Here in Utah, we celebrated Pioneer Day last Friday. After the last year, I have a new appreciation for those pioneers and their families. While what we are doing is not as brutal as what the early day pioneers did, there are some parallels. Giving up much to move into the wilderness to secure a better tomorrow can be intimidating. Yet, we do it for a better tomorrow. Just like it was for our predecessors, the process of looking for a new home and acquiring it is exciting and nerve-racking at the same time.

 As the process of making the move to new beginnings begins, there is the planning and the actual execution of the plan. Determining what one will take and what one will leave behind, along with the sale of homes and other possessions is a task that consumes much energy, both physical and emotional. However, the dream of a new beginning starts to take on a new reality. We start to find new friendships along the way, those that are headed the same direction. These new friends have similar concerns and similar hopes as we do.

The journey along the OSR path to new beginnings can be similar to the one those pioneers who came before us, made. I am finding that this journey is changing me. I believe it is changing me for the better. I am becoming more resilient. I am more tolerant of my own imperfections and those of others, allowing for a better understanding of who I am and who those around me are. I am learning that more often than not, what I have perceived as flaws in myself and others are in reality evidence of good people working with and through challenges. These challenges can be physical, emotional, intellectual, or even spiritual, or a combination of all four. As we make this journey, we are blazing new trails. This effort is challenging and difficult. We are becoming something more than who we were before we took this journey on.

Like any hard and difficult exercise, when endured, a transformation takes place. Capacity to do more, to be more increases. The fact that we are not alone in this journey gives me a great deal of assurance and hope for a bright and safer tomorrow. I am especially grateful to the many new friends that I am encountering along this journey. I am appreciative of their love and willingness to accept me with all of my weaknesses and shortcomings. I can do no less for them.

This is the reality of self-reliant people. They know what it is that they want. They make assessments of where they really are; physically, emotionally, intellectually, even spiritually. When they know where they want to go, they make a plan using strategies to accomplish such a transition. Because this journey is hard, I am grateful to all of you pioneers that are fast becoming my friends and family. Your willingness to make this journey with me, that we may all be more and do more, make all of you my heroes.

God speed,
Philip J. Gleason
Director

Currently, there is a need for those with construction skills. 

Compensation is commensurate with experience and ability. Consideration for these employment opportunities will first be offered to the Utah OSR Land Cooperative shareholders and their family members. If you are interested, please, send a brief introduction of your skills and availability to philip@osrgreen.com for consideration.

Webinars will resume in August. See you then!

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.

Save the Date for our very first tree planting event on 
September 12th! 

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! 

On September 12, 2020, we will be inviting OSR shareholders AND the interested public to come to the Riverbed Ranch for a 1-day mass tree/shrub 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 ongoing to gather funds and participants. There is additional help needed, of course! 

Please contact Sarah Vezzani at loftium4@gmail.com if you are interested in helping out with the planning and/or execution of this event.

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. 

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 ready to place orders with Sol-Ark for our solar systems! 

Our first order is going out in the morning on Wednesday, July 29th.

But if you're not ready yet, or if you missed it, we will be placing another order again in the future!

If you have any questions or want to submit an order for our next shipment, please contact Philip Gleason at philip@osrgreen.com or call him directly at (801) 310-1947.

SOLAR COMPONENT PRICING: