After the past 3 months--it’s very clear we are in a new era. COVID-19 losses, stay at home orders, confronting racism head on, are just some of the things that have turned our lives upside down. The current generation is facing something that we’ve all had to face in prior generations, only this time with tenacity and fearlessness. Their determination is saying to all of us that they choose to be the ones to complete what’s been incomplete. I have lived my life in revolution--tied to generations of revolution. I watched my parents and great-grandparents, how they saw the world and what they were trying to do. After the civil rights era, it took decades for most of us to realize we’d been had and took. We had many of the same demands 40, 50, and 60 yrs ago. As I watched the raspberries blossom this Spring, the Earth gifted me with a beautiful proverb: There must be flowers before there is fruit. It is very clear, over and over again, we were unable to create the outcomes that we were striving to achieve because we didn’t have skill sets. When we as a community lack basic skills; how to build, how to grow our own food, this makes us vulnerable. We need a new kind of leadership to assist communities in being resilient: those who speak through their actions. Blossoms don’t necessarily mean fruit, but must come before the fruit. Everything has to line up, for pollination to give way to fruit. To support fertility in this transition time, we at Black Oaks Center are launching two new initiatives: CommUnity Leaders Circle and CommUnity Learning Days. CommUnity Leaders Circle This circle is for everyone who is dedicated to sustainable communities, rooted in the values of self-determination, dignity and connectedness. Keep an eye out for an email in the next week, with details and how to join. CommUnity Learning Days We are at the brink of something new! It will take new skills, determination and perseverance to make our visions manifest. CommUnity Learning Days at the off grid eco campus will allow participants a chance to get away from urban stress and stains, be close to the Earth and have a chance to clear your head. You will be flanked by those on a similar journey, drawn together to assist each other to pollinate something never created before. Join us at the eco campus in the historic black farming community of Pembroke Township. Blossom in your potential being fully expressed, to create fruit for the future. Apply now if you want to be more, do more, feel connected.
This Sunday, June 14th from 9am-4pm: Predator Proof Coop Help create a home for the cockerels and the keets! We will be re-using parts of a high tunnel to make a 4 season home with a run.
You will build skills in construction, fence building, leveling, clearing land, use of wood, and caring for birds for eggs and meat.
Click here to apply! Can’t make it this weekend? No problem! Learning Days will continue: When: 9am-4pm Saturdays & Sundays in June, starting Sunday June 14th Where: Black Oaks Eco Campus, Pembroke Township Who: Maximum of 10 people will be selected for each learning day, due to COVID-19 restrictions What to bring: Enclosed shoes, boots, light-colored clothing to keep mosquitoes, bugs including ticks away, hat with mosquito netting, insect repellent, and lunch with enough to share.