What is community care and why do we center it?

Community care consists of both small- and large-scale actions that we can take to show our support for another person, or group of people. It is the foundation of togetherness. It means that we look out for each other, that we take an interest in and work to address the physical, emotional, and health and safety wellbeing of all community members.

Our job is to empathetically listen to the needs of the community and find ways to address them. Our hope is that folks come here to play, to give and receive, to be a community. This is also a place to come with your ideas and feelings, a place to be heard.

Farming puts us in a unique position; our home is our business and our business is a community space. Ultimately, our home is a community space. This space is our family’s refuge from the harms of capitalism and supremacy, a safe and solid center in which to heal and tend to our work.

We hope simultaneously the space itself can be an agent of change. A place we can practice the lost skills needed to actualize the new futures we will imagine together.

A few ways you might engage with social aspects of community care while at Giant Journey:

First and foremost, we thank you for taking care of yourself! While you’re here please be sure to check in with yourself. Do you need to:

  • take some space (have a leisurely walk, pet an enthusiastic animal, talk with someone you trust, have a cry)

  • get something to drink (water and tea are always available)

  • rest (sit/lie down, watch the clouds, close your eyes, daydream)

  • do a mindfulness exercise (counting, deep breathing, the rainbow technique, a gratitude practice)

As you interact with others, here are some helpful resources which we hope will increase our intimacy, empathy, and capacity for interdependence. You can learn more about them by clicking on their links!

The Four Agreements of Courageous Conversation

  • stay engaged

  • experience discomfort

  • speak your truth

  • expect and accept non-closure

The Four Steps in Non-Violent Communication

  • observe without judging

  • express feelings

  • express and clarify your needs

  • express specific requests based on your feelings and needs

Our COVID/illness/masking Policy

If you or someone in your household (or with whom you have close, regular contact) has any symptoms we ask you only to come to the farm (masked!) for contactless pick ups and skip out on engaging with events until everyone is well!

Generally, we look to the most risk averse person in any interaction to set preferences around safety. We ask our community to come together and practice communicating around boundaries and consent.

We remind folks to maintain a 2 out of 3 policy:

  • outdoor

  • masked

  • distanced

Being outside by itself isn’t always enough. For example: during playgroups, if kids are taking part in an activity where everyone is clustered (around a common work table or animal cage for example) we strongly prefer they don a mask for that time because they aren’t distanced.

It is rare for folks to be indoors at the farm, but in those cases, masks are mandatory.

We have a small supply of surgical masks available for those without access and also a few COVID tests which we’re happy to share.