Welcome to this, the 213th day of 2007. July 31st, traditionally known as the birthdate of Harry Potter, is now overshadowed by this most significant arrival of the 13th installment of the Serenbe CSA newsletter.

Time passes so quickly when you are up to your elbows in tomatoes, by the time you look up you realize it´s your turn to be hittin´ the ole dusty trail. I find myself in this position today, as I realize my impending departure is just a week or so away. Taking steps away is always great for perspective, but the first few feet are always the heaviest.

I know that I will walk away from Serenbe and the orgasmic farm posse with a lighter ecological footprint, and an enhanced concept of sustainability. Truly, it is through the art of farming that one is able to cut out the necessary middlemen of survival, allowing a closer relationship with Mother Nature, my favorite anarchist.

The days always passed so quickly, and even under the most scorching sun, my philosophizing, laughing, and serenading comrades have been an amazing reminder of how fun people from all around are (even the ones from Orlando, Fl). I will be continually grateful to my farm boss and roommates for their wonderful, surprising, and consistently random perspectives. (Who would ever have thought I´d get such a kick out of a 30−year−old who uses fitness as a preventative measure against the premature onset of senility?).

Working day to day became a natural rhythm that no clock could emulate. Seeing the progression of the seasons via vegetables gave a relevance to the passage of time as a subjective reality that I have vowed never again to wish away.

In our little vacuum, the vagaries of "local produce" melted away to the joy of always having a stocked pantry that I might never again be able to match. I truly hope that everyone involved with Serenbe farms has felt this same happiness about a food source that is fresh, delicious, and is free of chemical, petrol, and slave−wage labor.

Thanks to all those that I´ve met in my Serenbe journey. It has been a true pleasure to take part in this new project of conscientious living. I sincerely hope that this pattern continues as a new wave of consciousness overcomes us all.

As always, with love and veg,

Mary, Lauren, R.J., Matthew, Paige, Nico, and Bosco