Tuesday, April 22, 2014

Kimberton Hills celebrates Earth Day 2014


Senator Gaylord Nelson of Wisconsin, elected to the senate in 1962, struggled to bring environmental causes to the attention of Washington politicians. His idea of a "national day for the environment" - the first Earth Day on April 22, 1970 - put pressure on politicians to create a national environmental agenda.  Senator Nelson's hope was not for Washington to organize the events of Earth Day, but for individuals and groups to organize activities within their own communities.  Citizens enthusiastically supported the effort and an estimated 20 million people gathered throughout the country to demand action on environmental legislation. It was the combined efforts at the grassroots level that gave the first Earth Day its major impact. We are called to preserve this legacy and continue the efforts that began 44 years ago.

At Camphill Village Kimberton Hills, we are doing our part to lessen our impact on the Earth. We have a strong dedication to the idea that the health of people and the land are not separate, that a community of people putting healthy ideals into practice can be in a mutually beneficial relationship with the land it stewards. Organic and biodynamic farming, gardening and overall stewardship of the land are important elements of our care for the Earth.  Please read more about our commitment to sustainable building and ecological design by clicking here.

We wish you a happy Earth Day and invite you to join with us every day in working toward a healthy planet, with healthy people, land and animals.



The above photo is Earth, as seen by our friend, Lily, age 4. "This is Earth and it is dirty because people aren't cleaning up and they throw their trash all over," says Lily.

What are a few simple steps we can all take to be sure we keep our Earth clean, for Lily and for all of us?


Try Composting.
Nathaniel at the compost collection area. 
Don't be so quick to toss that banana peel into the trash. Composting is an easy and free way to add nutrients to your garden while recycling kitchen and lawn waste. Proper composting can divert up to 30 percent of waste away from your garbage can and introduces beneficial organisms to the soil. Each household in Kimberton Hills collects waste for compost, which is taken to the garden.

Not sure how to get started with composting? Our friend Greg at eartheasy.com has some great suggestions here



Upcycle
Upcycling is taking waste and making it into something that has equal or greater use or value.  Kimberton Hills' weavery and fiber arts workshops do this regularly. For example, we create beautiful hand-woven rugs out of old jeans and felted juggling balls around used golf balls. We also reuse printed materials as space holders on looms or to create tags for items. There are many possibilities - try and see how creative you can be!  

Charlene and Lane show off our rugs made from old jeans.


Get pedaling.  
Ross takes a ride in the village.  
Dust off that bicycle just sitting in your garage and get moving. You'll be helping yourself and the planet feel better by doing a little bit of exercise, instead of driving your car. According to the WorldWatch Institute, a four-mile bike ride keeps about 15 pounds of pollutants out of the air we breathe.  

Many Kimberton Hills residents use bikes to get from one end of the village to the other and to get to local destinations.  









Buy Locally.  
Sankanac CSA
People everywhere are rediscovering the benefits of buying local food. It is fresher, tastier and more nutritious and also good for your local economy and the environment.  

If you aren't already a member of Kimberton Hills' Sankanac CSA (there may be a few shares still available), you can find farmers’ markets, family farms, and other sources of sustainably grown food near you at Local Harvest.


Monday, April 14, 2014

Springtime Cow Celebration





Happy Spring! The time has come for happier Kimberton Hills cows!

The celebratory letting-out of the cows into the Spring pastures was held Monday, April 14.  This is an annual event here in Kimberton Hills. Our herd is let into the pasture for the first time for the year, and they are always overjoyed to find the fresh, green grass. 

Please take a few minutes to watch our video highlights.  


 



Wednesday, April 9, 2014

Talkfest 6 Last Notice…probably!



Camphill Village Kimberton Hills 6th Annual Talkfest! 

Sunday April 27 at 5:04

I am so excited. Talkfest 6 is almost here. My taste buds are glowing in anticipation of the most delicious oardoors that our very own World Famous Chef Trzeciak is already working on joined with the most amazing French biodynamic wines. And a bit of cactus and sugar cane juice for a final delicious touch.

You get all of this culinary delight brought right to your waiting hand by the wonderful wandering tray bearers of The Birchrunville Store Café while wandering around talking with the unbelievable collection of exceedingly interesting people who are showing up…just to talk to you. Spectacular.

Best of all, you are supporting Camphill Village Kimberton Hills, a wonderful intentional lifesharing biodynamic farming and crafts community including people with special needs. You so need to be at Talkfest 6.

We have two great sponsors:

Phoenixville Federal Bank & Trust…The Most Accommodating Bank Ever

Tonbo Visual Promotions…The Folks Who Make Your Promotional Products Work

We do hope you’ll support them the way they support us. And even though it’s last minute, you still can become a sponsor. Just to move your hand towards calling Bernadette about sponsorship…I just discovered that Tonbo has recently gotten a very nice new client who told them it was due to them being our sponsor. Yup, sponsorship does work. So…call Bernadette now: 610-935-8660 

For those of you procrastinators out there, Bernadette is waiting to take your reservation: Bernadette@camphillkimberton.org  or you can register online by clicking here.

Talkfest: an event filled with the most incredible people you can imagine. People who are old and new friends and supporters of Camphill Village Kimberton Hills.  And the program? I already mentioned it…it’s you! You and a collection of the most amazingly interesting conversationalists ever.

As usual---No speeches, No videos, No presentations, No nothing…except for:

The most scrumptious oardoors from the talented hands of Master Chef Francis Trzeciak and the other great people at the Birchrunville Store Café. The most engaging pressings of grapes, cactus, and sugar cane delightfully aged and bottled just for you.

And, a special treat. I have convinced a world famous wood artist to take a piece or two of our very own wood and create another of his masterpieces…a masterpiece some lucky attendee will take home as winner of our first ever Talkfest Raffle.



Creating your masterpiece


About that raffle, I have ensured that each and every person who calls 610-935-8660, or emails, bernadette@camphillkimberton.org,  and makes a reservation will get a chance to win. I was so clever. I included a raffle ticket right in the Talkfest donation. Okay, it was really Bernadette who told me to do this. She is way smarter than me about these things.

But it was me who then figured out we ought to offer those of you wanting extra changes to win this artistic masterpiece extra chances  to purchase additional raffle tickets for a teeny tiny additional donation. By a lot of them…they’re small.

One small donation gets you so much: an incredible time, great food and drink, and the joy of supporting such a worthy cause. Don’t be stuck watching television, eating leftovers while drinking plonk, and talking to yourself. Be at the Birchrunville Store Café on April 27 between 5:04 and 7:49.

The unbelievably low donation? $167.23 per each. Wow! To support such a great place as Camphill Village Kimberton Hills. Included in this low price…a raffle ticket for the Masterpiece by The Artist.

Be generous.  Purchase additional raffle tickets for $22.87 each. Remember…the more tickets in your pocket, the greater your chances. Be clever enough to make a reservation for Talkfest 6 and be part of the raffle.

Steve Smolinsky
Board President
Camphill Village Kimberton Hills



6th Annual Talkfest, April 27, 5:04-7:49, Birchrunville Store Café, $167.23 per person
Extra raffle tickets…$22.87. Buy several…they’re small.
Be there! You’ll have a great time while supporting an exceptional place.
Ask About Becoming A Sponsor

And Please, Please, Please Support Our Sponsors




Remember: you really want to arrive on time. 
The oardoors will start coming right away and might never be repeated.

You’ve been warned!

Tuesday, April 8, 2014

Camphill Village Kimberton Hills hosts Astral Artists Concert, April 23 at 7:30 pm.

Camphill Village Kimberton Hills will present a free classical music concert on Wednesday, April 23, 2013 at 7:30 p.m.

Performers Christine Lamprea, cello, and Daniel Anastsio, piano, from Astral Artists, an organization that guides and promotes the nation’s most extraordinary emerging classical musicians, will offer an evening of music in Kimberton Hills' Rose Hall.

Astral Artists is a non-profit organization whose mission is to discover the most promising classical musicians residing in the United States, assist their early professional career development and present their world-class artistry to the community through concerts and outreach programs.  Kimberton Hills is pleased to once again host these gifted musicians.

There is no charge for the concert, which is underwritten by the generosity of the Phoenixville Community Health Foundation.  Donations will be accepted at the door.

Camphill Village Kimberton Hills is located at 1601 Pughtown Road, Kimberton, Pa. Please use Google Maps, and not your GPS system to locate our community.

For more information and/or directions, please visit www.camphillkimberton.org.


CHRISTINE LAMPREA, cello
Colombian-American cellist Christine Lamprea is a multi-faceted soloist and chamber musician. The First Prize winner of the XVI Annual Sphinx Competition (2013), she joined the roster of the Sphinx Soloists Program, and as such will be presented as soloist with major orchestras worldwide. She has also received awards from the National Foundation for Advancement in the Arts, the Young Texas Artists’ Competition and, most recently, captured First Prize at the 2013 Schadt National String Competition. She is also a winner of Astral Artists’ 2013 National Auditions. Upcoming engagements include solo performances with the Houston Symphony and New Jersey Symphony Orchestra. Ms. Lamprea explores many genres of music as well as non-traditional venues for performance and teaching. Most recently, she was a member of a small ensemble that worked with jazz musician Anthony Coleman on avant-garde composer John Zorn’s game piece Cobra, for musical improvisers and prompter. A passionate teacher, Ms. Lamprea worked with Ecuadorian youth in Quito and Guayaquil, as part of a residency between The Juilliard School and “Sinfonia Por La Vida,” a social inclusion program modeled after Venezuela’s El Sistema program. She was also a Gluck Community Service Fellow at Juilliard, performing in hospitals and nursing homes in and around New York City as part of a mixed ensemble of dancers, actors, and musicians. Ms. Lamprea is the recipient of a Paul and Daisy Soros Fellowship for New Americans. She studied with Bonnie Hampton at The Juilliard School and holds a Master’s degree from the New England Conservatory, where she studied with Natasha Brofsky.


DANIEL ANASTASIO, piano
Anastasio graduated from The Juilliard School with a Master of Music degree in piano performance having studied with Jerome Lowenthal. He received his Bachelor's degree, magna cum laude, from Cornell University, where he double-majored in Music and Philosophy. At Cornell, he studied piano with Xak Bjerken and chamber music with Miri Yampolsky and violinist Joseph Lin. Throughout his earlier years growing up in San Antonio, Texas, Daniel benefited greatly from lessons with Rebecca Wilcox, who instilled in him a musical sensitivity and expressive freedom that has shaped his personality at the keyboard. Currently living in New York City, Daniel is privileged to be studying privately with renowned pianist and pedagogue Ann Schein. He was a finalist in Julliard’s piano concerto competition, and a recipient of the school’s Mieczyslaw Munz scholarship. His participation in festivals has included Kneisel Hall Chamber Festival, Tanglewood Music Center, Music Academy of the West, Icicle Creek Winter Piano Festival, and Cornell University’s Mayfest. Currently, Daniel’s time is split between chamber music performances and recordings, recitals, concerto performances, and studies to complete a Doctorate of Musical Arts.

Monday, April 7, 2014

Composting as a Free Deed, a talk by Bruno Follador on April 26



Join us on Saturday, April 26, 7:30 to 9:00 p.m. in Rose Hall for "Composting as a Free Deed" with Bruno Follador.

Bruno Follador was born in Brazil. He is a biodynamic researcher and has been working with biodynamic composting methods for several years with farmers and organizations in Brazil, Europe and the United States. Bruno is a geographer and received his training in Biodynamic gardening at the Pfeiffer Center, in NY. For three years he was one of the researchers and consultants of the Ludolf Andreas Lab, at Andreashof, a biodynamic farm in Germany, where he worked with compost and chromatography. At the moment, he lives between Brazil and the U.S. where he continues to work with chromatography and composting.

Bruno’s talk will take its start from a passage from Dr. Ita Wegman’s essay The Mystery of the Earth, 1929:
"Nature is becoming a mirror of chaotic human behavior, as is evident in catastrophes and anomalies; we perceive them in nature's mirror without recognizing them as our own reflection."

He will address such questions as, How can we develop a living, practical, and personal relationship with compost and soil fertility that goes beyond a mindset of waste management and yields? How does our way of seeing, thinking, and speaking contribute to creating our agricultural reality? Is there a relationship between soil erosion and social conflicts? And within this context: Could it be possible to start seeing the compost pile as an outer expression of our way of thinking and relating to Nature? Can compost begin to show itself as the outer expression of the inner gesture of the gardener and farmer?

Suggested donation: $15.00 at the door

Questions? Sherry Wildfeuer: 610-935-0302


Camphill Village Kimberton Hills is located at 1601 Pughtown Road, Kimberton, Pa.  Many GPS systems have trouble finding the location; please use Google maps for directions.

The mission at Camphill Kimberton is to create and maintain a land-based community together with adults with special needs.  Inspired by Anthroposophy, members of the community support one another to contribute to the wider society through biodynamic agriculture, handcrafts, and other ecological, social, cultural and educational endeavors.


For more information on our community, visit www.camphillkimberton.org

Tuesday, April 1, 2014

Welsh Subaru Shares the Love with Camphill Village Kimberton Hills



Thank you, Welsh Subaru!

L to R: Felicity Jeans, Executive Director, CVKH; Charlene Roth, Board Member and resident, CVKH; Michael Mains, Resident, CVKH; Bill Lewis, resident, CVKH; Jeffrey Welsh, owner, Welsh Subaru; Patrick Gilbert, sales manager, Welsh Subaru.  




Subaru of America, Inc. (“SOA”) and Welsh Subaru of Limerick recently presented a check to Camphill Village Kimberton Hills who was a partner in the 2013 Subaru “Share the Love” event. 

From Nov. 21, 2013 to Jan. 2, 2014, customers who purchased or leased a new Subaru vehicle could select from a list of charities to receive a donation of $250 from SOA. This year, Subaru of America, Inc. donated $10 million to participating charities. Over the last six years SOA has donated $35 million to a number of worthy causes through the “Share the Love” event.

SOA selected the five national charities: ASPCA®, Make-A-Wish®, Meals On Wheels Association of America®, National Park Foundation and Teach for America. Subaru retailers could also elect to add a sixth, local charity and Welsh Subaru of Limerick selected Camphill Village Kimberton Hills as its local partner.

The check for $11,208.29 was presented to Camphill Village Kimberton Hills by Jeffrey M. Welsh, Dealer Principal, Welsh Subaru of Limerick.

Follow Subaru on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/subaruofamerica
Join the dialog: http://www.twitter.com/subaru_usa #sharethelove
Visit Welsh Subaru on the web: www.welshsubaru.com




Thank you to Welsh Subaru for choosing Kimberton Hills as your local charity and thank you to all the new Subaru owners who chose Kimberton Hills to receive their "Share the Love" donation!

To learn more about Camphill Village Kimberton Hills, visit www.camphillkimberton.org.