Sisters, we grew up on this wheat and cattle farm in the rolling prairie of north central Oklahoma. After college, we each moved to other states, immersed ourselves in careers and raising families. Eventually, there was an irresistible pull back to the farm and three years ago, Ann, an energy kinesiologist, moved “home.” Pat, a trained spiritual director, moved back to the farm a year ago.
Our work here at Turtle Rock Farm: A Center for Sustainability, Spirituality and Healing, is two-fold. The retreat center offers opportunities for people to connect with nature and learn how to live sustainably. Secondly, we are learning practices to make our 100-plus-year-old farm more sustainable.
Both areas require paradigm shifts. One of the ways we invite people to shift thinking from a human-centered view of creation comes out of the work of cosmologist Brian Swimme. We offer silent walks in the prairie as well as night sky and sun meditations so that people experience deeply the vastness of the universe, and remember again that the sun holds us; that creation wasn’t made “for” humans, but, rather, that we are part of one organic process of creation. These simple methods create profound experiences. Likewise, simply creating raised bed gardens in a one-day workshop, people reconnect to something deep and abiding but forgotten, and they are motivated to not only raise their own vegetables (a huge contribution to Earth), but make other changes in their lives that are more sustainable for creation and contribute to their spiritual health.
The work of moving away from use of chemicals on a 1,600-acre wheat and cattle farm requires another paradigm-shift. We are encouraged by many, including the courageous and wise Oklahoma farmer who has successfully made the transition to organic wheat and cattle farming on his farm, which is twice as large as ours. We hope that our efforts will help other farmers in our community see the possibilities of sustainable agriculture.
Our efforts are huge, considering the challenges, and small, considering the challenges. But we feel they make a difference. We helped elementary school children in our hometown eight miles away (Billings, pop. 700) establish a raised bed garden where they grow vegetables.
Too, we have been offering monthly potluck gatherings, called Sabbath Suppers. Those who had joined us were out-of-towners. Recently, we invited farmer-neighbors. We were warned of old disagreements and long-running dislikes among these farmers. Undaunted, we made the calls. They came at 5 p.m. and stayed until 9:30, sitting together at table, there on the patio as Earth rolled up, the sun disappeared and a star-studded sky embraced the Oklahoma prairie.
Turtle Rock Farm
5900 CR 90, Red Rock, OK 74651
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