The Art of Celebration

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posted on

September 17, 2025

Maybe it's the cool mornings, but I have recently been thinking of feasting on good comfort food and gathering with friends.

It can be hard to believe that we are on the tail end of summer with all the cookouts, picnics, and farm dinners, but we have the cozy fall and winter seasons ahead of us.

I love how we as humans always have the need to eat and nourish ourselves, but that can look like a million different things. In different seasons of life, it is going to be unique, but celebrating and gathering around food is a central part of life.

In a world full of distractions and patterns that promote isolation, gathering is something we need to intentionally cultivate in our lives.

Here are three myths about gathering over food and three tips for cultivating community into your life:

Myth #1: I don’t have time to do “one more thing”.

Truth: Look at your life and find the natural rhythms that are already there and invite others to join you. Do you like to relax on Saturday evenings on the porch? Go next door and see if your neighbor is free to come over! Do you cook a big lunch for Sunday after church? Consider inviting a friend at that time instead of stressing about adding another large meal of cooking to your busy week.

Gathering with friends over food does not mean it has to be a five-course meal with entertainment to plan (although throwing a party like that may be fun to do on occasion!). I personally rely a lot on my crockpot or simple Dutch oven meals when I have friends over.

Myth #2: I have to be an expert at hospitality in order to gather over food with people.

Truth: Hospitality and hosting others is something specific people are really gifted at, but it is also something that you can “come as you are” and uniquely offer to the people in your life. I have learned that you can let things speak for themselves. Introduce a friend to our mouthwatering meats and let the nourishing food and the kindness of companionship minister to others more than anything else.

Just be a friend to others, gathering over food is about sharing community and eating together; it is pretty simple.

Also, feel free to cheat and make things easier for you if hosting feels stressful. Paper plates are your friend! Ask to meet up at a park or picnic pavilion, or another setting that makes things easy for you.

Myth #3: I have to have my life together to invite people into it.

Truth: “Having your life together” is a facade that many of us chase or hide behind, but real, authentic community sees behind whatever curtains we can put up. Life is full of different seasons. There is joy and grief. Full houses and empty houses. Scarcity and abundance. Making an effort to gather isn’t something that happens when all aspects of your life are perfectly balanced. Your life will never be perfect, nor will anyone else’s.

What would happen if we embraced the imperfection of each season and grew with those who love us in authentic community?

Do you have a house full of toddlers? No one said you couldn’t gather over PB&J’s. Are you struggling financially? Why not do a potluck where everyone can contribute a favorite recipe?

Authenticity is hard, but how else will we truly be able to celebrate or mourn what is going on in our lives unless we open up about it?

Let’s reject the myths that keep us apart and start gathering over good food and building lasting relationships!

Here are three quick tips to encourage you in the process:

Tip #1: Find your people.

Some of us come from colorful backgrounds full of culture, community, and close relationships. Others feel very isolated, and the very idea of trying to integrate community into their life seems quite daunting.

My advice is to start with your easy friends. Find the people in your life who spending time with feels effortless. Invite them to share food with you in some way. No need to start your journey of cultivating relationships with a distant relative who stresses you out.

Keep your eyes open. You were made for community. There are people out there for you.

Tip #2: Start small.

As I mentioned in some of the myths above, cultivating community and gathering with people is not a spectacle or a show that you have to put on. Consider starting by adding simple traditions to existing gatherings.

Try something new on a birthday and bake or cook some nourishing recipes as we look forward to fall and winter with all the various holidays.

Be intentional about life accomplishments. Let graduations, weddings, new babies, and new homes be a catalyst to gather and grow in relationships.

Tip #3: Know yourself.

You know best where you are in life right now. In the spirit of keeping things simple and easy, find ways to make gathering natural and effortless for you. Otherwise, you will get overwhelmed and burnt out. People can do that to you, as much as gathering with others is so healthy for your soul.

Pull out some board games if conversation gets difficult. Meet up for lunch instead of dinner if you are an early-to-bed type of person.

Eating with others should be an act of joy, not stress!

What would make eating a meal in community a joy-filled experience for you?

I hope that as you start to ease into the fall season and develop your rhythms with kids back in school and shorter days, you will take some time to gather with friends over good food and experience the joy of cultivating relationships in a world that is increasingly isolated.

Who knew that eating lunch with a friend could be such an act of resistance?

Many blessings on you and your communities,

Priscilla

Why Good Food Costs More - and Why It Matters

Many people wonder why foods grown with care for the land, animals, and farmers often cost more than the industrial options that line grocery store shelves. It’s an important and honest question, and it deserves a thoughtful answer. Let’s start with the basics: food affects everything. Our health, our communities, and the land that sustains us are all tied to how food is produced. Unfortunately, problems begin when the cheapest foods tend to be the most processed, the most subsidized, and the most aggressively marketed. It's easy to feel boxed into these choices, especially when you look at the price tag. But sometimes, and for lots of folks, it's easy to forget that those cheap foods come with a much higher price tag later on, whether it's just how we feel as processed foods affect our bodies, or the bills that stack up after doctor's visits. I know that after I eat ultra-processed foods (often full of unspecified additives, dyes, stabilizing ingredients, etc.), I don't feel great. I'm so thankful to say that I grew up eating mostly grass-fed beef. As a child, I remember wondering why "grocery store" beef was so different and "yucky". (I just thought only my grandpa could raise good beef.) As I've spent the last decade and a half eating mostly pastured chicken and pork, too, I can tell a definite difference when I do eat less "expensive", commercially raised foods. My grandpa definitely raised good beef, but I've realized now that it was his methods that made all the difference. Sustainably raised, grass-fed, pastured meat is meat that is being raised as it was intended to be, and therefore, it can do for our bodies what it was intended to do: nourish, fill, and bless. When I make better choices with my meals, I'm less tired, experience fewer mood swings, don't get hungry again as soon, experience less brain fog, and have fewer stomach and digestive issues. I've realized that the true price of food is how it affects my body and makes me feel. I can choose foods that come with a 'price tag,' and will help me to feel my best, or I can choose food with a hidden cost later on, as it takes a toll on my body.At Polyface, we have a simple belief: when animals live the way they’re designed to live, they, the land, and the people who eat from it thrive. Compared to conventional, industrially raised meat, regeneratively raised, grass-fed meat offers: Healthier fat profiles — Cattle and poultry raised on diverse pastures often contain more omega-3s and fewer inflammatory omega-6 fats than animals fed grain in confinement. Higher micronutrient density — Pasture-raised meats and eggs contain more vitamins A, D, and E, along with minerals like iron and selenium—thanks to clean sunlight, fresh grasses, and good exercise. Cleaner food with fewer inputs — Animals raised on pasture don’t require routine antibiotics, growth promotants, or chemical inputs that are standard in confinement systems. Food that nourishes more with less — Nutrient-dense food tends to be more satisfying, meaning people often feel full sooner and stay full longer. These aren’t abstract ideals. They’re real, biological outcomes from raising animals on living landscapes rather than in industrial warehouses. At Polyface, we consciously invest in people and animals—not gadgets, not chemicals, not complex machinery that distances the farmer from the land. Instead of giant tractors, Polyface invests in skilled team members who know how to read the land, interpret animal behavior, and respond with nuance and care. Human eyes, human hands, and human intuition cannot be replaced by equipment if the goal is health and regeneration. Instead of confinement buildings that require ventilation systems, antibiotics, and elaborate waste-handling equipment, Polyface invests in animals raised outdoors in fresh air and sunshine, rotated across pasture so they can express their natural design (while fertilizing the soil). Instead of relying on chemical crutches, Polyface invests in biological solutions like rest periods for grass, multi-species grazing, composting systems, and portable shelters. These things help us follow natural patterns rather than fight them. This kind of farming is people-intensive. It’s observation-intensive. It’s relationship-intensive. It's a very different type of farming than what is most often seen or illustrated. So, why does this matter? You don’t have to raise chickens or move cattle across pastures to be part of this work. Honest, regenerative farming is a partnership between the growers and the eaters. Every time you choose food raised with care and transparency, you cast a vote for the kind of world you want: A world where animals live in a way that honors their design. A world where farmers can make a living without compromising their values. A world where the land becomes healthier, more fertile, and more resilient each year. A world where food strengthens bodies instead of breaking them down. When you choose Polyface, you become part of this regenerative story. You help restore soils, revive rural communities, and support a type of agriculture that heals instead of harms. You help build a food system rooted in transparency, nutrition, stewardship, and hope. I've heard it said that the path forward begins with honest conversation and mutual learning. The same holds true for moving toward better food and better farming. Thank you for asking hard questions and caring enough to look deeper. We want to stay accountable, curious, and committed to improving what we do. Whenever you’re able, the Salatins welcome you to the farm so you can see these principles in action for yourself. I always tell people that there’s nothing quite like walking the pastures, watching the animals, and witnessing regeneration firsthand. Together as farmers, families, and communities, we can cultivate a future where food nourishes everything it touches: the land beneath our feet, the animals in our care, and the people around our tables. I like the sound of that future, don't you? Hannah

The Art of Celebration

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