Dartmouth comes to Cobb Hill
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I am a professor at Dartmouth and the Executive Director of a large research lab called the Digital Arts Leadership and Innovation (DALI) Lab. Every year I bring my students and members of the lab to Cobb Hill. Saturday night 20 students and staff came for dinner, blueberry picking, and s'mores by the fire pit. It couldn't have been better. Once again Cobb Hill, and all we do and aspire to do, were inspirational to a group of young people from a wide range of backgrounds.
Read MoreThe Hope of Francis
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If our species is to survive and thrive we must regain the knowledge, commitment and will to adapt our ways of living to sustainable and renewable patterns that enhance rather than destroy the life of this planet. We can do this. All the tumult, fears, struggles and hopes we each experience in our own microcosm of community are not in any way separate from this exciting macro-cosmic moment of danger and opportunity.
Read MoreA Day of Climate Advocacy for Some Cobb Hillians
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Three Cobb Hill teens, Jenna, Nora, and Gretta, have been particularly active in the Vermont divestment effort over the past six months, lobbying legislators, attending the pension investment committee meetings and delivering public comments to the investment board. Jenna has also been hand-painting banners for use at divestment rallies across the state (see a cool video of Jenna making one of those banners here).
Read MoreSummer Morning in the Market Garden
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Looking north across the market garden. Photo by Jenna Rice.
The Winter Wren
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There is a Winter Wren holding forth at the top of Cobb Hill. He's the 3.75 inch guy who weighs a third of an ounce and has the pizzicato presto series of trills and chirps given every minute or so.
Read MoreRadishes in the Kids' Garden
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Caitlin and the radish harvest!
Protecting Soil and Water
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Recently our Natural Resources Conservation Services pasture specialist dropped off a 48 page bulletin from the Vermont Natural Resources Conservation Districts titled: Conservation in Vermont--Best Management Practices for Farm and Forest Owners. The guide outlines state-of-the-art practices that promote water and soil conservation on farms. Of the 18 practices listed specific to farms we are implementing 13:
Read MoreTruck repair, Vermont style
/I took the [community-owned] truck to Meunier's to look at the bent flange on the right side hinge of the tail gate. A very large man ripped off the tail gate, got a hammer and beat the rear end good. After a few more tries and pries it works better than it has in several years. He was quoted as saying "you can fix anything with a big enough hammer".
Cost - I bought the crew a round of coffee tomorrow.
--from an email by Alan K.
Sheep Escape
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How long does it take for a crowd of neighbors to arrive to help round up a flock of escaped sheep?
About 5 minutes, it turns out.
This evening we looked up from dinner to see the llama strolling across the road with the sheep moving swiftly, not far behind her. Then we saw Hal, jogging in their direction pretty swiftly himself!
Read MoreThe Pope's Encyclical
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I was in tears two paragraphs in. I strongly suggest that someone at Cobb Hill print a copy and people begin reading it. I would like to convene a discussion group when I return in August. He is a leader for our times and I am so grateful that he is using his pulpit to create “a conversion” of those that have been dallying on the sidelines watching. I have never believed that the Pope is a Divine selection by God. I have scoffed at Catholics who buy this story. Tonight as I read, I am doubting my own doubts. I am now thinking that there might be such a thing as Divine Intervention. What I'm realizing is that we need to continue to keep up with the New Story that is happening at Cobb Hill in order to claim anything around our values of sustainability.
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