Thistle Farming |
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To me, being a thistle farmer means that the world is our farm, and our job is to see the beauty in the areas that have been abandoned or deemed unworthy of cultivating. Our fields include allies, lots behind malls, railway clearings, and the poorest sections of town. When we harvest a thistle it means that we still see the beauty in all of creation, and that nothing should be left to be condemned. - Becca Stevens
As we begin to explore what it means to be thistle farmers, we are are looking to collect thistles from all over the world - thistle down (for our handmade thistle paper!) as well as photos and written reflections to share here. Send images and stories to marlei@thistlefarms.org. To help collect thistle down (keep gloves, scissors and bags handy!), email ali@thistlefarms.org for further instructions. Click the arrow on the image below to hear Becca discuss making thistle paper (note: you can click out of the box that asks you to upload).
Thistle Images
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| Patagonia, Arentina - the Lanin Volcano in the background-Joan Galligan |
A 'sacred place' in Scotland- Christy Ridings, Belmont Univ. Chaplain |
Thistle Stories
Unexpected blessings Lie In Unexpected places
Stepping out of the warmth and coziness of the heated SUV, we were met with clean and crisp mountain air. Leaving the city, traffic, worries, frustrations, and any sense of time behind, everyone looked foward to the respite we would be given while undertaking the making of thistle paper. This paper was of a very special nature; it would be hand-made by the same women who formally stepped around, over, or on top of these cantankerous flowers that grew alongside the roads where they worked, lived, cried, prayed, and even died.
The cool air gave a fresh persepctive to a centuries old craft. The art that was birthed in this place gave way to new meanings, feelings of serenity, hope, and beginnings. Our seasoned and wizend guide through the process of mixing banana leave pulp and thistles, from our very own stock, had an uncanny ability to sense strengths and weaknesess in our work. A little extra help here, an encouraging word there, she floated around the room tweeking and adjusting our "art" that we would soon use in our work. Our results were beautiful. We were very proud of our delicate thistle paper, each piece extraordinarily different. I look around at my sisters like I look at our paper. Different shades, shapes, textures, sizes, and colors respresented each of our own unique spirits that combine together on a daily basis to undertake this thing called life. - Kristin, Magdalene Resident