Saturday, August 02, 2008

Yoga on the Farm

Hectic Householderdom...and I have been neglectful. I hadn't realized it's been a whole 2 weeks since the last post, so my apologies. However, I've finished the YJ community article (more on that later), Eamonn's 4th birthday is out of the way and things have settled to a dull roar.

I also got a call from a local organic farm, Angelic Organics, with whom I've participated in their CSA shareholder program for several years. Eating locally-produced food is something I try very hard to do (not so easy in Wisconsin in the winter) and buying a "share" in a local farm means I write a check and, for most of the summer, I get a box of fresh, organic veg to get me through each week. Late summer is great when the box overflows with tomatoes, corn, squash, carrots, etc...early summer is nice, too, altho it gets hard to find things to do with lettuce. Still, it's fresh, it's from nearby and my pick-up is the farm itself so I get to see the fields up close.

As I was saying, they called and asked if I would be interested in teaching yoga to some of their staff. I agreed immediately because I am a big supporter of their cause, but I didn't realize what a treat it would be for me. We meet in the fixed-up, second floor of a small barn, with floor-to-ceiling windows, and practice with the full orchestra of early summer evenings (birds, bugs, frogs) filling the space. The whole enterprise seems so yoga-appropriate--healthy dirt, healthy produce, healthy farmers--and the Midwest in July and August is such a green, fecund backdrop for it all.

I'm having a great time doing it. Even the drive is a delight--all gently rolling hills, farm ponds, grazing cattle and willow trees. It's almost it's own yoga, if you can have driving yoga (seems a bit petro-chemically dependent, so a guilty please, I guess). I'm grateful for the opportunity and it's a nice change of pace.

Check out your own local CSA or farmers' market...there's a lot of delicious stuff and you make even hook up with a yoga class. Who knows?!?

4 comments:

shinyyoga said...

oh wow, that sounds just blissful! We get a fortnightly home delivery of organic fruit and veg here in Sydney, and we're really struggling as we're in the middle of winter. There's only so dishes you can make with potatoes and oranges haha!

But it's good to be connected to our food a bit more, and to eat things in season. Wow - interesting concept ;)

xxx

Jen said...

Sounds idyllic!

Anonymous said...

Brenda your site is fresh and friendly, enjoyable! I too hail from the great state of Wisconsin, yet have been teaching yoga and living in Minneapolis for many moons now. Recently I started my own blog combo website. What an adventure. Teaching yoga is so immediate and real to me and writing is a stretch in another direction but I'm willing to give it a shot. I just loved reading your yoga in the countryside story...thanks for sharing! Write to me! www.goyogajane.com Peace-Yoga Jane

Wandering Sage said...

Your class sounds similar to one I teach in the mountains of Vermont. Wonderful when nature can participate as well!
wishing you much peace,
Aaron