Harvest Day

Fall is emerging quietly and slowly here in the mountains. Mornings start foggy and cool and gradually give way to warm, sunny days and blue skies. It’s a perfect time of year, and we are taking full advantage of it both campus and off. Students were out on their paddling and climbing trips last weekend and will return to the rocks and rivers on Friday.

It is also a time of tremendous abundance. The apple harvest this year has our baskets overflowing and the garden is making the transition from summer crops to fall. For our community meeting yesterday, we decided to celebrate the harvest with an afternoon of games, music, and togetherness. Laura’s advisory group took the lead and planned a great day. We had three-legged races, an epic game of “baskets” (it’s complicated), and sitting around the fire singing songs and making charcoal sketches.

A group of students put their backcountry baking skills to the test and cooked cornbread in the coals. Ashton took advantage of heirloom red corn, nardello peppers, and fingerling potatoes growing in the garden to make a beautiful soup for our supper. We gathered in a circle, gave thanks, and enjoyed our meal on blankets spread out around Nature Hill. For dessert, we had some delicious apple crumble using apples from up in the orchard. It was truly a beautiful afternoon.

Often, we talk about building community here, and sometimes that involves working through the challenges of living together. Most often, that means getting together and enjoying each other’s company over good food in a wonderful place. Give thanks!