Ionia is a peer support community on the Central Kenai Peninsula, a way of life where common sense comes alive. The tools at Ionia are gathered energy, thought, food and simple activity. In 1986, common problems and hopes for a common solution brought our families together. We purchased five acres of spruce forest on the Kenai Peninsula in South-Central Alaska, and Ionia had its beginning. The four founding families came from different geographic, cultural and socio-economic backgrounds, as well as different kinds of internal hardships and behavioral dysfunction. Through a process of trial and error, we realized that individuals, families and communities are truly interdependent; that in order to sustainably change one thing, we had to change almost everything; and, that it is impossible to create change without embodying it. This kind of thinking has led to Ionia’s endurance.The founding families were in the cold, poor of spirit and hungry for an optimistic direction. Separately, we found our way to simple macrobiotic food and common sense. By gathering, we were able to add the time necessary for real change and recovery.
Growing up at Ionia, the second generation has taken the tools of food, thought and gathering into renewable energy, outreach and a huge reservoir of social capital. Ionia’s future is the same as everyone else’s, except that two decades ago Ionians were under enough pressure to catch a wave of change – and now, Ionia has the shared multi-generational experience to demonstrate and inspire others who also need practical tools and hope. (see www.ionia.org)
Preparation of meals is integral to our day in Ionia. We consider cooking and eating to be as important as everything else. The heart of the meal is grain, surrounded by nourishing beans and fresh vegetables in varied styles changing with the seasons. From an early age, the little boys and girls begin to absorb the art and love of cooking by watching and helping their elders. Family and community life revolve around the kitchen. Taking our diet seriously leads to everything else.Even though a whole natural foods diet is one of the most accessible tools for maintaining health, it is often the most difficult to attain. Comfort, convenience, habits, social situations and traditions influence every day food choices. At Ionia, we are patiently exploring what makes that choice for whole natural foods so difficult, while bringing about an environment of healthy eating habits. We choose organic, plant-based natural foods – a rich variety of whole grains, beans, and vegetables from land and sea. Combined into meals according to macrobiotic principles of balance, this simple food is the heart of our world.For daily updates of the community meals you can visit the following blog: http://macrofoodeveryday.blogspot.com/
Growing up at Ionia, the second generation has taken the tools of food, thought and gathering into renewable energy, outreach and a huge reservoir of social capital. Ionia’s future is the same as everyone else’s, except that two decades ago Ionians were under enough pressure to catch a wave of change – and now, Ionia has the shared multi-generational experience to demonstrate and inspire others who also need practical tools and hope. (see www.ionia.org)
Preparation of meals is integral to our day in Ionia. We consider cooking and eating to be as important as everything else. The heart of the meal is grain, surrounded by nourishing beans and fresh vegetables in varied styles changing with the seasons. From an early age, the little boys and girls begin to absorb the art and love of cooking by watching and helping their elders. Family and community life revolve around the kitchen. Taking our diet seriously leads to everything else.Even though a whole natural foods diet is one of the most accessible tools for maintaining health, it is often the most difficult to attain. Comfort, convenience, habits, social situations and traditions influence every day food choices. At Ionia, we are patiently exploring what makes that choice for whole natural foods so difficult, while bringing about an environment of healthy eating habits. We choose organic, plant-based natural foods – a rich variety of whole grains, beans, and vegetables from land and sea. Combined into meals according to macrobiotic principles of balance, this simple food is the heart of our world.For daily updates of the community meals you can visit the following blog: http://macrofoodeveryday.blogspot.com/