“There should be more dancing at Bethlehem Farm,” Jenna Molaro mused shortly after joining us as a Caretaker in fall of 2022. And suddenly, there was! Dish-time grooving, Joni Mitchell sing-alongs, and spontaneous tap-dancing soon became staples. Though we said “see you later” to our beloved Jenna this December after a year and a half of service, her spirit of jubilation remains in all of us.
As a Worksite Leader, Jenna offered attention to detail, hard work, and a gentle ease in building relationships. She brought her Environmental Science background to the role of Sustainability Coordinator, organizing the installation of our new 32,000-gallon rainwater containment system and championing our community solar program. As Event Planner extraordinaire, she helped us transition our Winter Benefit from virtual to in-person in 2023. You could often find her tending the chickens, working in the garden, or cooking up a creative meal if not on a home repair worksite.
Extraordinarily relational, Jenna built strong bonds with our neighbors, especially the Hypes family down the road. Jenna quickly connected with the local music community as well as environmental activists resisting the Mountain Valley Pipeline. She consistently invited volunteers and Caretakers alike to reorient our lives toward seeking justice. Jenna deepened our Caretaker community through invitations to forest romps, spontaneous road trips, and countless fireside singalongs.
While we will miss her spirit of adventure, sharp wit, listening ear, and incessant sneezing, we are so excited for Jenna as she returns to Chicago to be closer to family and to launch her adventures as a teacher. Boogie on, Jenna Molaro!
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Pasta Fagioli
By: Jenna, Caretaker
This dish is my most nostalgic comfort food. I’ve played with the recipe for years in an effort to recreate the warmth I remember as a child, but the optional rosemary is my own twist! This dish is a big cozy hug.
Serves: Approximately 6
Ingredients:
2 TB Olive Oil
5 cloves garlic
1 medium Yellow Onion
1 tsp Salt (+ more to taste)
1 tsp Pepper (+ more to taste)
1 tsp Garlic Powder
Pinch of Crushed Red Pepper Flakes, more if you like spice
6 cups White Beans such as Great Northern, Cannellini, even chick peas*
3 cups Short Pasta Noodles (Ditalini, Rotelle, whatever you like)
Optional 4 sprigs Rosemary
1 cup parmesan cheese (+ more to taste)
*If you use canned beans, drain and rinse them. If you’re using dry beans, soak or boil until tender.
Directions:
Dice onions and mince garlic. In a medium pot, sauté in olive oil over medium heat until onions are translucent but not caramelized. Add salt, pepper, garlic powder, and crushed red pepper. Sautee 1 more minute.
Add beans and 6 cups of water. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer for 20 minutes. If you want to add rosemary, steep in soup while it simmers.
Boil and strain pasta as soup simmers.
As beans cook, mash them with the spoon as you stir. The more you mash, the creamier it will be. Mash less if you like broth-y soup. Add more water if the soup is too thick.
When you like the consistency, remove rosemary, stir in parmesan cheese. Taste and season to your liking.
Stir in pasta. Enjoy!
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Benefit Wrap-up
By Angela, Caretaker
On December 9th, 2023, past and current Caretakers, Summer Servants, and Farm friends and family gathered at St. Elizabeth Seton Church, in Carmel, Indiana, for this year’s Winter Benefit. This was the first time that we held the benefit in person since 2019, and it was a great success with about 120 people in attendance. Unofficial returns indicate that we raised over $49,000! The night began with a Mass, celebrated by Father Andrew Thornton, followed by the event in the social hall. Attendees enjoyed food and drinks, and mixed and mingled while bidding on auction items. The formal program began around 8:15 pm, which included an update from director Eric Fitts and testimonies from former volunteer, Rochelle Santerre, former summer servant, Meg Schemanske, and recent Family Week volunteers, Jake, Alicen, Jules, and Eve Teitgen.
The night concluded with pulling raffle tickets and closing auction tables. Attendants left with arms full of items, bellies full of food and dessert, and hearts full of joy and laughter. Special thanks to the Caretakers as well as the Benefit Committee members, Lauren LaCoy, Brenna Davis, Brent Fernandez, Kera McNelis, Steve Morrill, Tim Shovlin, and Richard Storey. Extra special thanks to Kim Foote, mother of Kera McNelis, for all of her help during, before, and after the event.
Missed the Event? Check it out here!
Bethlehem Farm's 2023 Livestream Winter Benefit!
Whether you're new to the Farm or old friends, we're grateful for your support. Here is one way that you can help us out: Make a General Donation to Bethlehem Farm: https://www.bethlehemfarm.net/donate
Thank you again, for your generous support in helping us transform lives through service with the local community and the teaching of sustainable practices in Appalachia!
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Monthly Giving Circle
Thank you!
Anonymous (2), Carrie & Andrew Archual, Jim & Chris Artmayer, Emma Baird, Chris Bellairs, Audrey Bishop, Josh Bleisch, Theresa Bottei, Claire & Pat Brady, Laura Buck & Nicki Brooks, Jay Carney, Aaron & Catie Costello, Claire Crafts, Doug Demeo, Peter & Mary Denio, Steve Desmarais, Liz Drapa, Brent & Amanda Fernandez, Alice Foreman, Bob Gill, Adam & Kendra Goudreau, Andy Goyer, Hayley & Andrew Harmon, Zach & Carley Haselhorst, Luke & Jillian Hoefer, Brian & Coleen Hufnagle, In Memory of Gary Karasinski, Jarusha (Lang) & Dustin Kimble, Matt & Kate Kosydar, Michael & Rachel Kraus, Katelyn (Wolf) Kudla, Lauren LaCoy, Tricia Lally, Pat Lampton, Alex Lazzara, Bruce & Ann Lemna, Tori Llorens, Mariana Lo, Phil & Carol Anne Mahoney, Christina Mayhew, Mary Clare Mazzocchi, Patrick & Marie McKenna, Scott & Kera McNelis, Bryan & Christina Melcher, Sean & Katherine Mitchell, Caitlin & Aaron Morneau, Jennie & Mike Motto Mesterharm, Raine Nimmer, Regina O’Connor, Shannon O’Toole, Ingrid & William Paige, Lisa Patterson, Mark & Cynthia Peters, Emma Qualy-Pearson, Andy Rebollar & Andi Grandy, Bob & Pat Rebollar, Jane Richter, Liz Riedel, Sarah & Tom Rooney, Dan & Ann Ruggaber, Sharyl (Pels) & Joe Rust, Mary Beth Berkley & David Salinas, Tim & Alyssa Shovlin, Rosanne & Tim Shovlin, Rachelle & Ariell Simon, Marc Slain, Amy & De Spurlock, Gemma Stanton, Peter Steiner, Marcelene Sutter, Jake & Alicen Teitgen, Kara Timmons, Oscar & Patrice Valenzuela, Nick Vergatos, Katherine Warth, Katie Wiggins, Mary Williams, Benote Wimp, and Anna Wright-Ebbers
State of the Farm Address
By Eric, Director
As we celebrate our 19th anniversary year, we look back on the highlights from 2023.
When I look back on this past year, there is so much joyful news to shout from the mountaintop:
Our board of directors is renewing our 5-year strategic plan, as we discern the Holy Spirit’s will for where Bethlehem Farm can learn & grow and deepen our impact.
Marcus, our new professional salaried Construction Manager was hired to help lead our Repairing Homes, Renewing Communities
Caretakers made a big impact this year. Hellos and goodbyes included Jack’s arrival in March, Sarah’s departure in May, Angela’s arrival in August, and Jenna’s departure in December. Jack is our safety sidekick, maintaining the vehicle fleet and repairing safety issues around the Farm, Sarah contributed to a successful overhaul of our home repair program, Angela is taking a huge burden off Colleen by directing Miriam’s homeschooling, and Jenna was instrumental in managing the installation of our 25,000-gallon rainwater containment.
18 Summer Servants served a total of 82 weeks this past summer, enriching our mission and life in as many ways
Over 300 week-long service-retreat participants joined us, as the group weeks continue to fill back up after COVID quarantines
Over 200 home repair projects were completed, ensuring low-income neighbors have safe, warm, dry, and healthy housing. I recall especially:
Helping Dianna & David recover from a devastating house fire
Dean was living in an uninsulated shed with no plumbing and sleeping on the floor—now his tiny home is insulated and he has a bed to sleep in. He reported that he woke up sweating one crisp morning, for the first time in 10 years.
Charlie, a single father, had wind blowing through his home through rotten walls and missing windows, and now is snug after many repairs
Tim’s roof had been leaking for years in the bathroom, so we not only rebuilt the roof, but also replaced the only bathroom from the floor up
These are examples not only of working together with neighbors to ensure they have a healthy home, but also of Caretakers building relationships in the local community, and of volunteers putting their faith into action and seeing results in real life of what faith in Jesus looks like.
With your help, we can welcome hundreds of youth and young adults who want to join us next year in order to put their faith into action. With your help, we can recruit the Summer Servants and Caretakers to lead this community effort. With your help, we can continue to provide a living wage to our Construction Manager, who supports a wife and three kids. Andwith your help, we can enter into relationship with the 39 low-income families on our waiting list whose stories right now are full of hardship.
Baking bread warms the house and I find myself grateful for a God that gets stuck in my teeth. As we settle into the odd patch of ordinary time nestled between Christmas and Lent, I can easily lose direction in the thick of these cold, dark days.
But God nudges me – Remember where I show up? Remember the manger, the garden, the upper room? Bread and wine? Laughably ordinary.
There’s no chance of eating toast without a few crumbs escaping to the floor, or hiding in back molars. Then, our bodies process these nutrients and bread becomesflesh – our skin, our bones, our pinkie fingers. God, present in the work of human hands. God, present in the human hands. God, stuck in my teeth after Mass. I feel irreverent, until I remember it’s precisely what God’s after – to linger with us in the ordinary.
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Monthly Giving: Spread the love out all year long
Monthly giving is an easy way to support the Farm each month, without having to plan for a large annual donation. If you are interested in joining the Monthly Giving Circle at Bethlehem Farm, then
Some monthly donors set up an auto-monthly bill pay to Bethlehem Farm in their online checking (we can share our bank acct info to set up an electronic transfer OR send it tocaretakers@bethlehemfarm.net or to “Bethlehem Farm, PO BOX 415, TALCOTT, WV 24981.”)
OR
Write a check monthly and mail it in to the above address
Monthly donors give between $5 and $1,000 each month. In FY2023, the monthly giving circle contributed over $62,000 – an important portion of overall giving!
We are in critical need of monthly donors at this time, since we lost five monthly donors in 2023 (job losses, etc.) and overall monthly giving revenue is down, while the need for low-income home repair in our area has grown and material prices have increased.
I’ll give one example of a family who needs your help:
When we began working with them, Amber and Devon were living in an unfinished shed building without electricity, water, indoor plumbing, and insulation…and their first child was to coming soon. While we have begun work by insulating, their home has a long ways to go to be safe, warm and healthy for the new baby.
Meanwhile, we are having to deny services to other clients based on the budget constraints. Can you step up?
We have a goal of adding ten monthly donors this month.
Some reasons that our donors choose to give monthly:
We decided that we needed to prioritize our faith not only in our time and actions, but also in our budget
Each time we visit Bethlehem Farm and see the life-changing work that is going on there, we are inspired to give a donation
This way our gift is an expense that is already factored into our spending, and prioritized above those extra dinners, cups of coffee and other luxuries
We can't be at Bethlehem Farm participating in the mission daily, but we can live out our vocation in our own lives while still supporting and being a part of the work of Bethlehem Farm through our consistent giving
Giving this way makes it easy for me to not forget
Our sense of continued connection to our special experience at Bethlehem Farm and our desire to assist in affording the opportunity of that experience to others. The work done at the Farm is true evangelization.
Because I believe the farm is an apostolic community, living out the gospel message, as authentically as possible
Because we feel that Bethlehem Farm is an authentic way to propagate the gospel and because we have seen just how far they can stretch resources towards living the gospel. $100 at Bethlehem Farm seems to go SO much further than we'd be able to stretch it ourselves.
I understand how real and alive the Spirit is working in the community
Because of the speech Eric gives at the end of each group week about the importance of tithing and how he and Colleen started this practice as newly-wed grad students making next to nothing. And the Farm touched me so deeply in so many ways, and was such a huge part of my life discernment, that I want to make sure I am doing my part to help it continue to exist.
I see how the experience of the Farm continues to affect and form my students into active, passionate, and engaged citizens and activists
Because I believe in the mission. As a volunteer, I fell in love with the community and as a Summer Servant, I was challenged in my faith. The decisions I make today - as a Catholic and as a teacher - are influenced by the Gospel cornerstones I learned to live at Bethlehem Farm.
As a way to tend to my spiritual garden, which does not get enough attention otherwise.
It’s a monthly checkup of sorts for us to see how we are living the cornerstones where we live. Additionally we feel its very important for the Caretakers to know they are not alone in their work, that they have partners in their mission that they can count on each and every month to help support them, even in a small way.
Your monthly commitment assures us that we will have the resources we need to hire staff, make promises to low-income families, and undertake sustainable upgrades around the Farm and out in the community. We’ll keep you posted each month on recent happenings and we can share prayer intentions with each other.
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32,000 gallon rainwater containment system– in the ground!
At the beginning of October, vermillion, golden yellow, and maroon leaves were cheering us on at the muddy adventure course happening by the fire pit…as you can imagine, installing a 32,000 gallon rainwater containment system requires a BIG hole! There were some long days filled with digging, assembling, carrying, and moving things, but we had fun dancing around with only socks or bare feet on the plastic water collection modules. The donkeys were especially excited when they saw us put the finishing touches of grass seed on the refilled hole. We will be using this water that we collect off the garage roof primarily for watering the garden and taking showers.
As special thanks to Dan Chmura, the Wheaton Franciscans, and past Ethos interns, as well as Jenna and Marcus for their leadership on this ambitious project. As Eric joked, “We are probably the least qualified people who can pull this off.”
With only a few hiccups, we did it!
You may be wondering: How do you install a rainwater containment system? Get a glimpse of the process in this video created by Summer Servant Jarrett Murano.
