Caring…or Roosting
Dear Friends,
What a difference a month makes! We’ve had rain! And we are so thankful. A year makes a difference too, and our life has changed a lot since a year ago. It was October 29th when Ralph Lauren launched their “Made in America” film, and you’d think things would be quiet by now. They have settled a little, but we’re still doing interviews, hosting photographers and welcoming guests who come for a tour or to shop. There continues to be a swelling interest in making things in America. We are so happy to see this as it benefits so many people and communities. And it’s wonderful to see people making connections to their own roots on the land and in traditional skills, in the products they seek.
I love this whole idea of caring about “where it comes from.” In fact, the word caring is a blessing in itself: caring for the land, caring for the animals, caring for our communities, and caring for each other. It feels good, and it packs value. We’re giving meaning back to jobs and skills that have been part of every culture, but that somehow lost the respect of an evolving and changing society. Jobs and roles that are a mainstay to communities and our country, are gaining a renewed focus and appreciation. When people connect to the story and process involved in what they purchase, they also connect to the people who grow it or make it. That lifts the importance of origins and process, and most importantly, the artisans and craftsmen who do the work. I love the people who have come into our life through our move from commodity sales, to making products. Our life is so much richer.
Fall roundup!! Frolicking calves, freshly weaned on a frosty morning, and loving life as they are turned out to new pastures. It’s a beautiful sight! And there’s lots of elk across the grass as well, but not in the middle of roundup like last year. Thank goodness. And remember those wild turkeys I mentioned in September? The new “indicator species” that had shown up along Hinton Creek here in the valley? Well they’re still here. In fact, it’s quite a sight to watch them fly up into a tree just before dark to roost. They are so big and look so awkward, balancing on the slender branches of a tree by the bridge across Hinton Creek. But every night, they fly up and land on just the right spot to spend the night. They’re not afraid of anything, and simply act like they’re home. I guess we’re a good home for a bunch of turkeys!
Warm Regards, Jeanne
