The Farm Brings Us Together
Under the Mother Oak: Rooting Community in Shared Soil
Amid a weekend of conversations about design and decisions, one moment grounded everything, not in words or whiteboards, but in presence.
The founding members of Burns Village & Farm gathered beneath the wide, sheltering limbs of the Mother Oak for a shared potluck picnic on the future home site. Folding chairs circled. Paper plates filled with summer dishes and snacks. Conversations meandered from construction to compost, from personal stories to shared dreams.
Some brought family recipes. Others grabbed something en route. It didn’t matter. What mattered was the ritual: showing up with something to share, including food, warmth, ideas, and presence. For a few hours, the land held their laughter, their questions, and their quiet knowing: this is what we’re really building.
But this retreat wasn’t all reflection. It was also rigorous. Members walked the land together, talked through key site features, and moved through a full working agenda:
They explored green building standards with Joe Cooper.
Discussed the path forward with Sandy and John while naming what’s working, what’s unclear, and what comes next.
Showed appreciation for one another by exchanging heartfelt reflections and quiet gestures of support that deepened their sense of connection and community.
Ended the weekend with a formal check-out and a closing reflection on Burns Village & Farm, and its potential, its role, and how to honor it.
And yes, they planted together, not as farmers, but as future neighbors. The act of putting hands in soil was symbolic and a fun shared activity.
The farm will be led by a professional. But this land and this meal under the oak? That was the first layer of something real, a connection made deeper.
Have questions? Good. We’ve got time.
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Join us for an event and discover how Burns Village & Farm is redefining modern living
August 6th at 7:00 - 8:00 pm (CT)
August 23rd at 12:30 - 1:30
August 17th at 2:00 - 3:30 pm