Wind nutbutters, including peanut, cashew, almond, and tahini are officially non-GMO.  East Winders believe in healthy quality food for ourselves and our customers, and are proud to announce that all of our nutbutter products are non-GMO.  We recently obtained this information from our suppliers, and plan to seek non-GMO certification and to declare this important information on our labels.  Whole Foods, a major distributor of East Wind Nutbutter, has now made it mandatory for its food suppliers to properly label GMOs.  We hope that this will set an example for other food retailers, and encourage the public to demand the production of more non-GMO foods and require proper labeling of GMOs.  Though this is only one small step in the right direction, it is hopefully an indicator of the public’s increasing awareness regarding this issue.

PEACH TOAST

Representatives from our fellow FEC communities including Twin Oaks, Acorn, Sandhill, Dancing Rabbit (non-FEC), and Emma Goldman Finishing School met at East Wind in early March.  PEACH is a non-profit organization set up by the Federation of Egalitarian Communities and maintained by the communities themselves.  Each community pays into the fund (fees are determined by the number of members and are paid quarterly), and in return is entitled to financial assistance if a member’s medical costs amount to over $5,000 in a given year.  The communities themselves are responsible for other medical costs; the PEACH fund is intended for catastrophic events that could cause serious hardship to a community.

PEACH representatives met to discuss issues face-to-face, and spent long days coming up with solutions that we could all agree on.  Some issues discussed at this year’s TOAST include the coverage of chronic illnesses, standards for exotic or alternative treatments, the participation of non-FEC communities in PEACH (including Dancing Rabbit), and increasing the $5,000 deductible to reflect inflation, among other issues.  The representatives were eventually able to find agreeable solutions for most of the issues discussed.

Emergency Medical Care Preparedness

This month, a small group of East Winders learned and practiced skills that could come in handy in the event of traumatic injuries.  East Winders discussed what to do in case of potential spinal injuries, amputations, dislocations, impaled objects, dental first aid, frostbite, sprained ankles, and broken bones.  We practiced making splints on each other and demonstrated how to clear the spine in the event of a positive mechanism of injury.  In April, we will offer a special first aid course tailored to the treatment of children and babies.  Parents and East Winders who watch the children are especially encouraged to attend this workshop, and will learn about choking, poisoning, shock, anaphylaxis, child CPR, and more.