Shared Hands: Cultivating Community, Crafting Our Future

Recently, our fields were buzzing with an energy unique to autumn. Over 50 volunteers, ranging from high school students to retirees, gathered with us for our annual potato harvest. There was laughter, shared effort, and a palpable sense of purpose as basket after basket was filled. Together, we harvested over 2,500 pounds of potatoes—a bountiful yield that was immediately delivered to Kalamazoo Loaves & Fishes.

This wasn't just about harvesting food; it was about harvesting community. It was about shared hands working the earth, knowing that every potato dug, every bucket carried, would nourish a neighbor in need.

This spirit of collective action is what defines Tillers International, and it's visible in every corner of our campus. While some are in the fields, others are in our workshops, forging resilience in a different way. The focused clang of the hammer in the blacksmithing shop, the precise cuts in the timber framing class, and the patient stacking of stone in our masonry courses are all part of the same mission. These hands-on classes equip individuals with the self-sufficiency skills needed to build, repair, and sustain their own lives and communities.

From empowering local families with the skills to grow their own food, to equipping communities worldwide with sustainable farming methods, our work is a testament to the power of practical skills and collective action. We believe that when people connect with the land and with each other, true food security and resilience can flourish.

Your unwavering support cultivates this incredible spirit, allowing us to continue these vital harvests of both food and fundamental skills, year after year.