We are officially snowed in. We live on a mountain that is most definitely in the snow belt. For the past two weeks, we have had to hike a mile one way from our parked truck at our neighbors who live below us. It's easy walking for most of the way until one gets to a steep hill littered with pine cones. It could be dangerous to slip so I rely on my trekking poles. Then it's a straight shot to the neighbor's driveway. Mark and his son have helped us hike in provisions and even a 7 gallon propane tank! Conversations get deeper and more real when you partake in a walk about in the woods. This is no Grandfather's tale of walking uphill both ways in the snow from school! This is real life and we are starting to get comfortable with being uncomfortable.
The last couple of days we are staying at my mom's house in town as we go pick up our new SUV that is 4 WD at the car dealership. I got up bright and early before everyone. Living off grid has changed my body clock and I arise when the earth wakes up. It's so comfy at mom's house. A flushing toilet. A thermostat ambient heating. Running hot water at an instant. I showered and then started the instant coffee pot. Wifi is always on so no fussing with the generator (we call it the Wailin' Jenny! and have it decorated with fun stickers) or the battery we charge to have online access. Thoughts were going through my head: this is really comfortable! How am I able to live so primitive on the mountain? Dang I got used to having to heat up hot water on the pot belly stove for dishes and showering outside even in a snow storm! And waking up to run to the outhouse is invigorating and forces one to start the day first thing out in nature! It's so quiet and peaceful up on the mountain and then I find myself missing it. Knowing that we will install a bathroom in the old cabin and update it. The sacrifices of living off grid to me are worth it. I don't have to do the 8-5 commute and grind anymore. My muscles are so strong from all of the hiking and wood chopping we do. My husband and I plan the day together and tackle the most important tasks at hand. The kids will never forget these experiences and it is making them so resilient and strong!
We have a group text with our neighbors and we all look out for each other. Our neighbors down below us said that the previous owner of the homestead would park at his place and snowshoe in during the winter. She did that for 36 years! Talk about a tough cookie. A story I heard was one time her husband broke his leg while hiking back. She got him into the cabin, set his bone and applied comfrey compresses. He healed and never went to the hospital! The crutches and wheel chair remain in the barn loft. We are finding many relics that tell a story of when time was slower and if you needed something, you made it. I can't wait to hear more stories from Linda and maybe someday I will write her story. Comfrey is drying on the rack as I type this. Got to be prepared with herbal medicine at all times!
One thing that I am learning in this crazy life is that one must get comfortable with being uncomfortable. That is ultimate freedom. The monastics practice this. The Amish get it. We have become so soft as a society and addicted to modern day conveniences. It is encouraged to live a fast paced life and then get so fatigued that you have to zone out on Netflix and watch junk food TV. Speaking of junk food, food is often an after thought for many Americans when nutrition is so important to our well being. I plan my whole day on how I will feed my family. It starts with meal planning and feeding the sourdough starter. Fermenting veggies. Canning soups. Slow roasts and soups cooking all day long on the potbelly stove. Food tastes better on the mountain when it is cooked slowly and with love.
I can see why writers and artists flee to the mountains for inspiration. My head feels more clear and nature inspires lyrics and word-smithing. The spring water is like the Fount of Youth. Nothing tastes sweeter and the minerals alkalize and facilitate detoxification. Negative and evil thoughts don't seem to last and positive affirmations replace them. The slow paced life is a spiritual practice. I am learning so much from God's Creation. When I look out, and I see all of God's glory of the trees, surrounding mountains and big skies, I think this is a glimpse of what heaven looks like. How blessed are we that we get to live here and be stewards of this old growth forest! So yes, there is no going back to society. I will be a hermit for the rest of my days but I love people just as much as plants so I will always share my safe haven with family and friends. Connecting with others through teaching classes and forest school.
A big change is coming for us as we prepare to move off the mountain for a couple of months during the thick of the winter. Our friends at Alpine Village Farms offered us a cozy place to stay and help them work in the greenhouses. One of the greenhouses will serve as a classroom and living workshop. I will be teaching classes on folk medicine making, fermentation, herbal remedies, etc. Stay tuned for some Youtube videos! It is all so exciting yet overwhelming. It's tough staying organized and running a business living remotely and constantly rearranging our life to live with the seasons. Yet we are cut out for this. Yo ho, yo ho, the homsteading life for me! And I remind myself to take it day by day. What can I accomplish today? Thy will be done.
I am also so grateful for the healing herbs that I work with. My All-purpose Healing Salve is a God send to winter chapped lips. It has worked miracles for a customer who had a terrible rash on her face. The first time she greeted me at Farmer's market, her face was red and irritated. I felt her pain as I once had a painful rash that I still have scars from. I made a Healing Salve delivery to her the other day and she looked almost completely healed! It is so gratifying to be able to help heal my people. This healing salve was the only remedy that truly healed my painful rash when nothing else seemed to. And it's made with wild crafted ingredients: St. John's Wort, Yarrow, Self- Heal, Usnea Lichen and Comfrey. These all grow abundantly on the land. The Elderberry Elixir is in high demand right now during the winter months. It is a tried and true cold and flu preventative. And it can speed up the healing process. Another friend ordered some and she said it is helping her allergies tremendously when nothing else has worked. Music to my ears! This is God's medicine and I am so thankful I was called to work with plants in order to help heal people and the planet itself. Regenerative agriculture goes hand in hand with herbalism. Herbal remedies help us feel more grounded and resilient to what life throws at us. Tending to wild plants benefits the soil and the microorganism that all of creation rely on.
I get nervous about finances as Farmer's Market closed down for the season and online sales are sparse. If you can, please consider supporting your local medicine woman and family farm. Feel good knowing that you are putting something pure in your body and supporting my family. This is the work I was meant to do! During this time of gift giving, I encourage everyone to support their local mom and pop shops whether online or brick and mortar.
May everyone have a blessed Thanksgiving shared with love ones.
See you on the trail, Jessica (A.K.A. Mountain Medicine Mama)
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