There is a saying, “It always feels better when you feel better,” and though we may roll our eyes or chuckle at this statement, it is still true. This applies to our mental health as well as our physical health. COVID 19 does kill people, however, the fear generated by the World Health Organization, the CDC, the media, and others, I believe, is having a much more devastating effect on the lives of those around us than we are seeing reported on the nightly news. Even when you set aside the economic devastation, the fear is isolating millions of people physically, socially, emotionally, as well as mentally. The health care professionals are saying that these effects will last for years, if not decades.   

It has been interesting to note that hospitals are paid an additional $13,000 for each death certificate showing the cause was COVID 19, and three times as much, or $39,000 if the patient had been put on a ventilator. One of those reporting this is Senator Dr. Scott Jensen from Minnesota on The Ingraham Angle of Fox News. This incentive, along with the fact that the government suspended all other elective surgeries, which provides much of a hospital’s income, makes me and others question the motives of those telling us to stay home and be responsible citizens, this rhetoric of fear is shredding the very social and economic fabric of our communities and families, the very fabric that has held the free world together, resisting those that would take away our personal freedoms and require us to be dependent upon their supply chains.

This pandemic and the other crises that are to follow, whether they are God’s judgments or the Machiavellian contrivances of man, will have the same effect. That effect is and will be the continued disruption of our freedom and prosperity. So, we will either follow the Creator, or man. This may be too religious for some, but the simple fact remains, there is a choice placed before us. We will either prepare every needful thing, thus allowing for an abundance, while there is yet time, or we will fall to the fear and succumb to those that would exercise control over us by creating shortages, real and imagined.

The OSR Initiative is about agricultural production by individual families. That means allowing families to provide for themselves the very necessities of life. The creation of agricultural cooperatives provides a healthy, safe, and family-oriented environment that allows self-reliance while providing opportunities to work together to provide other needful goods, services, jobs, and income that benefit the whole community.

The facts are there for anyone willing to look. Time is truly short. Whether or not you become proactive in preparing every needful thing or you are just waiting for everything to return to normal, is for you to decide. You are making choices that will determine the fate of you and your family during the challenges we will continue to face in the future. The call has been made; the march has begun. We invite you and your family to come, see, and do, and join with us as we head into this new frontier. Let us remember the pioneers who carved out their future and a future for their posterity and let us do the same.

God speed,
Philip J. Gleason
Director

Are we being manipulated over COVID 19 when there are other death statistics that are much more staggering? The CDC reported COVID 19 related deaths are 79,756.

The yearly mortality rate for leading causes of death* (See source list below):

• Heart disease: 647,457
• Cancer: 599,108
• Accidents (unintentional injuries): 169,936
• Chronic lower respiratory diseases: 160,201
• Stroke (cerebrovascular diseases): 146,383
• Alzheimer’s disease: 121,404
• Diabetes: 83,564
• Influenza and pneumonia: 55,672
• Nephritis, nephrotic syndrome, and nephrosis: 50,633
• Intentional self-harm (suicide): 47,173

Medical errors contribute to more than 250,000 deaths in the United States each year. - A 2016 Johns Hopkins study, reported Mar 2, 2018

SOURCE LIST:

Deaths: Leading Causes for 2017, table 1 pdf icon[PDF- 2 MB]

https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/leading-causes-of-death.htm

READY FOR ANYTHING
WITH ESSENTIAL OILS

Why in the world are they called "essential"?

Are they really worth the benefits?

Can I store them for long-term use?

You've got questions, and we've got answers! Join us this Thursday!

*Please note that after you register, you will receive an email invitation with a website link and info with instructions on how to view the live webinar.

Do you have a gift, talent or experience with being self-reliant that you could share among us?

If so, we invite you to submit an article to be published in the Academy Newsletter. To help you submit your article, Coleen Gleason, one of our editors, will be happy to assist you. You can contact her or send your articles to her at coleen@academyosr.com. Upon review and acceptance, you will be notified when your article will be published.

Thank you for sharing!

Here's what we've got going on!

Want to learn how to achieve greater self-reliance in our 250-family modern homesteading community? Then check out our Intro Meetings where we discuss what you can do, and where to start!

Would you like a personal tour of the site of a 250-family homestead community being built on the Utah OSR Land Co-op's 1,245-acre Riverbed Ranch in Juab County, Utah? Then join us for our Munch & Mingle Tour! We'll show you what we're doing now, and what we have planned for the future!

For more details and information about each of our events, click the button to visit our Events Page.

Join us this June for our very first tree planting event!
 
There are several projects happening at the Riverbed Ranch involving planting trees and shrubs to begin regenerating the soil and providing forage for bees in areas around the Welcome Center, the 40 acre Special Projects Center (The Academy Campus, Rescue Home, Therapy Barn, etc.), and eventually the future Green Belt/Waterway. Initial planting projects will begin where water is already available to keep plants alive, and many plants and cuttings are already being gathered to get this started!
 
In mid-June, 2020, we will be inviting OSR shareholders AND the interested public to come to the Riverbed Ranch for a 1-day mass tree planting event. The primary goal of this 1-day event is to plant 2,020 trees and shrubs in one day, and of course, the secondary goals include socializing and gathering public interest in regenerative agriculture and the mission of the Academy of Self-Reliance and Utah Land Co-Op!
 
Crowdfunding and Advertising campaigns are launching soon to gather funds and participants. There is additional help needed, of course! Below is one specific role we are looking to fill, but of course this 1-day event will only be accomplished with many helping hands.

Please contact Sarah Vezzani at loftium4@gmail.com if you are interested in filling the below role or would like to help in other ways.
 
POINT PERSON NEEDED FOR DAY-OF FESTIVITIES:

Responsibilities include planning and coordinating the people-related logistics of the day: checking participants in, distributing water bottles and T-shirts, directing families to different stations (rest areas with snacks, bathrooms, baby changing/feeding area), ensuring everyone has necessary equipment (and training if needed!) to help out, organizing activities for younger children, and entertainment (can simply be music playing - we have a volunteer for supplying the sound system)

HOPE TO SEE YOU THERE!

Have you heard? We're building a ropes course!

The Academy OSR Ropes Course will offer a unique series of team-building exercises that will have a variety of activities and programs that will challenge you, your friends, family, coworkers, and teammates to master challenges and conquer fears.

This state-of-the-art facility incorporates a continuous belay system that provides for maximum safety as participants learn and internalize concepts such as:

• problem-solving   • leadership skills   • communication   • self-confidence

. . . and so much more! We truly believe this will bless the lives of the young, and the not-so-young. 

GRANT UPDATE: We have completed the preliminary two steps necessary to qualify for committee consideration for a grant from the State of Utah for the Ropes Course. We finished the application and the final committee will meet May 6-7 to determine who will be awarded for this year.

Are you on social media? Then let's connect!

We'd love to have you join our Facebook Group, where we post about upcoming events and meetings where you and your friends can learn more about what we're doing! It's a great and easy way to help spread the word!

We are in the process of providing a discount for solar-energy equipment.  We have selected Sol-Ark as a supplier.

To increase our discounts, we are needing to combine our purchases.  We can get improved discounts if we place an order for 10 or more units.  And at 20 or more units, we receive an even larger discount.

If you are thinking of purchasing solar-energy equipment, whether for your new home, existing home, friend’s home, camping, etc…, please fill out our online questionnaire so that we can combine our orders and get big savings.

This is not a commitment to purchase at this time.  We are only getting a list of potential buyers.