Thank you for being a part of The Mountain

This view comes to you from the summit of Whiteside Mountain. Where the great bear shadow is making its appearances, rounding the corner in the late eve of the falling sun.

Welcome to November! The feeling of a free into Fall and all its falling leaves is in full swing! The days grow short, the fires burn warm on cooling nights, and we feel the unique magic of the season as the forest around prepares for a winter slumber. This time of year gives one a breath of reflection as the air comes cool into our lungs, reminding us of the days soon to come, and that everything has a season and a time to bloom. This change offers us an opportunity of grace: the opportunity to review our year's harvest and decisions. A most notable tradition marks this time of genuflection, Thanksgiving! Giving us a moment in modernity to offer thanks and honor to the cycle of life.

The origins of Thanksgiving can be traced to Squanto teaching the Pilgrims, weakened by malnutrition and illness, how to cultivate corn, extract sap from maple trees, catch fish in the rivers and avoid poisonous plants. Skills adapted and forged by generations living closely to the land for sustenance. We know this history ended quite tragically...However, it stands as a memento to the importance of inherited and earned wisdom. Life is richer when we can view how much has been given as a gift, one that continually passes through the ages. Let us uphold our collective inheritance and be good stewards of knowledge earned through trial and tribulation. Hallows eve marks another autumnal acquiescence, one in which we pay homage to those past. A time to reconnect to our ancestors through the thinning veil. A reminder that we owe all to our predecessors, and one day soon will join them. 

Newton is credited with saying "If I have seen further, it is because I have stood on the shoulders of giants," in regards to his contributions to physics. However even this quote's origins are speculative, as it was pulled from scholars before his time. Life seems to be small incremental steps of progress, but perhaps it is also a process of eternal forgetting and remembering. 

This brings to mind a sign from The Mountain's Dining Hall, "We drink from wells we did not dig. We are warmed by fires we did not build. The Mountain exist by its supporters." So much in life is a gift. It can be humbling to stop and consider how much is at work in order for you just to read this sentence or take your next breath.

Giving thanks opens a door to personal happiness, connecting one more deeply to the world around. The ability to see and have gratitude for the smallest of connections awakens one to the abundance and richness of life in an ever-connected expanding model of inter-being. It enables us to see challenges as opportunities, and keeps our feet on the ground and humbled before the remarkable balance and mysteries of the universe. This Thanksgiving give thanks to the microbes in the soil, the enzymes they produce, the alchemy they preform that keeps the world alive and fresh, if not also being simultaneously consumed and dismantled, only to be reborn. 

“We are all connected; to each other, biologically. To the earth, chemically. To the rest of the universe atomically. We are not figuratively, but literally stardust.” ~ Neil DeGrasse Tyson

The very idea of our “self” comes from using other “selves” as mirrors. We can view one another as walking, talking, psychophysiological mirrors for each other. The sooner we realize this, the sooner we will become more compassionate and sympathetic, and the more likely we are to practice vulnerable empathy and fearless forgiveness.

It may help us to think less like desperate and isolated islands and more like robust and interconnected oceans. Like Arne Naess said, and Aldo Leopold before him, “think like a mountain.” We do this in order to harmonize ourselves with each other and with Gaia.

Come celebrate Thanksgiving with us here on The Mountain.

Remind us of all that you have to share, and give thanks for!

We look forward to seeing you!

Friends of The Mountain Ed, and Linda wanted to share this document below on how we can contribute to a lower carbon Thanksgiving through our conscious food choices. It's that conciseness that may empower us to live collectively healthier lives.

Thanks for SUUFI Success…!

The 8th Annual SUUFI was another sell-out with almost 80 Superb Agers mastering the “Aging to Saging” theme.

Thanks to Dr. Rita Brodnax, main presenter, who debunked common myths of aging and let us reset our expectations.

Thanks to 15 subject matter experts who delivered 24 workshops in 4 afternoons.

Thanks to many of these workshop leaders who donated $1,006 of their staff credits to The Mountain’s Summer Camperships.

Thanks to Silent Auction and SUUFI Mart buyers who spotted bargains of donated and hand-crafted materials totaling $1,111, again for The Mountain’s Summer Camperships.

Thanks to The Mountain Staff for their cheerful and dedicated support in nurturing our program, facilities, food, and relationships.

Join us October 4-9 in 2020 as we evolve SUUFI, blessed with rave reviews and ideas submitted in evaluations completed by 80% of the participants. Hugs!

Thanks a bunch!

Phil Sterner, SUUFI coordinator

What's on the Horizon?

Before Thanksgiving we have SEUUMA  (Southeast UU Ministers Association) Fall Retreat. Minsters from around the southeast gathering once again to enhance their skills, share in their knowledge and help each other enrich their congregations. 

The Fall Board & Endowment Board Annual Meeting starts on the 22nd.

Gathering on The Mountain before our Thanksgiving program to review strategic planning related to the growth and care of The Mountain and those it services.

A time of reflection as we prepare for the new year and review the state of

The Mountain. 

Whats Growing Down Below? 

Fall is here, and it’s been a splendid leaf and harvest season thus far. We just had our last farmers market of the year, and there’s always this farewell to fellow vendors where everyone basically says, “See you on the other side of winter.”

We did get our first frost which killed most tender plants outside  our greenhouse. The tomatoes are now feeling extra special for being spared. These cold temps also beckon a time to harvest many crops, especially roots that are sweetened by the cold. We’re excited to be harvesting chicory roots, Jerusalem artichokes, and horseradish. Each of these ingredients are likely to be featured in some way for our Thanksgiving feast on The Mountain. And one last exciting harvest this fall has been the stigma of a non-native crocus flower known as saffron. That’s right; we planted 100 corms in August, and they’ve already started blooming! It’s very tedious to harvest, and that’s part of what makes it more valuable than gold by weight. It’s just an experiment and a novelty, but boy is it cool.

As far as mushrooms go, our shiitake are very happy with some of these fall rains we’ve been getting. We’re still able to find some wild chicken of the woods mushroom which we’ve been cooking and freezing for later use. But our white whale of the fall season is hen of the woods mushroom (Grifola frondosa) which is an exquisite fall delicacy that we like to make our vegan gravy from. We’ll keep looking, and send us your well-wishing please.

We recently sponsored a showing of the documentary Biggest Little Farm at The Highlands Playhouse as part of their Foodie Film Festival. It’s an excellent movie if you haven’t seen it! Highlighting the many, many struggles of a diverse veggie, fruit, and animal farm in California trying to manage their farm as an ecosystem. It did a good job showing the romantic and brutal aspects of being committed to organic practices and fostering diversity. It was a cool opportunity to sponsor, and I think it’ll spawn many good connections in the community as I think we got several folks hooked on the wild mushroom dish we served.

We hope to see you for a tasty Thanksgiving meal, and please reach out with any plant/mushroom questions. 

- Joey Kyle, Farm Manager 

The farm is looking for volunteer and paid helpers for next year.

This is a unique opportunity to connect with a crew of caring permaculture enthusiasts in a protected and wild forest environment. Helping produce food for markets and guest alike. Helping tend a burgeoning food forest, educating campers, caring for animals, and finding a path to work and live in one of the most beautiful environments in Western North Carolina. Please share this opportunity with those you think would be passionate and interested.  

For more info, visit our page or

send an e-mail to farm@themountainrlc.org.  

Follow the adventures of the Many Hands Peace Farm on Facebook

Mountain Musings 

We're thankful to the people who make up The Mountain and support it through their energy and love. It takes a village to create a village worth living in. There's always been a tremendous amount of ground swell and grass roots energy around The Mountain's programming and sustenance. Telling the people you love and care about why you love The Mountain and what aspects of it you want to share with them is what continues to grow our offerings and outreach.  

During October we had the UU congregation of Asheville gather once again to add their spirit to The Mountain. They even put together a slide show highlighting some of their favorite Mountain memories. You can see more on our Facebook Page. 

Coming to The Mountain is Coming Home
UUCA Gathering at The Mountain 2019: A Recap by Adam Griffith

Last weekend, our family of four and an additional 135 members from UUCA spent the weekend at The Mountain Retreat and Learning Center in Highlands, NC situated atop Little Scaly Mountain (elevation 4,200’). The weekend was highlighted by wonderful music, workshops, delicious meals, and a healthy dose of humor at the talent show. People ask me how I came to live in Asheville and I simply tell them I am a summer camp kid that never left and The Mountain was the biggest part. The Mountain started in 1979 as a UU camp and conference center and has held summer camps continuously since then. Growing up in Lancaster, PA, we lived about half- way between Star Island UU Camp in NH and The Mountain, but young members of our church went south to attend camps at The Mountain instead going north. My first impressions of The Mountain in 1993 are still accurate descriptors today: inclusive, open, loving, and breathtaking. It was the first place I experienced total lack of judgments as youth of all kinds gathered for intentional shared experiences. I knew how great The Mountain could be, but would my wife, Susan, fall in love with it the way I did? Our first trip to UUCA’s Gathering at The Mountain 4 years ago didn’t go so well: Susan worked a 12-hour day on Friday so we only came for one night, but I had a terrible cold and completely lost my voice. We tried the short Chinquapin hike, but turned back due to rain and low visibility. We were unable to enjoy the scenery and I couldn’t sing some of my favorite songs and get to know folks better.

With that less-than-ideal experience fresh in our minds, Susan and I were nervous about how the weekend would go with two kids. Would our 2 1⁄2 year- old toddler Simon eat the meals? Would the baby sleep well in her cardboard box? Would we feel comfortable socially with so many people we didn’t know very well?

The answer to all of these questions was a resounding YES! The meals were fantastic and 5-month old baby Mia slept for 10 hours in a row! Everywhere we went, people loved Mia and wanted to hold her. She made a great centerpiece on our dining table and had attracted a troupe of groupies by the end of the weekend. Simon loved singing and playing his cardboard banjo and hiking to Chinquapin. We attended some of the activities, but appreciated the flexibility of the a la carte schedule, which perfectly suited the needs of our family Our family made more connections with members of the congregation at The Mountain in a single weekend than we had in all of 2019. Susan and I were overwhelmed by the love and support of the people we already knew and new friends we met there. The phrase “it takes a village to raise a child” is certainly accurate, but I am so happy to have found our village at UUCA. Thank you all for sharing your gifts of music, humor, and love for raising kids.

Our Instagram account has just started up, so if you'd like to follow us there you can @themountainrlc and tag your favorite Mountain memories with #themountainrlc! We'd love to see your pictures. 

For those looking for a Halloween tale, theres a legend born from Whitesides of a wander known as Spearfinger.... It's a harrowing tale that the Cherokee whispered on foggy nights. You can find it on our Facebook page. 

David Hudson: On The Spirit Of Giving

We were looking for you!

Your Mountain's Nominating Committee Needs You!
For election to the Nominating Committee OR the Board of Trustees:

The Mountain exist through its members and supporters.
We are proud that our doors are open to all, and we are equally proud of our transparency in our management of this beautiful mountaintop. But to do it we need you. Take a part in stewarding our mountain sanctuary by getting involved in The Mountains' governance.

Learn more here.

Invitation: Your 2019-2020 Nominating Committee is identifying and vetting candidates to announce nominees running for this dual election in Spring 2020 for both the Nominating Committee and Board of Trustees.

We are vetting now. Self-nominate by completing and sending forms below.

Needs: 

• 3 open positions for Board with financial, business, leadership and/or fund-raising skills preferred but not required.
• 2-3 open slots on Nominating Committee.
•  

Background: By Policy, the Nominating Committee is structured as an
independent committee, separate from Board influence and elected by Members of The Mountain, as stated in Section 6.2 of the 5/30/18 Bylaw.

Offer your name by 12/1/19.

Fill out a self Nominating Committee From here:

If you would like to send in your contact information, along with your talents, and availability we would like to create an online talent roster. This would be available for groups, or individuals, coming to The Mountain to have a resource list to help fill in program offerings, as well as better connect the people of The Mountain together. 

Take a Moment...

An easy way to support The Mountain this upcoming holiday season if you use Amazon to shop is to use our Amazon Smile link. As a non-profit, Amazon gives a percentage of your sales transaction to The Mountain. In turn, we use this to help keep program cost low, and help facilitate transformational experiences. 

We Thank You for your support! 

The Mountain is a Membership Organization, as such we value your contributions and inputs to keep our doors open to all. If the Mountain has enriched your life in any way, please express your appreciation in the form of a financial contribution. Give through our website—or the old-fashioned way, with a check. Thank you for your support. Please consider:

 Donating to The Mountains Annual Fund

or becoming a Mountain Member.

Just over 25% of our budget comes from contributions. This enables us to help keep programming and camps affordable to all and better fulfill the mission of The Mountain. We thank you for your support! 

We wish you a nourishing November, and we look forward to seeing you on The Mountain.