Fifty-four years of living on the land.

This is my personal experience of being a lesbian living on the land. What is unusual in my story is that I've been doing this for fifty-four years and that I had the good fortune of settling on the north coast of California in a community of gay friendly, progressive back-to-the-landers. Those early years of the 70's were times of exploration. We learned how to live in harmony with each other and with the natural world around us. We learned about our oppression as women, as lesbians, and tried to convey these lessons to others through our national magazine "Country Women". Decades have passed and I write about what has happened to those early settlers. My personal evolution has been through small farming and art. Both of these endeavors keep me connected to this beloved place and still allow me to reach others and encourage them to cherish the land. What I've seen over the years is that women and especially lesbians have a unique connection with the land. We are more likely to respect and nurture our Mother Earth as we love care for our own female bodies and our children. Of course, many straight women and many men are wonderful caretakers of the land so, as in most things, it is not a black and white situation. Our community has stayed strong and continues to battle the forces bent on destruction of the redwoods and the ocean. As my generation passes on, I wonder if there will be a new batch of settlers to carry on what we started or if the inevitable march of tourism and expensive homes will be the end of our legacy of protection.