2012.

We started off the year right with a 50th birthday celebration for my lovely father. A dad is the most important man in a woman's life and he sure is just that.

 

I turned the BIG 2-3 and celebrated with the whole fam.

 

Jon entered his senior year at Augsburg. He will graduate in May! We are looking forward to that. Hockey ending, on the other hand, will be hard.

 

I learned so much from the fabulous ladies at Love and Life Architects as LoveLife Design Concierge. I was blessed with the opportunity to work in such a fascinating industry along with Miss Kailen Rosenberg, who was hailed by the one and only, Oprah Winfrey, as OWN tv's Love Ambassador.

 

The Peace Project was an idea that came to Jon and I in the beginning of the year. It started with a complaining session about how our little hometown was lacking in the healthy food department and evolved into something much more that coincided with the 150th anniversary of the U.S.-Dakota War. In short, we devoted most of the winter preparing, planning and researching the rich, Dakota history that once was. 

 

In March, Jon and I celebrated 5 years (that's HALF a decade, people) of 'official' love on St. Patrick's Day with a small road trip to Mankato, Minnesota. Mostly to do research at the Blue Earth Historical Society and to commemorate the Dakota 38 that were hanged there. Although we are not Irish, we truly are lucky in love.

 

On Earth Day (April), The Peace Project planted one of our first labors of love, our sign that stood in previously conventionally farmed soil right on Highway 24 for all to see. Boy, did the questions start rolling then.

 

June brought Jon, Jason and I away from the U's West Bank and Augsburg to the comforting area of Bryn Mawr. Wooden floors, large park right across the street, on-street parking, squirrels in the ceiling, plenty of windows, small-town feel that we have been looking for (minus the squirrels, of course).

 

July brought tons and tons of, zucchini. I am now a chocolate zucchini cake master.

 

In August, Jon presented our project in front of a whole crowd of students and professors in Berkeley, California.

And plenty of weekends spent canning salsa, stewed tomatoes, spaghetti sauce and enjoying the occasional bloody mary.

 

Too many trips to the Animal Humane Society, since we live 2 miles from one now. Hopefully 2013 will bring what we've wanted for too long.

 

September brought curing onions, basil pesto and plenty of pickles.

 

The Peace Project sold our bounty at both the Litchfield and Minneapolis (West Broadway) Farmer's Markets. What a fun experience to be able to connect with people that are looking for fresh, local produce and are SO thankful to be recipients.

We joined the Wirth Co-op membership committee to help raise awareness and gain members for a neighborhood co-op that should be up and running by Earth Day 2013.

I jumped into the grad school ring, from east coast to west coast, getting some great advice from like-minded individuals. Although the educational path is set, I have some soul-finding to experience before I can think about hitting the books again.

October brought the most ample amount of squash that I have ever seen in my life, and naturally, a bunch of puree-making, seed-saving and pumpkin-carving.

November and December: lots of holiday celebrating, seeing friends, a new job as a Practice Coordinator/Chiropractor's Assistant for a holistic office just west of the metro (so exciting, btw) seeing family, life-changing dreams, bronchitis, and then returning bronchitis, lots of antibiotics, cookie-baking, snow and life-changing conversations.

On December 26, 2012, the year came full-circle, our hearts were with the approximately 67 Dakota horse riders as their 330 mile journey came to an end on the 150th anniversary of the largest mass execution in U.S. history. On that day in 1862, 38 Dakota men were hanged from a single gallows platform in downtown Mankato. An unplanned, 40 mounds lined the medicine wheel garden to grow our three sisters (squash, corn, beans).

Mitakuye Oyasin, We Are All Related.

The best is yet to be in 2013, the year of Little Crow. Wishing you all peace, love and happiness in the new year!

Calypso Bean

Of all the wonderful things in the wonderful universe of God, nothing seems to me more surprising than the planting of a seed in the blank earth and the result thereof.  

Julie Moir Messervy

The Black Calypso Bean, otherwise referred to as orca or yin yang is an heirloom variety. I purchased the seeds through Seed Savers Exchange, who say that the beans were originally found in the Caribbean. Besides being one of the best for baking and soups, this full-of-flavor bean wears a dramatic outer shell, which is just, awesome. Many of our high school friends back in the rural homestead have followed in their parent's footsteps and taken on conventional farming. It's a bit of crazy-making conversation when we find ourselves together, but that's a whole 'nother can of worms. One night on 'the town,' Jon, still in his garden jeans, discovered a few Calypso Beans from a test picking earlier. We weren't surprised when there was little interest in the beans that we had proudly harvested. A few minutes and a few changes of subject later, a gentleman approached Jon and I and through his heavy, Mexican accent he spoke, "Those beans...can I see those beans?" He must have noticed us admiring them, or rolling eyes at them, depending on who he had been watching.

When we flashed the beans, his eyes lit up with intrigue, "Where did you get these," he rang out. We explained to him that we had purchased them through the Seed Savers Exchange and he went on, "The last time I had seen these beans, it was over twenty years ago in Mexico." He proceeded to mention something almost inaudible with regard to his family. Realizing it was a bittersweet moment full of cherished memories, but of loved ones left behind was when we found all of our hearts sinking. "Take them," we insisted, "Plant them. Then you will have some to share." The man smiled from ear to ear and through his smile came the gracious, yet quiet, "Thank you."

This moving moment is one that will not be forgotten: we will never take for granted the power of an heirloom seed.

Full Circle.

Having just concluded chapter 16 of Barbara Kingsolver's, Animal, Vegetable, Miracle appropriately titled, Smashing Pumpkins: October. I fell into a bit of an emotional state. It's mid-August and my garden is slowly dying, coming to an end, ceasing to exist, expiring, kicking the bucket, what have you. Although once the garden meets its fate, the seasonal change will bring newfound, weekend freedoms consisting mostly of..hockey. Don't get me wrong guys, I'm a fan, but still, heavyheartedly speaking!

Having developed a deep connection with a piece of land for the past 6 months (call me crazy); marking the four directions, wiping dripping snot from the nose while making fence in the chill of April, planting the seeds, experiencing garden foes (below), harvesting a plethora of rich bounty only to see it wilt, shrivel up and be cultivated and/or die will be difficult. On the brightest side, I am now a firm believer in the power of the circle, the medicine wheel, natural healing and native american practices, both agriculturally and spiritually. But mostly, I trust the influence that nature has on us miniscule beings and our minds, our bodies and our souls.

What does this mean? It means that within the past week, Jon returned from his school trip to UC Berkeley with a sense of relief after presenting our project to some pretty important people. I don't blame him. In addition to the academia involved, the garden alone was a huge undertaking. The only thing on my mind is grad school. The second I found the major, it was decided. But, which college? Will I go for a Master's, Doctorate? And location, where do I see myself living, working and BE-ing in the next 2-6 YEARS?! TBD. Our garden may be 'dying,' but our project has only begun.

"The Circle has healing power. In the Circle, we are all equal. When in the Circle, no one is in front of you. No one is behind you. No one is above you. No one is below you. The Sacred Circle is designed to create unity. The Hoop of Life is also a circle. On this hoop there is a place for every species, every race, every tree and every plant. It is this completeness of Life that must be respected in order to bring about health on this planet."
Dave Chief, Oglala Lakota

It appears that the title, Refrigerator Pickles isn't fitting for this post after all.

Sunflowers!

The first sunflowers have finally graced us with their lovely, sunny presence. What started as sunflower seeds in the birdfeeder, sprouted into a not so welcome guest in my mom's flower bed. Can't wait to see the rest!

The Miracle of Seed

As I was browsing through photos from our garden, I stumbled upon two pictures that caught my eye.
The before....

And, the after.

 It may definitely be impossible NOT to have a garden from this point on.

Tribute to Taoyateduta and the Occasional Zucchini.

On July 3rd, 2012 we remembered Taoyateduta (Little Crow), chief of the Mdewakanton Dakota Sioux: a leader, a teacher, a legend. (1810 - July 3, 1863). We traveled about six miles north of Hutchinson, MN to offer our very first zucchini as a tribute. As day turned to night, we noticed that the moon was painted red.

Diggin' It.

The recipe for a lovely, yet productive weekend consists of a dash of sunshine, a bit of mom time and a sprinkle, okay (I lied) a TON of gardening. Resulting in a sunburn, good times (and full bellies) and over 300 feet of planted goodness! I was so excited to finally get my hands dirty and that I did. In terms of The Peace Project, this was our very first weekend of sun and warmth, so of course we took full advantage.

Till, rake, dig, hoe, furrow, bend, plant, cover, repeat. I was sad to leave Jon back at the site to keep working on this fabulous Monday, but a bit relieved to get a little 'break' back at the office. Whew! Don't let anyone ever tell you gardening is easy, especially on a larger scale, with two workers and a tiller made in the early 90s.

Potatoes, bush beans, herbs (basil, parsley, cilantro, sage, dill) radishes, onions (red and white), spinach, leaf lettuce, sugar snap peas, cucumbers, beets, squash (zucchini, pumpkins, butternut, acorn), sweet corn, ornamental corn and pole beans (calypso and cherokee trail of tears varieties). Tomatoes (courtesy of Litchfield OVOC, One Vegetable, One Community) and peppers to come.

Note: this blog post was meant for last week, sorry guys. An update alas, Jon and I will be doing even more planting as our demonstration garden is evolving into more of a highway market than a community garden, which is super exciting. The ball is in our court again. A lot of public interest, just not enough commitment and the with mother nature's schedule, someone has to do some planting. Chameleon abilities. Peace.

Earth Day 2012

"We must protect the forests for our children, grandchildren and children yet to be born. We must protect the forests for those who can't speak for themselves such as the birds, animals, fish and trees." Qwatsinas

As a whole, the world celebrated Earth Day 2012, this past Monday. One special day, named to honor and recognize the miraculous planet that we live on. My hope is that most of us try to recognize, honor and respect the earth every day. As for me, my connection with nature and our mother earth is only becoming stronger. I have been a city dweller for the past 5 1/2 years, but mind, body and soul have pretty much stayed in the rural countryside, where I was born, raised and lived for all 18 years of prior existence. I'm longing for it and I can no longer ignore it. 

I miss the woods, trees, the fields, the birds, the green, the stars in the night sky, dirt, the crunchy leaves, butterflies and the sun. I miss it all and more. For me, it's time to transition back to the basics, back to my roots, but in my own way.

Earth Day 2012 was extra special, because after weeks of devoted composition, The Peace Project's first 'sign' of life, a true labor of love, is standing proudly; no turning back now!

Feng shui

...in the apartment has just imploded.

After receiving one very hefty quote of $500 for a professionally made sign, we decided, we've got this. A little ambitious, but it wasn't in the budget. Some particle board (free) and $30 worth of paint later and we're about 75% done with the beaut. I'm supposed to be helping my 'partner' with the second coat as we speak but, shhhhh, priorities. 'COMING!'

The plan is to have it UP, implanted in the ground this weekend; rain or shine. Hoping for rain, needing the rain, but when you're cooped up all week, it's nice to have that shine. Win some, lose some.

This is exciting, and a bit of a milestone in TPP's timeline, since it will be Litchfield's very first, physical entity or 'sign' (so to speak) of the project.

Off to paint. Peace.

Living and Breathing...

the native culture.
Before, it was all in my head, floating around like some dream cloud. But slowly, slowly, it's becoming real. Jon and I took a little weekend trip to Mankato, MN. We celebrated 5 years of love on St. Patrick's Day and wanted to do a little something special. We ended up mixing business with pleasure and actually spent the majority of our milestone day researching at the Blue Earth Historical Society. Nerds, right? We love it. Although it's basically been a second, full time job, we couldn't be more passionate about our little brain baby.

Here's what's 'dangerous' about this project. The Peace Project; the four As: call to action, awareness, activism and accountability. The more we learn, the more we expose ourselves to, the more we explore, the more we. are. changing. Personal change and growth is inevitable, but it's a turn off for a lot of people. We have learned that there is a fine line between preaching and practicing. We have also learned that there is a big difference between planning and doing, although they are both fully dependent on one another. Thankfully, we have developed a major support system through many impromptu emails, phone calls and in-person meetings; it's great to connect with those that are willing to listen as well as share what makes you tick. As more paths are crossed and more ground is covered, the inspiration only increases. Did I mention we are about a month away from planting season!? 
POTENTIAL MEMBERS: If you, or someone you know, is a Litchfield, MN native, is able to commit/tend to a garden plot for the spring/summer and partake, open-mindedly, in a series of workshops throughout the growing season, we want to hear from you!

Email Kelsey & Jon at: thepeaceprojectmn@gmail.com

Follow us on twitter: @plantpeacemn
'Like' us on facebook: www.facebook.com/plantpeace

Things.

You guys, I have been so busy lately. Good busy, to the point where I am almost OK that I am neglecting this blog; just OK though. As much as I love, love, love unleashing my inner mind and often nonsensical thoughts via head in the clouds, my head has actually been so far UP in the clouds lately, that it's been a little difficult to come down, down, down and take a second or two to fill you in on Kelsey lately. Grounded and balanced; It's good to be most of the time. But mostly, light bulb moments don't give a $#&*! as to what stage you may be at in the game, they hit you. Hard. The thing is, things are great.
Life is great, work is great, love is great. But no matter what, I always have something on my mind and that is my unsatiable urge to attempt to change certain things. I say attempt, because I am not one to expect nor acknowledge to fulfill such a task. The thing is, I know what I know and I know that I am here for a reason. I am constantly reminded that life is way too short and the time is now. Our project is coming this Spring. It has consumed me, invaded my mind, set up shop in my heart and will be my mission, because it will not be escaping me anytime soon. Things can change. Social responsibility, accountability, awareness, activism: They've become some of my favorite things. We have the land, we have the support system, the tools, the passion, the determination, the dream...but we will not succeed in our vision without help. It's funny how things change; in life, in love...in the environment..in the economy. Are you asking questions? If not, the time. is. now. Apologies in advance for simply being M.I.A., but it's time to cultivate knowledge and other, miscellaneous things.

Revolutions.

Why wait for a new year to determine motivators for needed change? Ok, I admit I'm a bit late, but (refer to list below) these took a while. I feel as though I am constantly making small changes in my life to satiate diverse aspects of my life. Hence the name of my blog, there is no way I could keep track of ALL of these; thank god for archives.

Regardless, some personal, consistent resolutions:

1. Listen more, and truly listen.
2. See the good in everything – maintain a glass that’s half full.
3. Rise above the bad and avoid 'risky' situations all together.
4. Always be aware. Mouth closed, eyes open.
5. Be conscious of the beautiful environment we were blessed with – plant a community garden (this summer in the homeland), reduce, reuse, recycle always and inform others of their important role in making the world a better place. Every tree planted, every bottle recycled, helps.
6. Be conscious of what my body is coming into contact with; clothes, cosmetics, food, etc. – buy local, support small shops; do away with toxicity (be it unhealthy food, unnecessary consumerism, harmful relationships, etc.).
7. Be more artistic;  construct treasure from trash, learn to crochet, paint; thank you craftgawker, pinterest..
8. Reaquaint myself with a consistent, spiritual routine.
9. Ease into some regular form of exercise: yoga, biking, running? ....I'm human (refer to 12).
10. Don't overanalyze.
11. Don’t preach to an unwilling choir; mainly practice and educate those willing to follow my lead.
12. Be human. Rome wasn't built in a day.
13. Give more compliments. One compliment per one stranger per day.
14. Don't blink. Live in the moment and know that not one moment will be the same ever again.
15. Read more.
16. First seek to understand, then to be understood.
17. Never take for granted the little things.
18. Smile. Cry when I need to…and smile more.
Photo.

Don't Blink.

I thoroughly enjoyed looking back on my ‘list of happenings’ that I compiled last year and it’s a bit crazy to think that it’s already that time again. I cannot believe what 2011 has blessed me with. It has been a wonderful, yet sometimes trying, year; a lot of ups, plenty of downs and all-arounds! With that being said, I have grown tremendously, as a person, and know that everything happens for a reason. Life truly is a rollercoaster, but I can honestly say that I am enjoying the ride.

1] My family started the year off right and instead of buying Christmas presents this year, we headed to Maui in mid-January. I will never forget the day we came home to -14 degree Minnesnowta, blistered noses and all. Surely, it was an experience that I will never forget with people I love the most.

2] I turned 22, which reminds me, 23 is just around the corner! EEeeek!

3] Jon and I officially celebrated 4 years together, on the luckiest day of the year, St. Patty’s Day.

4] Went platinum blonde, and what they say is true!

5] Finally dumped the unreliable neon and exchanged it for one of my most favorite possessions – the Yaris.

6] Took an impromptu trip to Two Harbors, Duluth with some friends from high school this past summer. Great times with great people.

7] Goodbye 1 bedroom apartment, hello 2 bedroom apartment and little brother! Jason moved in with us this past fall and started school in Eden Prairie..so far, it has been a great fit for all.

8] The beginning of July, I said goodbye to my position with Leede Research as a Marketing Research Assistant and HELLO to a big girl job. I am the Lead LoveLife Design Concierge at Love and Life Architects in Wayzata, MN. I couldn’t ask for anything better at this point. My eyes have been opened and this position has truly changed my perspective on many aspects of my life, including what I feel I am destined to do.

9] The Barrick family was blessed with another, gorgeous little addition: Jetta Adeline was born in August. She is beyond adorable and I am looking forward to watching her learn and grow. As well as teaching her dad how to paint nails, braid hair, etc. :)

10] A year in the making, Jon and I took a week-long road trip, west-bound! Full of exploration, discovery and fun, we stayed in Seattle for a few days and visited family and friends and finally made it to our destination: Squamish, British Columbia. We are very in love with the beauty and simplicity of the area and hope to one day end up there, for at least a little while. I will never forget our memories made on that journey.

11] Myself and my siblings put on quite the party for my wonderful parent’s 25^th wedding anniversary! To such a fabulous couple and role models, a little planning and some teamwork really paid off. It’s what life is all about.

12] Currently, we are still living in DT Minneapolis ~ Jon is back to playing hockey after partially tearing his MCL a couple of months back. Between being a full-time student and hockey player, he is staying busy. Internship applications have been sent out for summer placement, which is exciting. I am working full-time and loving every minute. The picture captures our, 'Welcome 2012,' new year's kiss.

Hopes and wishes for health, love and happiness to all in 2012!