About ten years ago, there was a band of wandering farmers and creatives who all converged on a dusty neon town in the foothills of the Sierras. With them they brought laughter and green thumbs, life learned lessons to share with the little ones of the town, and a passion to grow and nourish. Now, the people of the neon town were hesitant to invite these individuals into their community and through the first years, the group was turned away many times. But they were as resilient as the plants they grew in the high desert soil and knew that they would be satisfied with no other life path.
One day, they came across a large empty lot of stones. They looked at one another and a delightful and perchance devious idea sprung to their minds. So, they set to work, and soon they erected three long greenhouses and tapped into an abundant water source. The newly built structures caught the eyes of the hesitant locals as they saw the foundations of a beautiful garden being put into place. The first neighbor to meander by called out:
“Heyo! What’re you folks getting up to round here?”
All aloof, the companions replied:
“We are building a garden, friend, and if you like the taste of fresh, sweet cherry tomatoes as they burst in your parched summer mouth, we need but a small contribution of soil.”
The neighbor, salivating at the colorful image the young folks had created, hurried on home to his neighborhood and gathered all his family round.
“My loved ones,” he grinned, “we must gather all the soil we can from the river side and under the evergreens! The folks of the garden will return the fine gesture with bountiful food, fresh for our dinners!”
Quickly, the word got out, and the following month, a homesteader meandered to the gravel lot and heralded the busy farmers:
“Good morn’!” he exclaimed, “I hear you are building something fantastic here and I thought I might come see it for myself!”
“Welcome, friend!” the farmers replied “the earth is warm, and the water is flowing! Soon the beds will burst with colorful leaves and fruit, all we need is a pocketful of seeds.”
Grinning, the homesteader turned out his pockets and last year's meager collection of seeds fell into their open hands. Smiling, the happy folks planted the precious cores of life into the soil and looked at each other with knowing grins.
So, as it was, the roots began to grow as soil filled the empty beds and the seeds warmed under the high desert sun.
A month later, as the cotyledon were shed and the first foliage leaves emerged from the soil, a purveyor of local culture stopped his driver as they cruised by the lot.
“What do we have going on here?” he questioned one of the gardeners as they rested in the shade and drank their water.
“We are producing the freshest and most delicious food this basin has seen!” replied the sweaty individual, “one day it will become the healthiest option in this food desert; all we need is a way to process and prepare it out of these brutal elements.”
Considering himself a tactful mind when it came to business, the man thought long and hard.
“I will return, and in a year's time, you will have a state-of-the-art space to cook and process your harvests.”
Now, promises of this magnitude come with a grain of salt, so the companions smiled and thanked the man and returned to nurturing the new growth.
Over the next year, many people from the surrounding neon town gathered to the growing farm and contributed to the little lot. Soon, a flock of chickens fluttered and clucked their way through the beds; young parents held their children as they stomped through mud and dug in the soil; artists brought their pieces of work to complement the beauty of the natural growth; and finally, teachers brought their gaggles of bright young minds to the space, overjoyed by a new medium of education and for a brief reprieve from their demanding position.
The companions felt so full. They knew that what they were creating was of utmost importance to everyone involved. And while they experienced struggles and challenges from every side, they smiled and spoke with inspiration of what more they could accomplish.
Many years later, they found themselves with the promised state-of-the-art space and the community all gathered for a beautiful meal. Harvested from the garden beds and brought from the numerous beds that families had been taught to build in their own homes, a soup was made that smelled of onion, sage, thyme, rosemary, carrots, kale, peas, tomatoes and garlic.
A stone, gathered from the trusty lot, was cast into the pot to signify the roots that had been grown from baren ground and some amongst the community claimed it was the reason the soup was the most delicious meal they had ever eaten. Some said it was because the meal was shared, in all stages of its creation.
STONE SOUP - The Recipe
There is no set recipe for this soup so the following will be but a suggestion. We highly recommend the young minds of the cooking group to take the lead in the creation.
Find your rock. Wash if you must but know that the soil it holds will bring the flavor of the earth space that your family lives on.
Gather community! Whether this be your nuclear family or neighbors from your part of town or farm friends! Invite them and have them each bring one fresh item to add to the soup.
Laugh and love one another as you prepare the gathered ingredients and add them to your pot. Make sure to center your stone in the very middle.
Cook the potted vegetables and season to the recommendation of the youngest person present.
Add water, stock or bouillon to your pot. Turn to a low temperature and let simmer while you read four chapters of your favorite book, out loud to the gathered audience of loved ones.
Bowl and spoons eagerly clutched in hands, dish out the soup and gather together at the table.
Enjoy <3
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