This week summer stopped by to say hello for a bit. We were gifted with warm days that inspired barefoot adventures and lots of smiles. On Tuesday, we did some tending of our campsite and cut down one of the large turingo crab trees. Before we cut it, we gave our gratitude to the tree for all of the climbing it has provided, and for being okay with being cut down to create space for the Chestnut tree that we planted in its place! We all worked together to move the cut wood and add it to our firewood pile.
On Wednesday we got together as a team and practiced getting a fire started with the We Drill! It helped us learn how to communicate and work as a team. We didn’t get the coal, but we all felt okay with the progress we made and for giving it a try. Instead we got the fire started with the flint and steel and we all got cozy by the fire!
On Thursday we continued our land tending and did some work in the community garden. We worked together to remove all of the dead plants and bring them to the compost pile. Then, we planted some garlic! We experimented to see if the garlic grew better with or without the skin on. We also talked about cold stratification and how certain plants like garlic and milkweed prefer to overwinter in cold conditions and often need it in order to grow the following spring.
We made our way back to camp and planted the first chestnut tree. We have two seedlings because Chestnuts need two trees in order to pollinate and produce nuts. After we planted the first seedling we walked around camp and closed our eyes in a few different spots around camp. We quieted our minds and listened to our bodies to find the perfect place for the second chestnut tree. Woolly Bears expressed feeling their hearts beating fast and their minds feeling still and that is how they knew it was the right spot. Next week we will give the second seeding the proper home in the spot!
It was a great week filled with teamwork and communication. The Woolly Bears really work great together and it is such a pleasure to witness and support.
—The Woolly Bear Team
October 29, 2022