SUMMER 2005
NOFA National Organic Farming Association
August 11-13
Fri, Sat, Sun
Hampshire College in Amherst, MA.
Weather was hot and sultry for
Massachusetts. David had a presentation on Friday and we got there
15 minutes late. I sat in and it was spectacular again even tho it
must have been the 12th time I had heard it. It was too late
to set up my display. They had a country dance but it did not go over
as well as the Contra Dance last year but after the dance and a
few beers, David set up at 1;AM in the dark anyway and my display got only
half way up. He kinda forgot a key element to putting it up and
there was no way to fix it with my back like it is.
For the first day, people past me by like I was
invisible... not to expect much more when at a new venue. I met
very few people last year and so it was reflected in this first
day. Got a quick rain shower Saturday afternoon and had to hurry
to put my stuff away since the set up hand no cover. Saturday nite however Julie
Arranged for me to tell the story around the campfire and I had
about 60 people throughout the night. Many were children. They
came and some left but then more came again and there was a pretty
good crowd all evening. I was competing with the Cajun
Dance at the Barn so I felt that I had drawn pretty well for my
little story telling gig. After story telling, I found David at
the Cajun Dance and watched the dancing until the Barn closed down
and then we still sat and talked to people. Finally, we headed
back to the van, and I got a much needed shower and a good sleep.
Next day,
Sunday, people came by to tell me how
much they enjoyed the story and how much fun it was around the
campfire. I did my workshop at 1-3, for 8 people and then hurried
back to put things away before another shower dumped on things. I
could hear Mother rolling her thunder about and I kept praying she
would let me get everything put away first... just as the last of
the art got put into the van, down came the rain and it rained and
it rained. David got busy teaching dowsing to three people under
the big tent after we had parked the van in there and rearranged
the hastily put away art and tables. Some good people said they
hoped I would make it back next year... they said that NOFA should
have had this story along time ago... it is so very important.
David did a workshop on soil
re-mineralization and I hear it was great, and then he did a
dowsing workshop for the youth on Sunday. He had organized the
first NOFA 21 years ago and so he knew a whole lot of people....
being connected with him was not a bad thing as it seems people
recognize his dedication to the cause and consider him a guru of
sorts... one with wisdom but not necessarily a following. If
people truly understood what David goes through in order to live
what he preaches, he would most definitely be revered. He has made
huge personal sacrifices and pushed relentlessly in a body that is
a constant challenge.
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Pie Eating Contest |
Trick Riding |
Me, tired, hot, and frustrated with events. |
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