A Case for the Wilderness
Christmas is right around the corner for many of us which, for my household, means gifts for the wilderness. If you are getting a present from me this year the chances are very good you’re getting something that will help you survive in the woods.
Why?
Because the wilderness is the place where my soul is the most at peace. And, the older I get the more I crave that peace. And, because I’m a bossy cow, I want everyone to come to the woods with me and enjoy it as much as I do.
Don’t get me wrong. I love our life on the farm. I love the routine of milking and making cheese, I feel infinitely lucky that my children get to witness things like birth and death on such an intimate scale while being so closely tied to their food production, and once every few days I still have a “I can’t believe I get to live here” moment.
But, the farm is also our business. And with that comes some of the inevitable stress of living where you work.
Thankfully I’ve unlocked a handy little formula to help deal.
No Cell Phone Service = No Business Stress
Also, worth noting:
No Business Stress = Better Quality Time With Your Kids
Every time we head into the woods the kids are excited. And every time we head back they’re sad. I rarely feel more engaged as a parent than when I’m out in the middle of nowhere. Every moment is a teachable moment and kids are never more willing to learn than when they feel the necessity of their education.
Want to learn how to put up a tent? Yes, probably, or else you won’t have anywhere to sleep. How to start a fire? Also necessary if you want to make dinner. Learning the difference between edible berries and non-edible? Using a compass to triangulate your location on a map? Filtering water from a stream? Just small actions that are necessary if you don’t want to die.
But why is the wilderness so incredible? And why is it so important for children to spend periods of time in it?
We need risk.
A 2015 research study showed, when children engage in “risky” play, in which they are continually assessing situations for risk and pushing their physical limits, they’re actually increasing their social and risk management skills, improving their resilience, and building their self confidence. This point is always made abundantly clear to me when I watch Banzai and Sissy navigate the virtually untouched forest floor. No amount of playground sophistication could mimic the uneven terrain, daunting branch obstacles, and logs, just begging to be climbed. Matthew and I are always near, but we are also quiet, allowing them the freedom to navigate their best routes and decide how far they want to push their bodies. It is inspiring and humbling to watch your children play in the wilderness.
For which I am grateful.
It’s impossible to be in the wilderness and not feel gratitude.
Everything seems better in the mountains. Food. Shelter. Time with family. Gratitude starts when we acknowledge the goodness in our lives…it’s a good practice to get into, not just because I promise you it will make you happier, but, research is starting to show, it may make you healthier.
And speaking of healthy? Is there anything better than drinking in ice cold mountain water, sleeping under a night sky unadulterated by light pollution, and snuggling up in a sleeping bag with your people.
Sure the mornings are cold and brisk, but that chill is what shocks us into remembering we’re alive. Using our muscles reminds us that our bodies are a gift, and not everyone is so lucky to have one that works when they ask it to. And, maybe most importantly, being in the wildnerness reminds us that we live on a massively inspirational planet and it’s our job, as humans, to try to keep it beautiful…for generation after generation.
Of course that’s not a sentiment that we only feel when we’re in the wilderness. As farmers, Matthew and I are 100% committed to farming in a way that heals our land and not the opposite. Our vision is for our farm to become an Eden, not just for the humans, but for animals, and not just for our farm’s animals, but for a whole host of animals in our area.
It’s also our wish that we can figure out a more formal way to share this farm, it’s animals, and it’s risk, with more children. Our Spring Break and Summer Camps are already some of the best things we do on this farm, but we want to do more. It'’s looking like that may be with a part-time Outdoor Farm Preschool. I’ve been in talks with the licensing bodies at the Washington Department of Children, Youth, and Families as well as Department of Revenue, Workers Compensation, Paid Family & Medical Leave, Employment Security, and my Insurance Agent (the fabulous Melissa of Thrive Insurance Group) to start working through what it would look like to not only have a 4-hour preschool here, but to hire two educators to help run it. It’s a project that I’m especially passionate about because Banzai turns 4 in May and I’d like to formalize a program to help with his growth.
Because at the end of the day, being outside in the woods on top of a mountain may look a whole lot like being in the woods on a working farm, just with a whole lot more goats.
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