Week 20- 12.01.24 - Epiphany & Copake

I was a little disappointed not to be able to experience a white Christmas in New York. Instead, we were surprised on our first working day with lots of snow and icy temperatures down to -13 degrees. Our residents gradually returned and we immediately set to work clearing the snow from the paths in Triform. We were assigned the weaving mill next to our house, and we regularly cleared the grounds and access paths. Of course, we took the opportunity to go sledging with the residents, which was great fun.

On January 6, we also celebrated "Three Kings' Day" ("Epiphany"). On New Year's Eve, the people who remained in Triform mixed biodynamic compost together to make a biodynamic spray. The liquid is a natural remedy that is intended to promote the growth and quality of the plants. Cow manure is filled into horns in December, which are buried and dug up the following year after fermentation. The preparations are made by stirring in water and sprayed either on the soil or on the plants, depending on the growth cycle and time of year. Stirring is carried out with small quantities of preparations and in certain rhythms. Hence the name "homeopathy for the soil". The principle of action of the preparations is to stimulate "harmonizing life processes". The use of preparations is mandatory for every Demeter-certified farm, so our certified farm also carries out this procedure regularly. My Turkish colleague and I were dropped off at the other end of the site with spray bottles, from where we moved around the perimeter of the site and sprayed the biodynamic mixture.  I'm still a little skeptical as to whether this low concentration really has a measurable effect on the plants. However, it is a lot of fun to move slowly across the grounds and concentrate on the surrounding nature without rushing along the paths as we usually do. The focus here is on nature and our appreciation of its gifts. After more than two hours in the cold, it was really nice to warm up in front of the fireplace in the living room.

Once a week, on Tuesday afternoon, we take a group of residents to Camphill Copake. Camphill Copake is similar to our Triform Camphill Community, but has more than double the number of people with disabilities and, together with the staff, over 250 residents. Many of the residents with disabilities attend Camphill School Beaver Run in Pennsylvania as children, move to the Triform Camphill Community as young adults after graduation to try out different work settings, and then move to Camphill Copake in their mid-to-late 20s. At retirement age, when the need for medical care increases, they move to Camphill Ghent. 

Like us, the residents at Copake also work on the farm, in the garden or in the bakery. The Camphill is so big that they even have their own café and store. Here we can buy cocoa, coffee, cookies or cake and spend half an hour relaxing and chatting with each other. Our driver is a retired householder who lives in our house in Triform and regularly organizes outings with the residents. Interestingly, the Detroit-born American originally wanted to become a priest and even attended a seminary in Germany as a young man. It was here that he came into contact with the Camphill movement and, after a period as a volunteer, decided to work as a Camphill teacher. I really enjoy the afternoons in the café, a nice change from everyday life at Triform! 

On my day off I had a craving for Chinese food, so I looked around for a good restaurant and finally decided on the "Chopstick" in Catskill. I hopped on my bike and took a tour of the city, again enjoying the beautiful view of the Hudson River as I crossed the Rip Van Winkle Bridge. I don't usually take many risks when I go to restaurants and order food that I already know. However, when I looked at the menu, one dish sounded so delicious that I took the risk and ordered "General Tso's Chicken". This is a westernized dish that has spread from New York City to the entire USA.  General Tso's fried chicken is spicy, juicy and crispy. The signature sauce is thick and savory, a delicious blend of sweet and spicy. 

Sauce: soy sauce, rice wine, rice wine vinegar, sugar, corn starch, dried red chili peppers, garlic

Breading: egg, corn starch

Side dish: broccoli

Preparation: https://youtu.be/mJ8RMyPOZRQ?si=3UJ12Df0uvFW5k37

Alongside "Chicken and Waffles", it's the second dish I'd like to take back to Germany. If you ever see it on a menu, be sure to give it a try!

Week 21- 19.01.24 - Martin Luther King Day

There are four Americans whose birthdays have been declared national holidays. George Washington, the first president of the United States; President Abraham Lincoln, who led the Union through the War of Secession, abolished slavery and was instrumental in the development of the modern industrialized nation; Cesar Chevaz, the founder of the United Farm Workers union; and Martin Luther King Jr. 

My English and history teacher made a point of teaching us about the importance of Martin Luther King Jr. In English class, we analyzed in detail the important speech "I Have a Dream", which King gave on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial on August 28, 1963, and in history class we dealt with segregation and racism in the United States. When I visited Washington D.C., I was delighted to stand on the steps where Martin Luther King had stood 60 years earlier and to visit his memorial not far away. The civil rights activist propagated civil disobedience as a means of combating racial segregation and was instrumental in the abolition of segregation and the introduction of voting rights for black people. He was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1964 for his commitment. On April 4, 1968, he died far too early when he was assassinated. In Triform, we commemorated him and took a walk through the community, where everyone was able to present their own contributions at various stations. Some residents painted pictures, recited quotes or passages from famous speeches or expressed their own gratitude for his commitment. As a history teacher, I saw this as an opportunity to give a short historical background lecture.

Few people know that Martin Luther King was not born with this name.

In 1934, the Rev. Michael King Sr. took a trip around the world. He visited many countries and cities, including Rome, Tunisia, Egypt, Jerusalem and Bethlehem, and finally traveled to Berlin to attend an international conference of Baptist pastors. There he learned a lot about the German priest Martin Luther, who lived in the 16th century.

Martin Luther began the reformation of the church in 1517. Luther criticized some practices of Roman Catholicism. For example, the church accepted money to forgive sins in order to collect money. This movement initially aimed to change or reform the Roman Catholic Church. Instead, it led to the establishment of Protestantism, one of the main branches of Christianity. He also translated the New Testament into German so that not only the priests but also the citizens could read the Bible. He stood up and had the courage to publicly criticize and fight for change. 

After his return to the USA, Michael King Sr. honored the memory of this man by changing his own name to Martin Luther King. He also changed the name of his 5-year-old son Michael to Martin Luther King Jr. Like Martin Luther, Martin Luther King was to stand up and publicly advocate for change. This is the story of why we now call Michael King Martin Luther King Jr. 

I've gotten a lot of positive feedback on my talk, even some longtime employees didn't know this connection. In the past, I once criticized the fact that history and politics hardly play a role in everyday life and that I really miss dealing with them. That's why I was very excited to bring American history to the attention of the residents here.

Week 22- 25.01.24 - Inner Fire

On Saturdays, we like to go on outings together as a house. This time we went to Windy Hill Farm in Great Barrington to listen to the lecture "The Tapering Process and the Wisdom of the Human Being" by Beatrice Birch. Since 1986, Birch has worked as a Hauschka anthroposophical art therapist in clinics in England, Holland and the USA, as well as teaching in Taiwan. She has volunteered in prisons, working with inmates and leading watercolor painting classes. She has reported that she has met many people who have become addicted to medication following trauma, some of whom have chosen suicide in their despair. This experience led her to found the "Inner Fire" community in 2015. She and her staff help those seeking help to process trauma, slowly wean off medication and release their strength through creative and movement therapies. Two graduates of the program have been given the chance to share their journey and how the community has helped them work through trauma and break free from addiction. I was very impressed by the graduates' stories, especially as one of the graduates used to work as a nurse and was able to show the differences between how traditional medicine deals with traumatized people and drug addicts compared to "Inner Fire". An exciting insight!

Week 23- 01.02.24 - Goat hike

I remember taking part in an alpaca walk in Königs Wusterhausen as a child. We don't have any alpacas at Triform, but we do have two very cute goats, "Mocha" and "Turtle". 

I offered to take the residents on walks with the goats. All the residents with whom I went on the walks were extremely happy. Not only are the animals beautiful to look at, but the residents also learn a lot. Leading the animals strengthens their self-confidence, they develop empathy and learn to be patient and respectful to their little friends. At the same time, they learn to take responsibility and set boundaries. All the residents and staff we pass are completely delighted every time and ask for the goats' names and whether they can pet the animals. Animals are incredibly valuable when working with disabled persons, they are both patient teachers and loyal friends for the residents.

Week 24- 08.02.24 - Candlemas