Thanks Giving Council Info

Updated 11/24/15 8:00 AM Pacific Time

Howdy Folks!

Thanksgiving Council 2015

Thursday, November 26 - Sunday November 29

Melrose, NY

We're asking that folks don't show up before Wednesday,

to give our hosts time to prepare. Anytime on Wednesday is fine. Thanks!

 This is a working council and not a Rainbow Gathering. 

All who come should be ready to participate in the process.

Directions:

42.828744, -73.626228

11 Grant Hollow Road Melrose NY 12121

From Albany NY:

I-787N to Exit 9E. (NY7 East Troy/Bennington)

At the Exit Stay in the Left 2 Lanes

At the second light make a Left onto NY40 North

After 3.5 miles make a right then an immediate left to stay on NY40 North

After 3.5 miles make a light right onto Grant Hollow Road,

Grant Hollow road is immediate after Rice Mtn Place

Arrive at the second driveway on the right, it will be well marked.

Please follow parking directions on-site and please park sensibly!

Thanks again. Looking forward to seeing you all.

Feel free to bring musical instruments and all good things to share.

If you plan to take public transportation to Albany, bus, train or plane, & need a ride drop a line to the FERN FaceBook page so that things can be coordinated. If you do not FaceBook, email me with a phone number and I will share with others.

Come totally self-sufficient with enough warm clothes, bedding, tents, personal items, toilet paper, etc. Weather will be low to mid 50’s day, low 40’s/high 30’s at night.

Although people have committed to cooking, there was no talk of getting food supplies.  Please bring enough food for yourself and to share. Several folks have committed to cooking over the weekend, but so far no one has volunteered for Thanksgiving Day.

Council will begin Friday, with the most active discussions on Saturday.  People are expected to clean up on Sunday and leave by mid-afternoon as this is a private, family-owned farm.

There is plenty of space for parking and setting up personal tents. There is a workshop where we can council if there is inclement weather and for some folks to sleep.  We’ve been offered indoor space by our hosts for folks over 60, folks with health care issues, and families with young children. If you are young, healthy and show up before the indoor couches have been claimed by those who need them you will be asked to give that space up. The workshop currently does not have heat - a wood stove with 10’ of pipe would work if you can donate one, if not there are a few propane and kerosene heaters we could use. There's a mash style tent somewhere on the property complete with floor and liner, just like the old nerf tent, which is possible for insulated working space...

We will set up a kitchen outside, permanent or temporarily.  There's a barrel, clay, rocks, and straw if folks want to build an oven. Outside fires can be made as needed.  Kitchen equipment will be brought on Wed. with more coming on Fri. There will be several 2 burner coleman stoves, a turkey fryer type burner or 2, a few 5 gallon pots, a large frying pan, cambros (if needed) water/coffee service, baking pans, and a few other parts and pieces to make a kitchen. If folks want to bring more they are welcome to do so.  Some kitchen tarps will be needed to make an enclosure, especially if it is windy.

***Please keep your dogs on a leash or tied up.  This is a family farm with a goat and chickens. We do not want to see any harm come to these animals. Please be respectful of the family who generously donated their home for this council.***

For an easy to print PDF of the information above, click here.

****** Older Updates *******

Thanks Giving Council (T-Council) will be held at on a farm approximately 30 minutes north of Albany in the Hudson Valley of New York State.

If you are considering flying to T-Council, Albany, NY is the place to land.

The report that we were given was that there is inside space for a number of people to sleep, although, if if a large number of people attend, other options will need to be explored.

Planning for the council is still underway and I will be updating this blog post as new information becomes available.

For more information on T-Council in general such as the why and how, click here.

there was a conference call on monday night (11/9) in which a small number of trusted family participated.  we were still waiting on a report about the logistics of the site we have chosen near Albany.    We will be having another conference call this upcoming Monday at 9pm.    hopefully folks who are interested in kitchens and cooking will attend.   it would be helpful to know who will be bringing both cooking equipment and various food supplies.

it was emphasized in our conference call that this is not a rainbow gathering.  IT IS A WORKING COUNCIL  and those who come should be ready to participate in the process.   It is also important that everyone be self-sufficient.  Although people have committed to cooking, there was no discussion about getting food supplies.  Please bring food for yourself or, even better, bring food to share.    so far several folks have committed to cooking over the weekend, but no one has made a commitment to cooking on thanksgiving day.    It seems that all of the cooks I have spoken with have other, blood family, plans on Thursday.

Actual counciling will begin on Friday generally with the most active discussions being held on Saturday.    People are expected to help clean up on Sunday and to leave by mid-afternoon as this is a private, family-owned farm.

there is plenty of space for parking and for setting up individual tents. There is a workshop space, where counciling can occur if there is inclimate weather.  There is also space in the workshop for folks to sleep.

I have copied some of the comments sent to me by the person who has scouted out the site:

*one problem is that the workshop currently does not have heat - a wood stove with about 10 feet of stove pipe would drop right in - i'm in search of something to borrow or trade - if worst comes to worst i've got a few propane and kerosene heaters we could use. also, there's apparently a mash style tent somewhere on the property complete with floor and liner - just like the old nerf tent - i'm looking into this as an option for more insulated working space... *

*for cooking, it's pretty much what we bring. They are replacing the stove in the house this week and should have one by thanksgiving weekend. thats you're basic house stove. we're welcome to setup a kitchen outside - permanent or temporarily - there's a barrel, clay, rocks, and straw if folks want to build an oven... we can make fires outside as needed.*