From the Farmhouse Table: July 2022
Coming from far away and just down the road, Hedgebrook alumnae gathered at The Farm last Saturday for our first-ever alumnae picnic. What incredibly good fortune for me to be able to meet so many former Writers in Residence so early in my tenure. Of course I’ve watched testimonial videos but there’s no substitute for hearing people’s stories in person, complete with their powerful emotion-filled deliveries. It’s encouraging and inspiring to hear that the values Hedgebrook was founded upon, that were so evident for the 1989 cohort, are very much alive here as testified to by our 2021 alumnae. “Radical Hospitality” isn’t just a clever phrase, it’s a promise delivered!
Perhaps one of the more satisfying aspects of the picnic was the chance to thank co-founder Nancy Nordhoff, who attended with her wife Lynn Hays, in person. Often moved to tears, our writers found just the right words to express to Nancy how life-changing their Hedgebrook experiences were. Equally precious was watching alumnae introduce their loved ones to this precious place. Family members expressed awe as they walked the land about which they’d heard so much. One partner told me “I’ve heard about Hedgebrook as long as I’ve known her, but even her words have not done it justice!”
Given that all the plans were made before I was even hired, I get to give kudos to the team for the obvious creativity and care they invested to make this a special experience. The chefs outdid themselves and the weather cooperated in a spectacular fashion (Nancy says this is almost always true). Of course, we asked guests to consider joining Cedar Deep, our monthly giving program created years ago by grateful alumnae. We would not be the good stewards that Hedgebrook deserves, and that our alumnae want and need us to be, if we didn’t ask. But it was clear that the teams’ first objective was to deliver a refreshing dose of Hedgebrook to people whose lives have been touched by their residencies here and their loved ones who needed to see it first-hand to believe it.
Our gathering fell days after the world learned of the U.S. Supreme Court’s reversal of Roe v. Wade. In this context, as one alumna pointed out, it’s easy to think we should all participate in what she termed “crisis philanthropy.” But, as Mary Elder went on to say, we must follow Nancy’s lead and also invest in the better future that’s possible when women’s voices have been amplified and are heard. This determination reminds me of the old saying about planting trees in whose shade one might never sit – just as the staff planted four trees last year following their staff retreat that will eventually shade the non-air-conditioned office building.
Speaking of staff retreats and with yet more fortuitous timing, this Thursday and Friday our team will enjoy many shared experiences at our annual time set aside for “Connection ♦ Renewal ♦ Frolicking". Then, having hosted our treasured alumnae, and after participating in our gathering, the team will be practicing a little Radical Hospitality on ourselves: the office and land will be closed until Monday, July 11th.
As Program Director, Amber Flame, encouraged everyone on Saturday, every Hedgebrook alumna should block out approximately this time next year and plan to come to The Farm. This gathering is a new tradition that will just get better and better every year.
-Roxanne Kröon Shepherd | Development Director, Hedgebrook