Joanna Falcone
mothering Mother

As a student of the environment entering my final year at McGill University in Montreal, I was looking to have a little adventure this summer before I graduate and  enter the “real world”. Desiring to avoid the typical summer jobs, I ventured outside the box to the US National Parks website. There, I discovered a section devoted to youth corps programs. These programs revolved around conservation projects and were located across the country. I applied to several, but decided on Rocky Mountain Youth Conservation Corps,  a non-profit organization partnered with AmeriCorps, and based in Steamboat Springs, Colorado. Basically, I was to be living in the woods for 3 months on a chainsaw crew with eight of my peers working outdoors and truly experiencing nature. 

When I first heard chainsaw, I thought “isn’t this supposed to be about conservation? How will cutting DOWN trees help with that?” I really didn’t know what I was getting myself into. I packed up my life into a 45lb backpack and headed out to Colorado. The first week was a whirlwind. My crew was stationed at a desolate campground in the heart of the Colorado Rockies. Here, we built a fence and planted trees. My crew & I bonded immediately because we were with each other 24/7.

As the weeks went on, we underwent intensive chainsaw training and found most of our projects to be about forest fire mitigation and forest health. A few years ago, there was an invasive pine beetle epidemic that left most of the Rocky Mountain pine trees for dead. To help remedy this problem, one of our projects was to go in and remove fallen trees, which could potentially fuel a forest fire. We put them into teepee-like piles to be burned in a controlled environment come winter. We also cut down these “beetle kill” trees, as they could fall and become hazards to hikers or campers. We then utilized this wood to construct a fence that was used to protect an endangered plant species. 

The work was meaningful, but the best things about my experience were meeting amazing people, being isolated from society, and living completely in the now. Living in a tent and going to work everyday was my life. I didn’t have to worry about paying bills or rent, or buying gas. It was so refreshing to have a single focus rather than constant sensory stimulation. Where I used to find myself bored without an iPod to listen to or a computer to surf the web, I experienced a new form of stimulation- nature and my own thoughts. 

I have always had a love for the outdoors, but living in a city, I find it difficult to take time out and be strictly in the present. I found myself taking in more than the fresh mountain air. It was my own form of meditation that allowed me to reaffirm my values and reconnect with myself in a sense. On the weekends, we took recreational trips in the region, adding more and more locations to my adventures. The breathtaking scenery was perhaps more incentive to be completely aware of where I was. The smells, the sights, the sounds, the feelings- I took in every detail that was presented to me in these fascinating places.  

I was not in complete isolation the entire summer, however. We would venture into nearby towns to restock our food supply and shower every weekend. I did notice I reacted differently to people upon these visits. Large crowds overwhelmed me and loud “city” noises made me anxious, neither of which had ever really been an issue before. It was culture shock almost.

After 2 months back in civilization, I have adjusted to the city sensations. I am so grateful that I was able to have this experience, and can honestly say I’ve changed in a positive light. My passion for the environment and being in nature was most certainly confirmed, and, as I prepare to venture away from the academic world that I have known for so very long, I hope this passion will lead me to more amazing adventures. 

We have included 2 recipes in the newsletter this month! The first recipe came out of the late summer fresh ingredients. In this recipe quinoa is used as the grain to replace bulgur. In our wheat-based world (bulgur is a wheat grain) it is nice to eat a grain that is from a different grain family.  Experiment, try something new!

½ cup quinoa

1 cup water

pinch of salt

1 tomato

1 cucumber

large bunch of parsley

Optional: several mint leaves, chopped finely

Dressing

Olive oil

Juice of ½ lemon

Salt, pepper

Rinse the quinoa well under running water. Roast in a pan to dry the grains, then add the required amount of water and salt. Bring to the boil, reduce to a gentle simmer, cover and let cook for 15 minutes. 

Turn off the heat but leave the quinoa to sit in the pan for a further 5 minutes. Turn the cooked grains out into a non-metallic bowl. As the grains cool off chop the tomato, cucumber and parsley (and mint if using this). Combine the ingredients for the dressing.

When the quinoa is at room temperature add all of the remaining ingredients, including the dressing.  Stir well to mix everything together. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. Adjust seasoning if necessary.

And that is it! Enjoy the simplicity of each taste!

Makes 3-4 servings.

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The second recipe centers around a paragraph in the “Eating Our Way Out” article. Since the cookie recipe is egg-free it is safe to nibble on the batter right out of the bowl, or use it for cookie dough ice cream. No concern for salmonella!

½ cup unsalted butter

½ cup sucanat

2 T turbinado sugar

Egg replacement – mashed banana or applesauce equivalent

                               (¼ cup)

½ t vanilla

1/3 cup rolled oats

¼ cup shredded coconut

½ cup whole wheat flour

¼ cup white flour

½ cup chopped walnuts

1 scant cup chocolate chipits

½ t baking soda

¼ t salt

Cream butter with the sugars until it is soft. Add the egg replacer and the vanilla. Cream together again. Add all remaining ingredients at one time. Mix on low only until the flour disappears.

Drop by spoonful onto baking sheets. Bake at 350F for 8-10 minutes. Let the cookies cool on the baking tray for a couple of moments before moving to wire racks. Cool completely before eating, if you can wait that long!

 

Makes 24 cookies

I have recently been exploring different aspects of our food consuming habits. Sitting in a public place, and watching all of the activity going on, gives time to observe our habits.

Specialization was created to raise us up from minimum survivors to group thrivings. Having persons specialize in different trades gave rise to increased production and less time spent on pure survival. As barter and trade advanced to money, the levels of exchange increased, as did the specialization.

Although this is not meant as a mini history lesson, the question of what benefit has come to the world from this specializing, and how far can we take it until it is no longer beneficial, came to my mind. Has the pleasure of feeding your Self  become a task that is left to others?

Time and effort is needed to properly nourish the body, mind and spirit. Eating food from your own home, from your own hands, with focus, attention and care, does create a different level of awareness of life. As one becomes attuned to the physical body, and the post digestive effects of foods, one begins to become more attuned to the physical world around. How attuned are we to the words that another is speaking? How far into conversation until the attention is averted elsewhere?

A friend is “fasting” for an upcoming religious celebration. To prepare the body, mind and spirit for this event, all flesh foods including eggs are to be avoided. So when offered a cookie, she will ask if there are eggs in it. Her young son wanted a chicken dish for dinner. Despite his young demands he was told that they would not be eating that right now. The interesting observation is the subtle development of limitations and restrictions, and living consciously and happily with these restrictions in place. Most often we are fearful of what life will be like without our favorite food, or our favorite drink and this fear can paralyze us, and keep us stuck where we are, which may not be where we want to be. 

The act of denying a food, or limiting a food, begins an inner discipline. We are able to develop this discipline with school and work, because we are accountable to others and scored for the effort and achievement. What about a personal health plan? A personal environmental commitment? Who is keeping score? And what is the purpose? Only you can answer this question, although I will give you some nudges on this journey! 

There is the recognition with this fasting practice that what feeds the body feeds the mind and the spirit. The mind is a great tool that works best when it is sharpened regularly. What this means is that everyday the mind is bombarded with information that comes in through the senses, and this information is processed with a hue from past experiences. Who you are now is a culmination of your experiences and processing. The mind becomes cluttered with this information and as a result spends most of the time in reverse or fast forward as opposed to the present moment. Practicing daily times of intentional quietude and stillness begins the process of calming and clearing the mind. 

The following is a quote from a talk given by Ravi Ravindra, a professor of physics, philosophy and comparative religions. His words below are in reference to the mind.

So now I have filled your mind with knowledge. Joanna has filled your heart with her personal discoveries in nature. Unclutter your mind of all our words. Let silence wash over you and sit in quietude. It is then that the real message will arise, and give you the strength and joy to act accordingly.

May you shine for those around you. May others shine for you.

Namaste,

Sydney