The Homestand Journal - Perennialism of Good Fruit

Ben Franklin wrote, "Good Fences make good neighbors." That was true for land markers in first-century America, and it is true 250 years later — although not for neighboring. For landscaping and xeriscaping. The local ecosystem is being destroyed by an overpopulation of deer. Good fences keep deer from destroying good acreage. Welcome to the Homestand Family Journal, a place where we can have authentic conversations on a different approach to community, recreation, education, arts, transportation, and entrepreneurship. In my creative practice I have one mission: to create daily, defining success by the creative fruit I leave in my orchard, and the quality of that fruit.

Portraits – Landscapes – Moving Sculptures

In the midst of this practice I have worked with musicians, authors, artists, and entrepreneurs in creating, sharing, performing, and producing portraits, landscapes, and moving sculptures of the communities we serve. The Homestand Family Journal comes from this.

Health

Health at home, through work, and in community are priorities in my life. I spend time studying and practicing good nutrition and fitness, and in partnership with my wife and family, Jill and I focus on healthy relationships with family, friends, and neighbors. Integrating healthy heart-and-mind relationships is essential to longevity. Good neighboring is part of that.

Objectives

The Homestand Journal is rich in objectively integrating life at home, through work, and in community. We are advocates for a local economic model that retains citizens in making things work for the entire community and the other communities that we serve. From the Cliffs, we maintain good communication and healthy debate, with respect and responsibility for our neighbors. Our extended communities are within an hour of Westcliffe. To the south, there is Walsenburg; to the east, Pueblo; and to the north, Cañon City. To the west, we are neighbors with Chaffee County and the towns of Salida and Poncha Springs. Main Street connections, art center connections, ecological and economical objectives in energy and transportation, as well as health care, recreation, and education are generally where we see partnerships. Agriculture and ranching are the backbone of our communities; Main Street is the backbone of our markets. Our support for agrarian education and family business is tied into the community through recreation, arts and media, transportation and travel, and raising and retaining the next generation of entrepreneurs — that is the main mission.

Making Things

While people are worried about "making it," we are busy making things. Through Create Daily we communicate that mission; through The Homestand Journal we look for ways to improve our service by facing and solving the challenges that our region is being saddled with. From rising costs to mental health issues, forest fires, climate change, and fossil fuel dependency, we are developing TAG Teams. Our TAG Teams are building good fences, testing out water-resistant foliage, and growing orchards. We communicate through story and song, using unique collaborative tools in human resources. When people say, "Why are you still doing that, when you haven't made it?" I show them what we are making that very moment. It is important that we help families — that we remain vigilant in turning hearts toward home. Not through politics, not through loans or banks, but through sharing, neighboring, and making things right.

Home, Farm, and Main Street Economics

Home is healthy; home is open, objective, and loving; home is making things right; and home is economics. We will be known for the good fruit we leave. Perennialism is a philosophy and educational framework that we hold as a Commonwealth — one that exists at home, through our work, and in our communities. It comes from investing our schedules, skills, and stewardship — our time, talent, and treasure — into the land, into our kids, and into our soul work. It is mind and heart care and communications. It applies to all generations, and it returns every year.

In the Western Region of the United States, a chapter of the Leadon Family Foundation focuses on homestanding, soul workforce, and neighboring within the communities we serve. Through building Thinking and Acting Groups and Entrepreneurial Answer Teams, Richard Arnold Beattie is leading Create Daily and the Homestand Journal with Quintessential Presentations. To be a part, send him an email at richardbeattie809@gmail.com.