August has flown by and we have been a part of and facilitated some wonderful events!
Hi! It’s Kate again! Here for some more insight into what we do, what that looks like, and invite you to come along for the adventures in crunchy living and community care!
Our Heart & Soil Circle kicked off the month with a beautiful gathering that you can read more about HERE.
You might have seen us at the Love Your Mental Event, or at Rockford City Market recently.
We’ve been busy! Today I want to share about the other two events that were held by Rockford Crunchy Ladies this month.
The rabbitry class was held at the home of one of our wonderful members and social media admins on Sunday August 2oth. Meagan lovingly welcomed us in to her home and shared all of her experience and knowledge with us.
We covered the basics of rabbitry, from different housing options, sizes, growth rates, feed, and temperaments, all the way to how to humanely and respectfully harvest and field dress a rabbit with the end goal to feed the family in a sustainable and informed way.
The more “middle men” we can remove between us and our food, the healthier and wealthier we all will be. (my opinion)
Meagan was a wonderful teacher. She has a wealth of knowledge and experience with meat rabbits and was able to answer questions as well as help each participant feel more confident in starting their own journey as rabbit farmers. She was very encouraging and truthful about the process, as well as sharing important tidbits that she has found helpful along the way. After we had an initial introduction and conversation about rabbitry it was time to move into the participation portion of the rabbitry class.
Meagan was so kind, patient, and supportive with each participant as we observed and participated in the harvesting process. Some of us weren’t ready to perform the cervical dislocation necessary to field dress and she supportively took the reigns for that. Meagan was excellent at providing instruction to properly and safely dress the meat. I feel confident that I could do it again unassisted.
I can’t express how perfect Meagan was to guide this workshop and this very unique and real experience. We are lucky to have her as a Crunchy Lady and so grateful that she agreed to share in the capacity of facilitating a workshop.
If you are interested in attending a workshop like this (or even this exact one) LET US KNOW!!
If you are interested in learning more about what rabbitry is and if it is a good option for your crunchy home, take a listen to this informative “crash course” podcast I found helpful. Much of it is the basics we covered in class as well! Pioneering Today- Raising Meat Rabbits with Jeremy Chambers
Be sure to check out our upcoming workshops and events for more informative, educational, hands on learning and community building!
I want to take this moment to invite you to our monthly barter market!
I have attended the last two, and I can’t tell you what a wonderful event Mikala has been building!
We meet at our “headquarters” a 3217 20th Ave in Rockford the 3rd Monday of every month.
Set up starts at 5pm. Tables are set up in advance and available for use, or you can choose to bring your own table to accommodate our growing group!
After everyone is set up and settled, the kids usually go to play on the outdoor equipment and all participants take some time to browse each other’s tables, say hello, and set snacks out on the refreshment table. All who come are encouraged to bring food to share!
There is such a wide array of items available at each table that it is very hard to just list a few. Gently used clothing and kids items are usually present. Books and educational materials that people are ready to send off to a new home. Hand made items of all sorts and a really incredible array of edible items- prepared and fresh from the garden. Tools, plants, tinctures, teas, and literally everything in between and outside the box. It is always exciting to see what everyone brings. It could be ANYTHING!
You are also welcome to just come with cash and gather treasures this way as well. Many people are probably able and willing to take forms of payment like venmo, paypal, or cashapp.
However, I do believe that many if not most of us have several items around the house that we can’t bear to throw away, can’t stand to look at anymore, and would be so happy to trade it off for something new and more purposeful.
You see after attending a few, I realized that the energy is not to bring things expecting to get a perceived dollar amount equivalent exchange. Here is my perspective on Barter Market, and how I think gatherings like these are going to be the face of change that we need to move forward as a society.
Barter market is about bringing a little bit of whatever it is you got, want to share, have excess of. Things that are in need of a new home that still have life left in them. Things you craft on a regular basis that you loving sell at vendor shows. Items that you have grown, harvested, dried, baked, cooked, fermented, canned, preserved as well as items that are useful but of no use to you anymore.
I think that the unexpected element of a loose structure, no concrete money exchange, and a generous environment is foreign to people. The event itself is a refreshing reminder of the impact of community that focuses on sharing the abundance of our own individual resources. Everyone ends up engaging in conversations, offering compliments for various reasons, and keeping eyes on kids as they play.
The energy that I leave this event with is something that is new to me. These are the types of events and engagements that will help shape a new era of collective unity and abundance. The people that gather here are the type of people who love to share what they know, generously trade excitedly for your treasures, and support you in whatever ways needed!
When I leave barter market I have an invigoration of hope, a feeling of belonging in community, and a spark of excitement for the next event to come around!
Below are just a few examples of a few of the tables that were at August Barter Market.
Plan to join us Monday September 18th 5-8pm for our next one! 3217 20th Ave Rockford!
