the voices of thistle farms

Thistle Farms In Atlanta

2012-01-18T16:46:00.004-06:00

Thistle Farms products are found in over 200 stores across the US, Canada, Singapore and the United Kingdom. We are inviting our friends in the Atlanta market to get more involved and find their personal connection with the women and products of Thistle Farms.

Credit: Atlanta Neighborhoods

Why Atlanta?

The bath and body products of Thistle Farms are handmade by the women of Magdalene, a two-year residential community located in Nashville, but serving women from all over the Southeast. The women who have survived lives of trafficking, violence, and addiction were victims, long before they ever saw the inside of prison walls -- victims of abuse and a culture that can turn a blind eye to social injustice. The universal issues of violence are borne on the individual backs of women, and it will take entire communities from around the country to change a culture that still buys and sells women.

The prevalence of trafficking and prostitution of women in Atlanta is one of the highest in the nation. We are deeply grateful that Atlanta has welcomed the women of Magdalene and Thistle Farms into its churches and into the Whole Foods Market. Now it is our turn to express our gratitude by deepening that connection. We hope that by our increased presence in Atlanta we can share the beautiful truth that love is more powerful than all the forces that drive women to the streets.

We are compelled to fulfill our mission by the urgency of one hundred women on our waiting list. Selling Thistle Farms products and sharing our story with a wider community in Atlanta will not only allow more women to enter the sanctuary of Magdalene, but hopefully inspire more communities to create their own residential space for healing. We are asking to become partners with the common pursuit of women’s freedom as we launch an effort to strengthen our presence in Atlanta. By deepening our friendship and with the purchase of every Thistle Farms product, we believe that united we can have a greater impact on change that will bring hope and healing to women in Nashville, Atlanta and beyond.

How can you help?

1. “Like” Thistle Farms Atlanta Supporters on your Facebook page. Stay updated with Atlanta-specific events and deals and connect to other Atlanta supporters. Learn about the issues of human trafficking and prostitution in the Atlanta area, and be connected to organizations helping those affected. Visit us HERE.

2. Purchase Thistle Farms products at Whole Foods. Seven Whole Foods stores in the Atlanta area are selling our products now. In order to support the program’s presence in Atlanta, we need you to buy our products and spread the story of Magdalene and Thistle Farms. See the “Contact” tab on Facebook for a map of locations.

3. Invite our founder, Becca Stevens, to come speak at an event to your organization or congregation. Learn about the story behind the Magdalene program and hear Becca’s motivation for spreading the ministry of Magdalene and Thistle Farms. Contact tim@thistlefarms.org for more information.

4. Host a Thistle Farms party. Invite your friends over to hear the story of Thistle Farms and have the opportunity to test and buy the products. Contact events@thistlefarms.org to discuss details.

5. Make a donation to Thistle Farms. Your donations and support are what keep the doors open. Click on our "Donate" page on our website.

6. Start an organization like Magdalene in Atlanta. Channel your entrepreneurial skills and passion for social justice to create a haven for women on the streets in Atlanta. Contact deb@thistlefarms.org to learn about our education programs.

See you in Atlanta!

Meet Yolanda

2012-01-17T13:52:00.000-06:00

Yolonda is a mother, sister, daughter, friend and active agent of change for her community. She grew up in Nashville with three sisters and two brothers. Yolonda began experimenting with drugs while she was a teenager and eventually became addicted. She spent approximately twenty years in the throws of addiction in spite of several attempts to get clean including going "cold turkey" through the birth of her son. She believe that Magdalene is helping her find a way out. She learned about Magdalene through her best friend who works as a resident manager. After entering the program, Yolanda discovered that love heals, and through sharing her struggles and triumphs with her sisters in the program, she has found healing. Yolonda said that Magdalene finally helped her realize a profound truth: “It wasn’t just the drugs. I had some deep core issues to work on.”

When asked what she has learned during her recovery, Yolonda says that Magdalene and Thistle Farms have taught her the principles of hospitality and living a life free of judgment towards oneself and others. After being in the program for 18 months, Yolonda was able to move out and start on a new path as an affiliate of the program. Yolonda now calls Thistle Farms her safe haven and comes to work everyday with a healthy respect for authority and a great sense of pleasure in working on a team to achieve common goals. She has moved up from manufacturing and now works in the shipping department. Ever-willing to step up, Yolanda says that there is still so much work to be done and believes “there’s no time to be tired” when one is devoted to the work of love, healing, and building community. With a warmhearted smile, she concludes that is indeed better to give than receive.

Always a Thistle Farmer, Yolonda recommends the Tea Tree Shower Gel to anyone interested in Thistle Farms products. She says, “It’s such a clean refreshing feeling after I use the tea tree shower gel. I step out of the shower and start singing.”

And A Happy New Year!

2012-01-01T21:36:00.000-06:00

Counting blessings,

and saying prayers for the New Year.

It has been wet and cold in Nashville over the holidays. This weather magnifies for every person the gratitude we all feel for warm, safe beds and cozy hearths. Magdalene offers residential sanctuary for 28 women who speak eloquently about what it means to have a place to call home after surviving the underside of bridges, the backside of abandoned houses, and the inside of prison. It's always sobering to remember that on the eve of 2012, there are over a hundred more women wanting to come live in this community.

On the final day of Thistle Farms before the holidays, employees offered up the following prayers:

- For those still on the streets who don’t get to appreciate the beauty of this time of year

- For the women sleeping behind a brick wall this Christmas

- For those that don’t know the hope in this place and the love in this circle

- For those walking the streets that can’t find their way

- For the family I haven’t seen in three years

- For my sister I haven’t seen in a year and gratitude that we get to spend Christmas together

- Thank you for giving Becca this vision

- Thank you for loving me regardless of my past, and for teaching me to love myself

Thank you for being a part of this work.

Because Magdalene and Thistle Farms do not take any government funding, your gifts keep our doors open (and the heat on), year after year. We are thankful for all the ways the work is supported by buying candles and body balms, by telling a friend about the mission of Magdalene, by hosting a home party, by inviting Thistle Farms to speak at a church, by collecting thistles, and by make financial gifts. Thank you for all the ways you give.

With much love and gratitude from all the women

of Magdalene and Thistle Farms.

Happy New Year!

Signs of Christmas

2011-12-24T16:43:00.000-06:00

This will be a sign for you: you will find a child wrapped in bands of cloth and lying in a manger.’ And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God and saying, ‘Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace among those whom he favours!’ -- Luke 2

Early one morning last week under a drizzle and a thick blanket of fog, I headed off to Radnor Lake for a moment of peace from the busiest Advent I have known at Thistle Farms and St. Augustine's. There, perched on a low branch beside the lake was a majestic bald eagle. I know they roost in the foothills of Tennessee, but seeing it watching me 20 feet away was still startling. It was a sign to me, as clear as if I had been a shepherd out watching my flocks at night, of good tidings from an angel of the Lord.

Christmas is the season of signs. The author of Luke's Gospel makes the signs of Christmas, such as stars, angels and dreams, the beginning of his Gospel with poetic mastery. Into the tradition of Mary and Joseph in Bethlehem, he sows with signs a theological blanket that cover us this holy season with grace, joy, lowliness, peace and universalism. The shepherds were given the sign that they would see a baby in a barn wrapped in a blanket. The magi were given the star as sign. Mary and Joseph were given dreams. Since the celebration of these sign were recognized by the church, this has been the season for all God's people with eyes to see, to find sings that point them to the Christ in this world, tucked away like a baby in a barn, to fill our days with hope and glad tidings.

Looking back at seasons past, Christmas has always come to me in signs. I remember in 2004 when we were building a big new house for Magdalene in a pretty rough neighborhood. I was driving to the construction sight and worrying if this home could ever be a sanctuary for the women in this neighborhood. Then, like swaddling clothes, I saw a red ribbon tied in a bow on a neighbor’s door. It was a sign of peace and hope in the midst of doubt and fear. I remember in 2001 driving home about 10:30 on Christmas Eve after a service. We were just getting ready to launch Thistle Farms and I was preoccupied the whole of advent. All the sudden driving I realized the roads were quiet just as I drove past the hospice at 19th and Charlotte. There was only one light on in the whole place. As I imagined the person keeping vigil on Christmas Eve as someone they loved was dying, the light all of the sudden looked as holy as a star over a manger. I remember just last year how it was the simple dancing of a candle flame that brought the spirit of hope and peace to me. As I watched it flicker on the altar, I thought about how a single candle can cut a path through the darkest night, and how I had gotten to be part of a community that had made about 50,000 candles through Thistle Farms over the past 10 years. It was like the multitude of the heavenly host filling my heart and singing.

You have signs that have carried you through this season like the most treasured gifts of Christmas. Chances are, your signs of Christmas rarely have been found in packages under your tree. It is not surprising that we all have signs, but they always come to us as surprises. This is the season to name them and recognize them as gifts of love that renew glad tidings that Emmanuel, God with us, was born. Your signs and my signs remind us that the eternal love of God is still visible in this temporal world and it can still turn stone to flesh in a heartbeat.

For me the eagle was a great sign of Christmas. The eagle is obvious because it looks like my totem, the hawk, dressed up like Santa. There are probably a million ways to see any sign. In the rainy foggy wilderness, the eagle had to hunt by getting in close, and it didn't look lofty on that dreary morning, it looked determined. The eagle preached that morning with a clarity that I can only strive for -- that its not always visions of mountain tops, lofty cathedrals, and sugar plums. Sometimes the holiest is lowly, determined and alone.

The sign of Christmas is the moment we remember that our hearts beat to hope. The sign of Christmas is a welling of gratitude that bears the gift of loving the whole world. The sign of Christmas is a community that can take this world as it is -- seeing the horrible in the glorious, the meaningless suffering in the midst of deep meaning, and the sorrow in the midst of joy. And so with grateful hearts beating to hope we never, ever stop searching for signs as diligently as a hunting eagle on a foggy morning, that bring us glad tidings of peace on earth and goodwill to all people.

By Becca Stevens
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Last Minute Holiday Cheer

2011-12-22T11:21:00.000-06:00

Credit: Chicago Now

It's your favorite time of year: rushing to get to the airport, long lines at the check in counter and you just realized you didn't get anything for your Aunt Betty! No need to fear, you still have a chance to pick up some handmade love before you take off for a winter wonderland.

Thistle Farms products are located in the Nashville International Airport (BNA) at Nashville Star and NaSah's Nashville Nails. Stop in, grab Aunt Betty a Body Butter and spread the holiday cheer wherever you're going!

Thistle Farmers at The Farm

2011-12-17T14:34:00.000-06:00

The great volunteers at The Farm at Natchez Trace have been lovingly hosting our Christmas party for the last few years and they really know how to treat humans as well as pets. Thanks for everything, Farm friends!

Grammie

2011-12-04T15:48:00.002-06:00

When I was 15 I bought a quarter-inch square of purple satin that claimed, from the card stock that it was mounted on, to be cut from Marilyn Monroe's bed sheet. When I saw it, the patchouli scented air in my favorite record shop seemed to stand absolutely still and I eagerly gave up three hours worth of hard earned babysitting money to own something that her gentle hand may have actually touched. I don't remember exactly, but surely I was at least a little bit skeptical. Purple satin does seem a bit cliche'.

I guess I wanted to prove that Marilyn could trust me to take good care of her scrap of shiny bed sheet and understand that I would look after this improbable, yet possible, possession with love and care. More than anything else, something unknown made me believe that some of this sweet lady's overlooked goodness could pass on to me if I were to touch something that she had touched. My heart was broken by her "Magdalene-ness" as well as her commonness long before the truths of this type of sisterhood were parts of my everyday life.

That was 30 years ago, and now I have outlived many of the people whose spirits I have admired and loved. I have walked back through hospital rooms and houses touching, very delicately, the possessions of family and friends whose exits from this life left me begging for one last touch. A wedding ring here and a baseball cap there. All intimate emblems of their having "been here." All, in some way, fulfilling that desperate fantasy of "if I just had one more minute, this is the tenderness with which I would hold you…"

It is in that spirit today that I will leave my home office to buy a body balm at Thistle Farms. Although I already have several, I need one from the stock that's on the shelves now. Yesterday, one of our dearest volunteers, Susie, better known as "Grammie" to all of us, died peacefully from an illness none of us even knew she had. Grammie was our chief body balm container cleaner. She lovingly prepared body balms for labeling and gave so freely of her compassion that I am positive that the goodness of her pretty trembling hands can actually still touch me back.

In my first conversation with Grammie she introduced herself very formally as Mary Sue. By the end of that conversation she was "Susie." When I met her a few days later in person she asked me to call her "Grammie." And that's how it happened. As the Volunteer Coordinator at Magdalene and Thistle Farms I love it when someone shows up a few times and we organically find their place in the circle together. Grammie seemed to know that we needed a Grammie before she even got here. Just knowing that was the first of her many gifts to us.

Please forgive an overzealous knowledge of pop culture, but Marilyn Monroe would have been 85 this year. I always think it's sort of funny when somebody's dad spends their life napping in a recliner only to find out that he is the same age as Mick Jagger. I guess our ages are all about what we make of them. Grammie's familiar youthful giggle and innate girlishness remind me that there is a right and a beautiful way to grow old.

Whether you are a celebrity or a volunteer, leaving those who loved you with a memory of the exact way your hand felt on theirs is an important gift. I take that memory with me today, along with my new body balm and the image of Grammie, always looking photo-ready and never once complaining in her blue OSHA-required manufacturing area cap.

Peace.

by Stacye Wilson, Volunteer Coordinator

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All Ages Welcome To The Circle

2011-11-26T10:25:00.001-06:00

People from all ages come to Thistle Farms to meet the women, see products being hand made and learn about love and healing. Below are some of the reflections from a group of youth -- in grades 4-7 -- from Westminster Presbyterian Church's Mission Camp, after their visit.

"My experience at Thistle Farms was amazing. I learned how it changes people's lives and I think that is so cool. My experience was also fun because I got to see the products that they make and I even got to buy some of the products."
Anna A.
12 years old

"Thistle Farms was a great experience! I didn't just have fun; I learned things about how the choices people make affect their lives."
Addison W.
12 years old

Interested in bringing your group to Thistle Farms? For volunteering opportunities, contact stacye@thistlefarms.org and for education workshops, contact deb@thistlefarms.org.

Thanksgiving for Donna Grayer

2011-11-15T18:32:00.000-06:00

Magdalene's Beloved Program Director:
Donna Grayer

We want to salute the Director of our Program Services Team.

In 2004 Donna Grayer came to work at Magdalene as our Clinical Director. While she brought more than 20 years of clinical experience working with homeless and addicted adults to our programs, it is what she brings to her work everyday for which we are most grateful.

As this Thanksgiving approaches, we are mindful of Donna's steady, compassionate, and thoughtful presence that allows residents, staff and volunteers to find a place in our community for growth and recovery.

Here are some of the things residents and grads have said about her:

When I went into the program, I felt like nothing, and Ms. Donna was the light at the end of the tunnel. She showed me how to be a woman. At the beginning, we all feel like dirt on the ground and unworthy. She shows and reminds us that we are women who should be treated with dignity and respect. She is my stepping stone.
- Shelby

To me, Donna is the glue that holds the programming team together. She also really helps the women with their mental issues. In my eyes, she's a mentor. She's the person who helped me believe in myself--that I could do anything."

- Shelia

Ms. Donna is a loving, nurturing woman who is willing to take time out to help other people with their problems. She helps us keep our issues and communication at 'level one.

-Tammi

Ms. Donna is my mentor. She's a good person to talk to, and she's a wonderful listener.

-Tracey

She's my momma away from home.

- Jordan

Thank you Donna for your love, commitment and passion that has made the difference in the lives of so many women! We love you!

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A Continued Personal Journey To Health

2011-11-13T07:54:00.000-06:00

You might remember the 5K the women of Magdalene & Thistle Farms participated in earlier this year. One of the Magdalene women who walked that day has continued her own personal journey to health by becoming a committed walker.

Lydia has lost 20 pounds since September and has lost a total of 60 pounds. She currently walks up to 5 miles each day and is participating today in The Mayor's Challenge 5K.

Lydia was mentioned in today's Tennessean and her poetry is featured monthly in The Contributor and on her blog. Congratulations and good luck, Lydia -- we're all cheering for you!

MEET A RETAILER: Charlie Thigpen's Garden Gallery

2011-10-28T10:45:00.000-05:00

Charlie Thigpen refers to his Garden Gallery as more than a garden shop or gallery—“it is the brick and mortar incarnation of a longtime dream.” With over 20 years of experience, Charlie has elevated his skills in landscaping and plant design to what can only be referred to as haute art, and thanks to a shot in the arm from his wife Cindy, he now uses his store to help bring “the little miracles” of the natural world to his customers, as well as readers of Southern Living magazine!

Drawn to the story behind the products and our of use of all-natural ingredients, the Garden Gallery now includes Thistle Farms’ own brand of little miracles in its inventory. In celebration of this new partnership, Charlie has invited us to join him at the Pepper Place Farmers Market in Birmingham on Saturday, October 29th.

Chelle and Monique are on their way there now, so if you are in the area, please stop by and say hello to them and Charlie!

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Reflections From The White House

2011-10-24T14:41:00.001-05:00

Credit: Elizabeth Bewley / Tennessean Washington Bureau

As we mentioned before, the founder of Magdalene / Thistle Farms
- Becca Stevens -

was honored by The White House as "Champions of Change.”

The Tennessean interviewed Becca after her visit to the White House
and she had this to say:

“I’m saying the same thing over and over my whole life,
but to say it in that space feels really special.
I’m grateful that I get to speak my words,
in that space,
for the people I represent.”

Below is the official White House video of the event
(Becca's speech is on at 0:56:10)
and you can read a transcript of Becca's speech HERE.

The Totem

2011-10-20T06:00:00.052-05:00

Becca Stevens gave this powerful talk on the night of the 2011 Magdalene Fall Fundraiser, Totems & Sacred Spaces. You can reflect again on the meaning of the totem and join in Becca's vision that began nearly 15 years ago.

NPR did a four part series on Thistle Farms and Magdalene this year. It was an intense time, especially when they requested an interview with a woman who had relapsed. Tara agreed, even though she was struggling. The week before the story aired, Tara was arrested and all of us were scared and grieving. We had never been through anything like this. Jacki Lyden, the correspondent, said that they either had to pull the story or disclose what had happened. I told her that while our community believed in love without judgment, the people listening to NPR would probably judge us harshly. I told her that we had been through hard relapses, through women killed and beaten so badly it took days to identify the body, but in our 15 years and 150 graduates, we had never been on the other end, where a woman who had relapsed was arrested for homicide. What if a million people heard it and just gave up on the dream that love heals?

I listened to the broadcast by myself while I was in Connecticut at Trinity College for a speaking engagement. I walked around the campus listening with my iPhone clutched in my sweaty palms and prayed. NPR told our whole story, including the devastating news about Tara. What we came to understand was that a million people cried with us at the horrific reality of the violence of the streets and the courage of the women of Magdalene to live differently. The response was a real witness to the truth that when love heals, it washes over all of us.

In a long letter to me Tara wrote that she can look out through a sliver in a razor-wire fence and glimpse a thistle and remember that her story is not over yet. Thistle Farms has been a whirlwind since the airing with the women speaking their truth in love about why women walk the streets and what it takes to bring them home to over 10,000 people at conferences and events. We have never wavered on our mission to be a witness to the truth that love is the most powerful force for social change in the world.

The Hawk totem came to me at the same time we began the journey of opening Magdalene fifteen years ago. The hawk came swooping in and has been there every step of the way. It is been a sign to me that we need to be as fierce in love and as focused as the hawk in our vision. The Hawk soars to the heavens on a breeze and reminds us that the mission of Magdalene and Thistle Farms is not just a statement about the past but a vision that propels us forward with power. That vision is honed by a trusted board, a tireless staff, and hundreds of dedicated volunteers. That hawk vision is centered on individual women moving from lives tormented by traumatic, abusive childhoods and violence to life on the streets and in jails, into a life that can soar on a breeze and imagine a future.

On a visit to a prison this year to tell our story, we walked by a woman behind glass in solitary confinement. Her cheeks were etched like a ravine in a valley carved by a river of tears. There was a mural across from her in the hallway was a hawk flying over a valley. I swear love can make the connection between a valley of tears and a free bird soaring over mountains. The healing is slow and mysterious, and it takes all of us to make it happen. Our vision looks into new fields here and afar.

That vision includes opening a Thistle Stop Café at our manufacturing facility led by Desmond and Roberto. The cafe would welcome the public to Thistle Farms, provide another training ground for the women of Magdalene, and would serve the hundreds of individuals that come to us from around the country to learn about our model and about how we make paper.

That vision includes launching sister programs like Eden House, founded three weeks ago in New Orleans after Jennifer, Kenny, Tim, Gwen and I spent the week there. We are working closely with cities like St. Louis, Atlanta, and Dallas that want to learn our best practices and implement them in their own communities.

That vision includes breaking the million dollar annual sales figure in the next two years and moving into 25 Whole Food stores as well as over 200 other retail outlets. Those figures will help us to be a force for changing a culture that still buys and sells women and holds other worn out notions.

That vision includes welcoming another 12 residents this year, opening a new house and helping the authorities of the women’s prison to imagine developing a Magdalene sanctuary inside prison walls.

That vision includes a new still at Thistle Farms dedicated to Joanne Cato by her family. That still will help us be the only local producer of healing essential oils on a commercial scale, and it will save lives by giving new women jobs, by the healing oils it will produce, and by the story it will spread to others.

That vision includes partnering with 3 other women’s enterprises in Lwala, Kenya; Accra, Ghana; and Kigali, Rwanda to introduce a new evening survival kit as we move into fairer trade and lift our communities together. We are having our pre-launch of these kits tonight. We are offering them to you first, the people who have changed the course of Magdalene and Thistle Farms forever by your presence and grace at this gathering.

Tonight there are eight hundred of us here, but there are more than a hundred women whose paperwork is sitting on Donna’s desk; women on the streets or in jails wishing on the full moon that they could find a home with us. Tonight, we could raise enough money in this one hour to keep the doors of our six homes open another year, to invite another 12 interns to be a part of this journey, to work with another 100 women who need help navigating the legal and mental health systems, to speak with another 200 groups about providing sanctuary for women’s bodies and spirits, to invite another 10 residents into Thistle Farms for vital training, and to go across our nation and the world to share the miracle and to inspire other cities to open their own communities.

Magdalene and Thistle Farms are a gift to the city; they cost nothing and save millions. Magdalene and Thistle Farms are a gift to all of us who donate our time, to buy into the hope that love is the most powerful force for change. Magdalene and Thistle Farms are a gift to all the women here tonight who are graduates and residents who found a chance at life.

This evening could be a totem; a sign to cities and social enterprises around the world that it can happen -- we can love the whole world one person at a time; we can change the course of one of the oldest forms of abuse this world has known; we can raise $350,000 in gifts and pledges in an evening and make this vision a reality. It can happen and it can happen with so much grace that all of us will walk out into the world filled with gratitude that it all had meaning and looking towards the sky for the new signs of Love’s healing power.

- Becca Stevens

United We Love

2011-10-19T10:58:00.003-05:00

Introducing the Evening Survival Kit: A Collaboration Supporting Four Women's Enterprises Worldwide

Take part in the work of Thistle Farms in Nashville, Lwala in Kenya, Ikirezi in Rwanda, and ABAN in Ghana. This eclectic, yet timeless kit, includes:

Geranium Fields Scented Oil - a light, floral scent crafted by the women at Thistle Farms, using Ikirezi's geranium oil from the lush fields of Rwanda.
Two handcrafted, beaded bracelets made by the women of ABAN in Ghana.
Lip Smoothie - a pomegranate treat from Thistle Farms for shimmery, soft lips.
A beautiful print clutch sewn by the women of Lwala in Kenya.

You are invited to celebrate the launch of this kit at a special event!

Please join us at a launch party for the Evening Survival Kit on

Thursday, November 17

5:30pm to 7:30pm

The Pinnacle Building

Offices of Bass, Berry & Sims

28th Floor, 150 3rd Avenue South

Nashville 37201

Light hor d'oeuvres, wine and tea will be served, and free parking will be offered underneath the building through the 3rd Avenue entrance. Please send RSVPs and questions to beth@thistlefarms.org.

The Evening Survival Kit will help you stay fabulous and fresh for any occasion--love is the best accessory!

Our Partners:

We are thankful for the following 3 women's enterprises who are making a difference in the lives of women in their communities:

LWALA COMMUNITY ALLIANCE is a community initiative in Kenya focused on health, education, and economic sustainability. The Women's Sewing Project is a microenterprise with women tailors to improve the health status of women in an environmentally and economically sustainable way.

IKIREZI, whose name means “precious pearl” in the local dialect, is a community-interest business that partners with small cooperatives of farmers, primarily widows and orphans of the genocide, in Rwanda ...... in Rwanda to produce high quality geranium oil. Ikirezi primarily works with widows and orphans in a holistic effort to restore their dignity, improve their livelihoods, and rebuild their communities.

ABAN's name comes from the West African Adinkra symbol "Aban," representing a fence, or something that is safe and sound. Their mission is to transform an environmental epidemic into hope by empowering young impoverished women in Ghana and providing them with the tools necessary to practice a trade, make a living, and become self-reliant leaders of their community.

THISTLE FARMS is the social enterprise that is run by the women of Magdalene, a two-year recovery program for women who have survived lives of violence, prostitution and addiction that was founded by Becca Stevens. By hand, the women create natural bath and body products that are as good for the earth as they are for the body. Purchases of Thistle Farms products directly benefit the women who made them.

Champion of Change

2011-10-18T19:05:00.000-05:00

In honor of Domestic Violence Awareness Month, the White House’s Office of Public Engagement has selected Becca Stevens, founder of Magdalene & Thistle Farms, as one of 15 “Champions of Change” to be highlighted at a White House event this coming week.

The Champions of Change program was created as a part of President Obama’s Winning the Future initiative. From fighting AIDS, to suicide prevention, the initiative highlights Americans who are influencing others, who have taken leadership in driving societal shifts and are making an impact in their communities and beyond. The Champions of Change event recognizing Becca and 14 other individuals working to end domestic violence will be held on Thursday, October 20th, 2011 at the Eisenhower Executive Office Building in Washington D.C.

Becca had this to say about the honor: “I believe this recognition is in honor of Magdalene’s witness for the past 15 years to the truth that love is the most powerful force for change in the world. I want to help change this culture that still buys and sells women and holds on to the worn-out notion that prostitution is a victimless crime. All of us at Magdalene stand in solidarity with women who are recovering from violence, prostitution and addiction and life on the streets.”

Please see local coverage on the award at the following locations:
News Channel 5
The Tennessean
Nashville Scene
Nashville Public Radio

Totems & Sacred Spaces

2011-10-17T17:30:00.002-05:00

Last week the community of Magdalene & Thistle Farms celebrated Totems and Sacred Spaces. Chaired by Jay Joyner and Miranda Whitcomb Pontes, the event gathered over 800 people as we honored the totems and sacred spaces of our community. Together, we recognized the dedicated volunteer work of Carole Hagan who serves as our event coordinator, witnessed the powerful testimonies of Magdalene residents, and were moved by the musical performances by John Prine and Ashely Cleveland. In our gathering of old and new friends alike we created our very own communal totem as we raised $280,000 in gifts and pledges to provide sanctuary, treatment, education and work for women coming off the streets. We are thankful to all those who helped make the night a huge blessing.

The night also included a sneak peak of Thistle Farms' Evening Survival Kit-- our newest survival kit that supports four women's enterprises worldwide. We will be launching this exclusive kit in November. Be on the lookout for more details.

Here are a few photographs from the magical night. To view all of them, see our photo albums on Facebook here and here.

A Still Dedication

2011-10-15T10:02:00.002-05:00

“The Lord spoke to Moses, saying…

You shall make of these a holy anointing oil…

You shall consecrate them,

that they may be holy;

whatever touches them shall be holy.”

Exodus 30: 22, 25, 29

Thistle Farms and Magdalene owe a debt of gratitude to Joanne Cato, her family, and her friends! On October 10, 2011, a still that will be used to make our very own essential oils was dedicated by Tom Cato, Cathie Cato Renken, Hal Cato, Susanne and Todd Cato, Fred Grgich, and Bobby McAlpine, on the occasion of Joanne's birthday.

We consecrated the still with a beautiful ceremony filled with overflowing joy, happy tears, and excitement. This great act of love and generosity will allow Thistle Farms to be a commercial producer of essential oils, and develop new healing products. As the sweet smell of lavender fills the work space, we are reminded again that our cup runneth over!

By Jordan Walker

Parking Information For Tonight's Fundraiser

2011-10-12T08:28:00.002-05:00

If you are coming to tonight's fundraiser, we have a full house! Try to carpool or arrive early by 5:45 to relieve traffic. Here are parking options:

Parking is available starting at 5:30 at the 25th Avenue Highland Garage (from 25th, pass Memorial Gym on right; turn left onto Highland; enter garage only on Highland).

Overflow parking is in the West Garage on the corner of 25th and Children's Way (near Blair School of Music). Street parking is also available on West End and is free beginning at 6:00. Paid parking is available at 2525 Garage on Kensington.

Look forward to seeing you there!

New Friends In Atlanta

2011-10-04T16:59:00.000-05:00

Cynthia, Jordan, Tim and Becca just got back from Atlanta where they spent the day with Peachtree Road United Methodist Church. One our of new friends blogged about their time together. To read her post, please click here.

MEET A RETAILER: Serendipity

2011-09-28T06:31:00.001-05:00

Serendipity, located near the hub of Belmont University, has resided on 12th Avenue South for the past decade. Founded by Ken and Julie Lutz, this eclectic and fashion-forward store serves women of all ages, sizes, and personal styles. Their merchandise includes a serendipitous mix of hot designer brands as well as gift lines -- including Thistle Farms products! Armed with their passion for helping women overcome obstacles to personal fulfillment, Julie and Ken have identified Thistle Farms as their favorite local non-profit organization.

Serendipity will donate 10% of its profits to Thistle Farms September 30 & October 1!

If you’re in the area, check out one of Thistle Farms’ favorite boutiques. For more information, visit here or call (615) 279-5570.

Magdalene Fall Fundraiser

2011-09-13T17:43:00.002-05:00

Every fall we have a special event that brings the community together to celebrate the healing in all our lives. An inspirational introduction to Magdalene and Thistle Farms, the fall fundraiser features music, art and writings by residents and graduates. Through this one evening, we are able to raise almost half the funds we need to continue to keep our doors open to women from the streets.

The theme this year is Totems and Sacred Spaces. Totems are symbols that have a spiritual significance to us. Totems that have been created by the women of Magdalene/Thistle Farms will be on display that evening. The event is free but a reservation is required.

EVENT UPDATE 9/30/11: We have been overwhelmed with responses in the few days! We need to temporarily put new RSVPs on a waiting list while we determine how many more guests the venue will allow us to have - but we are hopeful we will be able to get everyone in! If you'd like to be added to the list, email Marlei.

Here are further details:

October 12, 6:00pm-8:00pm

Vanderbilt Student Life Center
310 25th Ave So.
Nashville, TN 37235

Chaired by Miranda Whitcomb Pontes & Jay Joyner, and celebrating the service of Carole Hagan.

We are grateful to the official event sponsors:

and

Toby & Mary Knox Pilkerton

And gratitude to the following companies. With their support, gifts that evening will go directly to the women and the program:

Whole Foods

Lipman Brothers Distributors

Joyner/Hogan Printers

Olive & Sinclair Chocolates

Provence Breads

Platetone Print Shop

Kenny's Farmhouse Cheese

Sysco Nashville

Light hors d’oeuvres, wine, and tea will be served. There is no charge to attend but everyone is given an opportunity to make a contribution to Magdalene at the end of the evening.

Directions & Parking: From I440, take West End north and turn right on 25th Avenue South. From I 40, take Broadway/West End south and turn left onto 25th Ave South. The Student Life Center is on the left, across from Memorial Gym. For parking, pass the center and turn left onto Highland Ave. Garage is on right and opens by 5:45. Parking is also available on West End Avenue.

We hope you will be able to share this evening with us!

Strategic Planning

2011-09-13T09:36:00.000-05:00

Below is a photo from our

second strategic planning meeting

at Thistle Farms led by Rick Seiters.

We are ahead of all of the five goals

we set as a company to reach in 2011.

It has been a great process for all of us.

Thank you Rick!

Journey To Health

2011-09-01T11:53:00.003-05:00

The Clarksville Running Club held its sixth annual Wilma Rudolph 5K and 10K races on June 25, 2011.

Thanks to the Faith Family Medical’s “Journey to Health” program, the women of Magdalene participated in – and completed! – a 5K, beginning at the Sango United Methodist Church, Clarksville, TN.

Jeff Wolfe, the Program Director for Journey to Health, worked with and trained the women for approximately three months. The Clarksville Running Club sponsored the race fees. Fleet Feet gave us shoes and other incentives. De Feet provided socks for $1.50 per pair (which usually cost $10!). Girls on the Run and the Nashville Striders provided us with shirts, clothing, tons of moral support AND they plan on doing more in the future.

We want to thank Jeff, Marci (a volunteer at Faith Family Medical), Shelly (a graduate of the Journey to Health program who also completed the 5K with us), the Fleet Feet staff, the Clarksville Running Club, De Feet, Girls on the Run and the Nashville Striders for their dedication to a great cause.

What a great accomplishment for all of us!

I Am A Thistle Farmer: Beverly

2011-08-05T17:20:00.000-05:00

Wrapping up our 10 Year Anniversary Celebration, watch the 10th and final spotlight on members in our community. Here, Beverly shares her story, full of heartbreak and hope. She is proud to say she is a Thistle Farmer and has found courage through the program and within herself.

You can see all of our videos on our YouTube channel:youtube.com/ThistleFarmsOfTN.

videos by Becky Fluke

Cause For A Celebration

2011-08-01T12:33:00.004-05:00

Angie from Nashville celebrated her 27th birthday in a big way -- with a Thistle Farms home party! Below, she shares her experience of planning the party and the evening itself.

Like many of you, I thought about throwing a Thistle Farms home party several times before. But, something always held me back. There was always a reason not to…. I’m just too busy to plan it right now. I don’t want to pressure people to feel like they need to buy things. Wouldn’t it be a better use of everyone’s time and funds just to make a cash donation?

But somewhere in the midweeks of May just before my 27th birthday, the same thought kept creeping up: If not now, when? What could be a more perfect way to celebrate another year passed, and another year upcoming, than to gather all my friends and do something for someone else?

After one email exchange with Thistle Farms' fabulous event coordinator: wham, bam, party-planned! In less than an hour, we had everything set: date, time, directions, and guidance on how to throw the perfect home party. It really couldn’t have been easier!

Day of, we welcomed a few women from Magdalene and Thistle Farms an hour before party-time. They set up a beautiful product display, and we set out a few easy-peasy appetizers. Voila! Set and Ready!Shortly after, my nearest and dearest arrived and then settled in (the beauty of having a party in your living room…). Rita, the Thistle Farms receptionist and a Magdalene participant, shared her story. It started with her account of addiction, violence, and prostitution, but ended with a beautiful testimony of restoration and hope. I looked around the room and saw my friends – who had never met this woman before – radiate with unfiltered love and acceptance. I doubt I will ever be more proud of them or love them more than in that moment.

Following Rita, Tracey shared a similar testimony. She went over each of the products on display, explained how they were made, and encouraged us to shop, shop, shop! And, that we did!

Each of us took turns trying lotions, smelling candles, and reading inspirational passages from the books. Many girls bought gift sets for friends who couldn’t make it or body butters and bath teas that they now couldn’t live without. One dear friend purchased scented lip balms to include in her bridesmaids gifts for her recent wedding! Others tried to think of ways to continue their new relationship with the organization: hosting the women at their office, volunteering as a GED tutor, throwing their own home parties…

Now, let’s be honest: I know I have a pretty awesome group of friends. But I was absolutely blown away. I had no idea that they would be so into it. For weeks following, I received emails and phone calls thanking me for introducing them to Thistle Farms and asking for contact information so they could continue that relationship.

I keep thinking about Thistle Farms' motto: “Love Heals.” And, I continue to circle around the same thought: so does community. After excuse upon excuse for not having a home party, I am so grateful to Thistle Farms for allowing us to share in their community for one night – and hopefully, many to come.

Now, dear blog readers, it’s your turn! Have you ever thought about throwing a Thistle Farms party? There are a million reasons why it’s not a good time or even a good idea. Push those excuses aside and take the plunge! You don’t need a special occasion or a specific reason. Just gather your girls and be ready to spend a night in community. You’ll be so glad you did!

Story & Photos by Angie Stapleton

To plan your next celebration or home party, email Carole at events@thistlefarms.org.

I Am A Thistle Farmer: Dorinda

2011-07-16T13:05:00.000-05:00

Dorinda works for the Department of Corrections and is a volunteer board member at Thistle Farms. 10 years ago, she was a reporter at a local television station and was sent to cover a story on the handmade bath and body products of this local business... and she never left. Part of our 10 Year Anniversary Celebration.

You can see all of our videos on our YouTube channel:youtube.com/ThistleFarmsofTN.

Videos by Becky Fluke

Thistle Farmers In Lwala, Kenya

2011-07-15T10:24:00.002-05:00

Lwala is a beautiful farming village in the western part of Kenya, Africa. It is a beautiful landscape of rolling mountains that surround lush fields of corn, sugar cane, as well as a variety of fruits and vegetables that are more exotic to my southern roots. There are fallow fields nestled among the cultivated crops that speak to my need for a bit of wildness and rest. In the midst of this Eden lays the Lwala Community Alliance. It is home to a clinic, an education program, and the Lwala sewing cooperative. I came here with my family to spend the week meeting the women who participate in the cooperative so that we could develop some new products.

I have spent the days sitting with the women sewing in a 1200 square foot tin building where they operate manual sewing machines and produce school uniforms, reusable menstrual pads, and kits for Thistle Farms. Christine, who is 32 years old and the mother of seven children, is a charismatic leader who explains with ease how she moved here when she got married. She also talks about the prevalence of domestic violence among women and how earning a living frees women from that struggle because they no longer have to "ask their husbands for money for food." She and the other women heard about the job opportunity from posters hung at the clinic and schools and applied in 2009 when the cooperative began. Being paid for work not only gives them hope for their own lives she explains, but also, "It makes it possible for the children to attend school." She explains, "When I was young there were many hardships…” and without lifting her eyes from the task of sewing she says, “but I left home and went to a polytechnic school even though my family was against it and learned how to sew."

Elizabeth's story is similar in that she too could not afford an education and came here when she married. She sits and explains her story with a measuring tape draped around her neck and smiles even while she talks about the harsh reality of growing up in the grip of poverties strong hold. She talks to me while Oliva, her youngest, sits on her lap while she hems bags for Thistle Farms. Above all she wanted to make sure that I shared, "We are grateful to Thistle Farms for ordering bags. The work has changed our lives and we hope you think of more things for us to sew." She learned to sew from a cousin she stayed with while she was growing up.

Other women in the group had parents who died early and are trying to stay healthy while living with HIV. They buy utensils, clothing and food as well as pay for their children to go to school, and it is on their minds as they are trying to sew some 200 bags before I leave. There is a young sewer in the group who has one four-year-old son. She has completed high school and dreams of going to college. She says that this job allows her to save money to someday help make her dream come true. Jane, who is the mother of seven children, never went to school and cannot read or write. "It’s important to me that my children can learn," she explains. She thanks me for the interview and for asking her important questions.

Through all the interviews I am sitting in the sweet space where fragile dreams are taking root. Seeds of hope are being sown on as fertile ground in the hearts of the women as the rich soil surrounds the building. I will carry Christine, Elizabeth and Jane's stories and weave them into the tapestry of stories I have heard over the past ten years at Thistle Farms. Together they make a beautiful picture of how community heals individuals and transforms the world. I don't take any of it for granted and sit, like in a fallow field, and wait for another season I haven't yet even imagined. I can already feel how this harvest will produce another harvest of things that are useful, and healing, and that help us love each other a little better.

by Becca Stevens

I Am A Thistle Farmer: Penny

2011-07-08T17:07:00.003-05:00

You may recognize Penny from her interviews on the three part series on National Public Radio. In this video, Penny talks more about her role at Thistle Farms and working - literally - with the thistles that grew under the bridges she used to live under. Another part of our series, "I Am A Thistle Farmer," part of our 10 Year Anniversary.

You can see all of our videos on our YouTube channel: youtube.com/ThistleFarmsofTN.

Videos by Becky Fluke

Summertime Mission Trips

2011-07-05T09:19:00.009-05:00

Summertime means a break from school and a chance to travel to faraway lands. We are grateful that two groups from opposite sides of the country incorporated a trip to Nashville - and Thistle Farms - on their journeys!

The first group came from the west coast -- Menlo Park, California -- visited in June. Members of Trinity Church visited our manufacturing facility, some of the Magdalene houses and took a trip to Lewisburg to pick thistles. You can read their recap on their blog HERE.

A couple of weeks later, a group from the east coast -- Mystic, Connecticut -- came to Nashville to assist with flood damage, and spent some unplanned time at Thistle Farms. Members of the Mystic Congregational Church heard stories of hope and had a chance to make thistle paper. You can read their recap on their blog HERE.

We love meeting people from all over the world and look forward to more group trips in the summer and beyond! Contact stacye@thistlefarms.org for more info.

I Am A Thistle Farmer: Rita

2011-07-01T22:36:00.002-05:00

When you walk in the front door of Thistle Farms on 5122 Charlotte Pike in Nashville, the first person you'll see is the receptionist, Rita. She'll greet you with her warm smile and show you to the circle, every Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Come learn more about Rita in the latest video as part of our 10 Year Anniversary celebration.

You can see all of our videos on our YouTube channel: youtube.com/ThistleFarmsofTN.

Videos by Becky Fluke

Serendipity

2011-06-30T22:47:00.005-05:00

A serendipitous moment by Victoria Banks:

I was checking in at the Nashville airport, and when the lady at the front desk leaned down to put the bag tag on my guitar case, she saw the Thistle Farms sticker on there...and she shouted "THISTLE FARMS!!!! Are you affiliated with them???" I told her I'm a musician and I do what I can to promote the organization, talk about it on the radio, etc....and she almost started crying!! She kept thanking me profusely. And then one of her coworkers came over and told her she'd better hurry up and process my bag because of the long lineup behind me. But she kept thanking me over and over again even when I was walking away. So sweet!!! Not sure if she had a personal history with the organization or not - I would suspect so, with a reaction that powerful. It was a pretty cool moment.

Victoria (pictured above at Thistle Farms with Tammy, Cynthia, Valerie, Victoria's manager - Kate and Tracey) is the Canadian Country Music Awards 2010 Female Artist & Songwriter of the Year. You can also see her support women's freedom by painting her nails purple (using our Sandal Survival Kit) on our Facebook page.

We're so grateful to you for your support, Victoria!

I Am A Thistle Farmer: Kay

2011-06-27T15:03:00.004-05:00

It started with providing lunches for the women at Thistle Farms and has turned into chairing the Fall Fundraisers and introducing the Mayor at receptions. Meet Kay, A Thistle Farmer, and supporter of our 10 Year Anniversary.

You can see all of our videos on our YouTube channel: youtube.com/ThistleFarmsofTN.

Videos by Becky Fluke

Reception Success

2011-06-25T21:36:00.005-05:00

On June 15, Thistle Farms officially celebrated it's 10 Year Anniversary with a reception at its manufacturing building at 5122 Charlotte Pike.

Mayor Karl Dean was on hand to celebrate the milestone,

and Bill Haslam, the Governor of Tennessee, proclaimed June 15 a day of recognition for Thistle Farms.

Thanks to everyone who attended! For all photos of the celebration, see our album HERE.

TESTIMONIAL! - Body Balm

2011-06-24T16:03:00.005-05:00

One of our favorite parts of hand making and selling good-for-you-and-for-us products is hearing your reactions to them. We like to share this with our other friends in a blog feature we call TESTIMONIAL! If you have tried out one of our products, visited the store, seen Thistle Farms featured in any publication or just want to let the world know how much you love Thistle Farms' products, we want to hear about it.

Today's TESTIMONIAL! comes from a letter written by the Robins class from Montessori Centre.

Dear Friends at Thistle Farms,

We are the Robins Class from Montessori Centre. Some of us are 4 years old and some of us are 5 (or 5 1/2!).

Every day at rest time, we like to use the Lavender Body Balm to help us calm down. We think it smells like lemon and grape and peach and sunflowers. We learned that lavender flowers come from France. We also learned about the Magdalene house and the work you do at Thistle Farms. We love the lavender and we wanted to thank you for making it.

We love you!

You never know where a TESTIMONIAL! is going to come from. Thank you Addie, Mahoney, Brooks, Keelan Grace, Lauren, Autumn, Trevor and Luke. We love you too!

To smell our delicious body balm yourself, go to our online store. If you have a TESTIMONIAL! you'd like to share with us, email carolyn@thistlefarms.org and tell us your story!

I Am A Thistle Farmer: Valerie

2011-06-23T10:08:00.003-05:00

10 years ago, Valerie was on the streets and in jail. Today, she is the Shipping Manager for Thistle Farms and is one of the more established members in the community that new women turn to for advice. In conjunction with our 10 Year Anniversary, meet Valerie.

You can see all of our videos on our YouTube channel:youtube.com/ThistleFarmsofTN.

Videos by Becky Fluke

Daddy

2011-06-19T00:10:00.005-05:00

On your day

I just want to say

I love you

Cause you are so true

To this family and your children

We didn't have much

In material goods

In fact what you could call dirt poor

You worked so hard to provide

Usually 60 hours a week

To make sure we were clothed and fed

We didn't have a fancy car

It was a rusted out '72 pickup truck

But it was our rockstar

As we would go bumping down our gravel driveway

The place we called home

It was fallen down to say the least

But it was shelter

It was a three headed beast to fix up

You worked long hours

Often into the wee hours of the morning

To fix every hole and leak

But what people fail to see

Is that we were millionaires in love

With church every week

School everyday

You did your duty

Now, I want to say have a great father's day.

by Lydia, Magdalene resident and Thistle Farmer

Paint Your Nails Purple For Women's Freedom

2011-06-18T11:28:00.003-05:00

Want to support women's freedom with an outward, visible (and fashionable) sign? Paint your nails purple for women's freedom! In conjunction with our 10 Year Anniversary celebration, we are asking friends to paint their nails purple (with polish from our Sandal Survival Kit), snap a picture and send it to us. We hope to create a collage of fingers and toes from around the world, showing support and solidarity to an important cause.

Here's a simple step by step way to participate:

STEP 1: Get your Thistle Farms Sandal Survival Kit online or at a local retailer.

STEP 2: Paint your nails purple with the No Miss Las Olas Lily polish found in the kit. (It's helpful to paint with a friend too!)

STEP 3: Snap a photo of your fabulous nails (both fingers and toes are welcome!) and post them on the Thistle Farms' Facebook wall or email to purplenails@thistlefarms.org. Make sure you tell us your first name & where you're from so we can add you to our Purple Nails photo album.

We've already got some purple painters on board, like Reba McEntire, The Indigo Girls, Melissa Peterman and Victoria Banks. Join in the fun and show your true colors.

I Am A Thistle Farmer: Becca

2011-06-16T17:30:00.003-05:00

Becca Stevens founded the Magdalene program in 1997 and started the cottage industry, Thistle Farms, in 2001, so the women of Magdalene would have a place to work. Here, Becca talks about how a social enterprise is started and describes the intricate beauty of her favorite Thistle Farms' product, the healing oils. Another part of our video series, I Am A Thistle Farmer, as part of our 10 Year Anniversary celebration.

You can see all of our videos on our YouTube channel: youtube.com/ThistleFarmsofTN.

Videos by Becky Fluke

10 Year Anniversary Reception Invite

2011-06-14T06:02:00.002-05:00

Wednesday, June 15,

3:00-5:00pm

Come get a tour, meet the women, paint your nails purple (we'll provide the nail polish), eat refreshments provided by the Men's Group of St. Paul's in Franklin and Colt's Chocolates...and stock up on Thistle Farms products! Here is the schedule:

3:00 RECEPTION AND TOURS
4:00 ANNIVERSARY PROGRAM WITH MAYOR KARL DEAN
4:30 HEALING GARDEN TOUR AND CELEBRATION

A TV production team will be on hand taping for a documentary series, Turning Point - a new series to air this fall on PBS.

RSVP not necessary, but appreciated to Marlei.

Thistle Farms

5122 Charlotte Pike

Nashville, TN 37209

I Am A Thistle Farmer: Yolanda

2011-06-13T17:53:00.002-05:00

Meet Yolanda, one of our community's newest members. Yolanda works in the shipping department and has one year clean. We are so proud of her and how far she's come on her journey. Hear first hand how love heals as we continue to celebrate our 10 Year Anniversary.

You can see all of our videos on our YouTube channel: youtube.com/ThistleFarmsofTN.

Videos by Becky Fluke

Scouting & Harvesting

2011-06-12T10:23:00.007-05:00

We've talked before about the why we chose the thistle for our company name. Thistles grow on the streets and alleys where the women of Thistle Farms walked. Considered a weed, they have a deep tap root that can shoot through thick concrete and survive drought. And in spite of their prickly appearance, their royal, soft purple center makes the thistle a mysterious and gorgeous flower.

We rely on friends and supporters to let us know where they find thistles (scouting) and bringing them to us (harvesting) so we can continue making beautiful handmade paper for our healing oils and new line of greeting cards.

Alex, a Thistle Farmer, shares a story of her latest adventures in harvesting thistles:

On my nightly ritual of stopping on the way home to pick thistles, what a delight to have a policeman stop. My first reaction was panic and paranoia at being parked on the sidewalk picking wildflowers. When I told him what I was doing and did he know about Thistle Farms ....he said "yes," gave a huge smile and just said, "be careful." When I followed with "thank you for not giving me a ticket," he responded "never!" Interesting of all the people who have stopped to see if I was OK on these endeavors, the first to know of Thistle Farms was a policeman. Something's working!!!

But how, exactly, do you harvest thistles? Watch our Harvesting Thistles How-To Video Guide below to see just how easy it is. Plus, if you spot any thistles in your daily travels, you can post them on our Thistle Farms & Magdalene Volunteers Facebook page.

Being a Thistle Farmer means the world is our farm. Harvesting thistles is a way of walking in the world and choosing to love the parts of creation that others have forgotten or condemned.

Love Us? Then Please Like Us!

2011-06-08T14:33:00.003-05:00

Week 2 of our 10 Year Anniversary Celebration provides an easy, fun & FREE way for you to help spread the word about Thistle Farms and our mission to provide education and training to 10 new women this year.

- On Facebook, go to the Thistle Farms Page.

- Click "Like"

- Tell all of your friends on Facebook to do the same!

Wah-lah! You've just helped Thistle Farms grow in 3 seconds. Wasn't that easy?

I Am A Thistle Farmer: John

2011-06-06T07:49:00.002-05:00

We continue to celebrate our 10 Year Anniversary Celebration by introducing another Thistle Farmer: John. Yes, it's true -- men can be Thistle Farmers too! Hear about John's involvement in the community through his work at Belmont and find out what he's learned from the women in the program.

You can see all of our videos on our YouTube channel: youtube.com/ThistleFarmsOfTN.

videos by Becky Fluke

A Prayer From Nebraska

2011-06-04T14:07:00.003-05:00

A reflection from Becca Stevens:

Jordan, Amy and I are getting ready to present at this gathering. It's the moment before we begin to make friends with people we have never met. We have done all our work to prepare, we have made tons of products, I've written a talk about who we are and how we fit into their vision of growing faith, and the table is set. Now we are just sitting and waiting as the business part of the gathering unfolds.

The time before is always full of anticipation--- when I second guess myself, the work, and if it will be okay. I bet I have sat in this space a thousand times, but still the worry that it won't go well rises in my chest and I feel worried that I might let the community down. "What if it doesn't go well? What if we come all this way and sell just a few hundred dollars?" There are another few questions like this that pop into my head. "That never happens," I remind myself. "Carole, Tim and Holli will be fine with us no matter what." If I worry about this, Jordan and Amy must feel the same way.

I remember, sitting in the back, that I have prayer. It is honestly the only thing that helps me before it all unfolds. And here is mine:

Please let me get out of the way.

Remove all my old ego stuff.

Let me make this day an offering and be open to the spirit moving---in my talk, in my conversations, and in my heart.

Forgive me all my impatience and worry.

Thank you for loving all of us.

Thank you for this chance to make new friends and for the work of Thistle Farms.

Amen.

Becca Stevens is today's keynote speaker at theNebraska Synod Assembly in Fremont, NE. With her are Thistle Farmers Jordan and Amy.

I Am A Thistle Farmer: Phyllis

2011-06-02T17:35:00.007-05:00

During our 10 Year Anniversary Celebration, we will feature 10 people in our community in our video series: "I Am A Thistle Farmer." In this episode, meet Phyllis, a sales & marketing representative at Thistle Farms. Learn about Thistle Farms' humble beginnings and hear the most important principal Phyllis has learned while working at Thistle Farms.

You can see all of our videos on our YouTube channel: youtube.com/ThistleFarmsOfTN.

videos by Becky Fluke

Celebrating 10 Years of Thistle Farms

2011-06-01T06:00:00.013-05:00

credit: BellaLu Photograpy

Over the past 10 years, Thistle Farms has grown from a line of two products made by four women in a church kitchen, to a company housed in an 11,000 square foot manufacturing and sales facility that employs 32 women and has a line of over 20 products. Over 100 women have been trained and employed over the past decade. Our products are available in 140 stores across the country, including a number of Whole Food stores.

In honor of our 10th year anniversary, the month of June is dedicated to promoting and celebrating our community. By helping raise money and awareness, we can keep our doors open and bring new women off the streets and into sanctuary.

Through word of mouth and social media (this blog, our Facebook page & Twitter account), we will offer a new way each week for our friends to help. We will also introduce 10 Thistle Farmers -- videos of members of our community, talking about where they were 10 years ago and what Thistle Farms means to them.

Here is our first week's (and throughout the month of June) request:

WEEK 1:

Raise $10,000 to provide education and training for 10 new women beginning work - and a new way of life - at Thistle Farms.

Simple Steps to fulfill Week #1's goal:

1. Go to this website: bitly.com/thistlefarms10for10

2. Click on the green "GIVE" button

3. Choose the tier you would like to donate or type in your own amount

4. Fill out all pertinent information & click on the green "DONATE NOW" button

5. Share this link with your friends on email and via Facebook (easy as "like" the link)

6. Give yourself a big hug, knowing you just helped another woman begin a new way of life!

note: you do not have to have a Facebook account to donate, even though this is a Facebook-related Cause page.

Thank you, in advance, for your support and please continue to check back each week for more fun and meaningful ways you can personally help a woman find her way home.

Introducing the 2011 Magdalene Graduates

2011-05-31T11:30:00.010-05:00

Last week, we celebrated the graduation of seven incredible women from the two-year Magdalene program. We are so proud of each of these ladies and are blessed to be a part of their journey.

Introducing the 2011 Magdalene Graduates:

Chassidy Nowlin

LaTasha King

Tracey Mahrs

Sonya Page

Margaret (Penny) Hall

Not pictured (but with us in spirit!):

Starla Heck

Demetria Prince

We are especially grateful to our friends at St. Bartholomew's for their beautiful spread of food and all of the families and friends who came to celebrate with us.

And we leave you with a prayer from Magdalene founder, Becca Stevens:

Our hearts are full at every Magdalene graduation. They are full of joy for all the graduates, full of prayers for women still suffering on the streets and in the jails, and full of thanksgiving for all those who helped bring this day into fruition. Our hearts our sated today with pride for the seven women who have completed the two year program. They are an unbelievable class of women. Graduation seems like it only take a moment, to walk down the aisle and shake a hand. But it comes from the same root word as gradual. Graduation is a slow process. It is a walk not a run, and there are no short cuts to the aisle. Graduation is the slow miracle of new life taking root and blossoming through seasons and hard work. When we are busy, doing what we are called to do, graduation comes before we know it. And then when its over, we head out back into the world to work in love to help others graduate. This is a beautiful day in the life of Magdalene and in the lives of all the graduates. Our hearts are truly full.

For more photos from the love-filled day, check out our Facebook album HERE.

Invitation to Magdalene Graduation

2011-05-26T20:36:00.001-05:00

You are invited to

the Magdalene Graduation

Friday, May 27, 11:30am - 1:00pm

St. Augustine's Chapel

200 24th Avenue South, Nashville

We will be honoring the following graduates:

Margaret Hall | Starla Heck | LaTasha King Chassidy Nowlin | Tracey Mahrs

Sonya Page | Demetria Prince

Light lunch courtesy of our good friends at St. Bartholomew's.
St. Augustine's map here. Park on West End Avenue or at West End United Methodist.

Community Love

2011-05-23T22:21:00.009-05:00

We are so grateful to our Nashville community for their continual support, especially when they surprise us with their generosity. Below are a few stories of some of our friends who recently showed us extra special love right in our own neighborhood.

Belmont University presents a annual award called the "John Williams Heart of Belmont Award," which recognizes a student who demonstrated "advocacy for change that enhances the lives of those in the community." The recipient of the award splits their $500 check with a charity of her/his choice. This year, the award when to Hannah Delap, who chose Thistle Farms as her charity. Cynthia went to the awards ceremony and accepted the check on behalf of Thistle Farms. Thank you so much, Hannah!

A group of women from St. Paul's Episcopal Church in Franklin participated in the Country Music Half Marathon. Along with sponsorships from friends, families and other church groups, the ladies ran/walked (using the catchy tag line "Miles for Magdalene") and raised almost $3,000 for our organization. You are all truly amazing!

Just down the street from the Thistle Farms sales and manufacturing building, The Real Life Players presented their teen owned & operated play, Stranded, at the Darkhorse Theatre. Thistle Farms was chosen as one of three charities to receive the funds from the door of the three-night play. With thanks to those who went to the performances and voted for us, we received the most amount of votes, with an impressive 44%! What a blessing.

Are you a Thistle Farms community supporter? If so, tell us how! We love to see our friends show us love and we hope to give love right back. Email carolyn@thistlefams.org to share your story of generosity.

Get To Know Jennifer

2011-05-15T20:35:00.007-05:00

When someone calls Jennifer’s phone, a song plays in place of a ring. “I love music!" she says with joy. She exudes that same joy as she recounts her heartbreaking and hopeful story.

Jennifer is the youngest of 12 children from Dayton, OH. She attended a Catholic school and church and, although her family was active in parish life, her father was a violent alcoholic who, when was he around, would use physical abuse as a form of discipline. She also remembers her uncle sexually abusing her when she was young and in seventh grade, she beginning smoking marijuana. Within a couple years, Jennifer started frequently running away from home.

She was heavily involved in the "sex, drugs, and rock and roll" scene. She met a man, and when she was only 17, was married and pregnant. Although she didn’t use drugs during this pregnancy, as soon as the baby was born, she picked up where she left off. Jennifer's drug use escalated to include cocaine and heroin.

She worked in a “massage parlor” and eventually resorted to street prostitution to fund her drug habit. She said she was “spiritually broken" and used to cut herself. At her lowest point she remembers her ex-husband putting her head through a widow after a heated fight. Jennifer knew she had to find a better way of life.

Returning to her Catholic roots, she went to confession and told the priest her story. The priest, a recovering alcoholic, told Jennifer he would help her find a recovery program. After she left confession, she told her sister the news, but said, “I need at least two years, and it needs to be in another state.” The very next day, the priest called to tell her about Magdalene – a two-year program in Tennessee.

Though there was a two year waiting list, Jennifer was persistent and called Magdalene everyday. After only two months, a bed was available and Regina Mullins, Magdalene’s Outreach Director, called and asked “when can you get here?” Jennifer moved to Nashville last May and became a resident. In September of the same year, she started working at Thistle Farms where her specialties are making thistle paper, hand soap and candles.

Jennifer thanks God for giving Becca Stevens a vision and for Becca having the courage and strength to see it through. Jennifer says Magdalene works because “you get to work at your own pace. They keep loving you until you love yourself and they’ve shown me that love really does heal.” For new women entering the program, Jennifer says, “welcome home. Take a deep breath, relax and know this is the first day of the rest of your life.”

photos by Carolyn Snell

How To Get Through Airport Security Quickly This Summer

2011-05-09T22:25:00.004-05:00

School is almost out and summer is around the corner, which means one thing: VACATION TIME! Our Travel Survival Kit is the perfect accessory for your skin while you're away from home.

Our Travel Survival Kit is airport security-friendly because it features 2 oz. sizes of your favorite body products: Body Polish (an exfoliant perfect for shower time or a quick mani/pedi), Body Butter (a thick moisturizer after your shower), Body Balm (to smooth out the rough spots), and a Lip Balm (in four delicious scents or unscented) -- all tucked into a vibrant, colorful drawstring bag handmade by women of Lwala, a community alliance in Kenya. Not only are you supporting women in Nashville by your purchase, but you're also supporting women on the other side of the world!

In addition to summer fun, the kit also makes a great gift for a graduate or a teacher. Purchase the kit online or stop by Thistle Farms and meet the women behind the products.

A Thought On NPR Exposure

2011-04-25T15:00:00.003-05:00

A thought from Magdalene and Thistle Farms founder, Becca Stevens:

I can't believe that I'm traveling today and tomorrow. I want to be at Thistle Farms, listen with folks at Thistle Farms, and wait for our phones to ring with new orders. I want to run around with everybody and try to figure out how to send all the packages out and hear the funny comments. I also want to be there to make sure everyone is okay--- this is our first big national exposure and I don't want anyone to feel anxious or upset and not be able to talk about it.

But, that is not the way it's working out. I'm on a plane heading to Hartford, Connecticut to Trinity College and I will just have to hear how it all unfolds. It's a humbling thing to realize you are going to miss a community more than they will miss you. The community of Thistle Farms will handle this with grace and step up to the plate and hit it out of the park! And I'll come home Wednesday and get to hear all the stories of how it played out, and offer a prayer of thanks to Jackie, Stephen, Tim, Marlei, Penny, Shelia, Cary, Nina, Amy, Holli, Carolyn, Dan, Sandy, Rita, Katrina, Jim, Lindsay, Marcus, Caney and Moses, who made it work. I know having this story will help ensure all 45 employees of Magdalene and Thistle Farms can keep doing what they love---helping to heal us all. I am a little lonely, a bit nervous, and full of gratitude.

Love and peace,

Becca

NPR To Feature Thistle Farms This Week

2011-04-24T00:00:00.008-05:00

This week, tune into National Public Radio (NPR) to hear Thistle Farms featured on four of their top-rated shows: Morning Edition, All Things Considered, Talk Of The Nation and Tell Me More.

“Nashville: Up from Prostitution” will debut on the afternoon drive-time news show, All Things Considered, on Monday, April 25. Two second pieces are slated to air on Morning Edition on the 26th and 27th. Additional coverage will be on Tell Me More on the 25th and Talk Of The Nation on the 28th.

The series was created and produced by veteran NPR correspondent, Jacki Lyden, known for award winning reporting during the Gulf War and in post-Taliban Afghanistan, and National Geographic’s photojournalist Stephen Alvarez. In tandem with the story, Alvarez created a ten-minute video clip on Magdalene/Thistle Farms, which will be featured on NPR.org beginning Monday the 25th.

Five to seven million listeners hear NPR’s two top-rated shows daily, with estimates for Morning Edition reaching up to thirteen million. We are grateful for the opportunity to share our story of hope with so many people!

Below is the local schedule on Nashville's affiliate, WPLN - 90.3 FM:

Monday, 4/25: All Things Considered: 3-6pm
Tuesday, 4/26: Morning Edition: 4-9am
Wednesday, 4/27: Morning Edition: 4-9am
Thursday, 4/28: Talk of the Nation: 1-3pm

Tell Me More can be heard online HERE.

To check schedule times on other cities / stations, click HERE.

Please listen and SPREAD THE WORD! Repost, facebook, tweet, tell somebody... just get the word out that we will be featured on the leading provider of non-commercial news, information, and entertainment programming to the U.S. public.

Photo of NPR correspondent Jacki Lyden and Nina, Thistle Farms employee by Carolyn Snell

Real Life Players To Provide Real Life Donations

2011-04-23T02:17:00.005-05:00

Nashville’s teen-owned and operated Real Life Players (RLP) will perform their original production, Stranded, Thursday, April 28th thru Saturday, April 30th. Since RLP raise money to cover all production costs in advance, they are able to donate all of the proceeds from the door directly to a charity. The cast & crew of RLP have chosen Thistle Farms as one of three charities who will receive these donations!

In the continuing spirit of audience participation, with each ticket purchased, audience members will be given a chance to vote for the charity of their choice to receive the funds from the door. After all three nights, the votes will be tabulated and each charity will receive the same percentage of dollars as they received in votes.

Stranded will be performed at the Darkhorse Theater (4610 Charlotte Ave), beginning at 7pm Thursday, Friday and Saturday. Tickets are only $10 for adults and $8 for students and can be purchased in advance or at the door.

Come support local arts and vote for Thistle Farms!

Celebrate Earth Day with Thistle Farms

2011-04-22T03:08:00.005-05:00

Happy Earth Day from the Women of Thistle Farms! As you already know, Thistle Farms products are as good to the earth as they are for the body, each one made lovingly by hand with all natural ingredients. What better way to honor Mother Earth than by purchasing earth-friendly bath and body products which benefit the women who make them.

Speaking of mothers... stop by the 10th Annual Earth Day Festival at Centennial Park this Saturday from 11am - 7pm to pick up a Mother's Day gift set (a hand soap & hand lotion in a lovely organza bag with a gift card) and say hello to Stephanie, Chelle & Monique!

Preparations For A Celebration

2011-04-17T10:00:00.005-05:00

Did you know that in 2001,

Thistle Farms began in a church kitchen

with four women making two products?

In the past 10 years,

we have grown to a company

housed in an 11,000 square foot manufacturing facility

that employs 32 women and has a line of over 20 products.

Plus, we have trained and employed over 100 women

and our products are available in 140 stores across the country.

THAT CALLS FOR A CELEBRATION!

In June, we will be celebrating 10 Years of Thistle Farms.

Be on the lookout for fun ways to connect

on our blog, Facebook page and Twitter feed,

the introduction of a new product

(that you will not want to be without this summer!)

and 10 videos of members from our community.

We're starting the preparations now...

keep coming back for more sneak peeks of

a celebration of 10 Years of Thistle Farms!

Becky Fluke films Rita, a Magdalene resident and Thistle Farms' Receptionist, at Westwood Studios.

A Weekend At The Spa

2011-04-08T06:00:00.008-05:00

One of our favorite retailers is Magnolia Spa, in the heart of East Nashville. This weekend (Friday, Saturday & Sunday), Magnolia Spa has chosen Thistle Farms as their charity of choice for the Sharing Spree Daily Deal.

As we mentioned before, we have partnered with Sharing Spree who offers daily specials at local businesses, with a percentage of the revenue going to a local charity. For all three days (starting today!), you can get a European Facial and Spa Manicure & Pedicure (normally $140) for only $59! That saves you 58% and gives us a little something in return.

So go to Sharing Spree, register for your free account (if you haven't done so yet), choose Thistle Farms as your favored nonprofit, and treat yourself or a friend to a day at the spa. When you go, be sure to say hi to Shauna Rae and all the ladies at Magnolia Spa, where you can also purchase Thistle Farms products.

5% Day At Whole Foods-Williamson County

2011-04-04T12:26:00.005-05:00

Tuesday, April 5th, is the perfect day for you to stop by Whole Foods in Williamson County (aka Cool Springs area) and get your weekly shopping done. Why? Because our friends at Whole Foods will give 5% of their net sales for they day to Thistle Farms! Plus, while you're there, you can stock up on Thistle Farms Hand Soap, Body Polish, Lip Balm and other natural products, handmade by women who you will personally support on their road to recovery.

Wisdom From Wartburg

2011-03-30T23:39:00.004-05:00

Last fall, Thistle Farmers Becca, Penny, Katrina and Chelle made a trip to Iowa to visit students at Wartburg College. The experience was moving for both groups and, as promised, some of the students made the pilgrimage to Nashville for their spring break this past month. Following are some beautiful reflections from the young women of Wartburg:

We wish to thank you for the amazing experience you allowed us to have when we visited Nashville during our Spring Break. We walked into Thistle Farms with a fear of the unknown. As a group of small town girls, we weren’t sure what we would see, or what kind of people we would meet. We walked out of Thistle Farms with gratitude, new outlooks on life, inspiration, and most of all a love for ourselves, the women of Thistle Farms, Becca Stevens, AND Tea Tree Mint Lotion! ☺ As you can see in many of the girls’ reflections from our trip, the stories that you all shared with us really made an impact. We would like to thank you for helping us to see what strong and inspiring women you ALL are, and for allowing us the opportunity to share in the joys of all you have accomplished!

-Hannah Burgus and Hannah Haupt

Since the day Becca Stevens came to Wartburg, I couldn’t wait to go to Nashville and meet the Magdalene women and see Thistle Farms myself. My absolute favorite part was getting to know the women and experiencing the meditation in the morning with them, hearing their stories, sharing in the pain and love… it was their determination to change themselves and change the cycle that affects so many others that inspired me the most. They have overcome more obstacles in life than I will probably ever encounter, and I have nothing but gratitude for the blessings I’ve received in my life. I think it’s absolutely wonderful that they can turn around and make such beautiful and high quality products to share with others and support each other (Thistle Farms has one more faithful customer!). I wish that I could have spent more time with each of the women, and look forward to coming again for a visit whenever it’s possible!
-Tara Nichols

As for me, it was an eye opening experience. It helped me put many things into perspective and gave me the understanding of what losing everything looks like. I am both thankful and grateful for everything and everyone I have in my life. It makes the simple things seem more enjoyable. Those women are amazing women to have overcome everything they did and are still overcoming and have such a faith in God that they have. My whole experience was just amazing.
-Kristina Ladage

Being at Thistle Farms was an awesome experience. To see women being so independent and overcoming their struggles was really inspirational. The women are the most ambitious and hard working women I've met and they deserve everything they are working for. To see a program that actually works and meeting Sheila was proof of how good the program really is. I'm glad I got the chance to spend time at Thistle Farms and got to know some of the strong women.
-Lida Galindo

Visiting Thistle Farms was such an inspiration to me. I was amazed to hear how grateful the women are to be alive and to be clean. It was very moving to hear how many of the women were able to overcome lives of prostitution and drugs and what steps they are implementing in their lives to remain that way. The Thistle farms organization helps move the women closer to independence by allowing them to have a job creating naturally-made lotions, body gels, chapsticks, and other items. My favorite part about visiting Thistle Farms was listening to the devotional and hearing what everyone was thankful for in their lives.
-Chelsea Lorenz

The thing that I liked best about helping at Thistle Farms was listening to the women’s’ stories they told us about their previous lives. There are many myths and misunderstandings about women in situations such as the ones at Thistle Farms. Giving people another chance at living is a great gift. Along with giving them another chance, they also provide jobs to help keep them on their feet. Thistle Farms and the Magdalene House are great ways to help people out and I believe that this organization deserves to be supported by the community.
-Maggie Ernst

My time at Thistle Farms is something I will never forget. I met numerous people who have had a rough life and here I am complaining about little things in my everyday life. I have a place to live, food to eat and a family who loves me and I have always simply taken that for granted. I will admit, I came into this trip a bit skeptical because I had a lot of prejudgments of these "types" of people. I thought that they all got in with the wrong crowd and then picked the entirely wrong men to be with and ended up addicted to some awful drug and began prostitution to get a fix. I was wrong. These women were fighters, they may have made mistakes but all of them had tried to get back on their feet for one reason or another, but they did try. They may have fallen into a bad crew and therefore gotten into things such as drugs but it's not this that causes the prostitution and complete lack of being. It's when they feel like they stop being loved. For some of these women, their family members were the ones who hurt them. How could someone possibly feel loved when the people who are genetically engineered to love you, have hurt you in such a deep way. Overall I loved this trip and the people on it were great. It was by far one of the most humbling experiences that I have ever had in my life. "All you NEED is LOVE"
-Hadlyn Vawter

Smelling the power of love each time that I walked into Thistle Farms change how I see people. During the few days that I was there the love that I experienced made a huge difference in me. After talking with Becca and the stories that I heard from the women, love is the answer for positive change in this world. I was amazed at how I saw love everywhere. Coming back home I hope to have been able to share the love that I have seen. The experience I had will be with me forever.
-Lauren Mapes

My experience during the two days we spent at Thistle Farms was amazing. You always hear stories about how strong a woman is through her battles in life, but once you have heard it, you tend to forget. Life gets crazy and her story, however awesome, gets lost in all of the monotonies of life. But meeting the women of Thistle Farms makes you remember. To hear a story told many times, but is still difficult to tell, to see the emotions cross their face with word, to receive her embrace so full of love-these realities stick with you. Every time I pull out my chap stick, I see Thistle Farms and hear the voices of the women we met there; when I smell the lotion on my hands after a long day, I remember the work we did and pray for the women who let us join them. Thistles remind me to stop and reflect on the person inside, not just her appearance. This prickly purple flower is a memento of our work and of the amazing journeys I encountered in that space. The remarkable women of Thistle Farms showed me just how strong a woman is and how much love is encounter when strangers join hands to create new lives.
-Kaitlyn Baldrige

Vote For Our Garden

2011-03-28T11:01:00.007-05:00

Remember our Mystical Forest outside of our manufacturing building? Well, thanks to our friends at the Garden Club of Nashville, we are entered in the Wills Company $5000 donation contest. It's easy to vote online and if we win, we will use the money to purchase a rain catching system and soaker hoses to keep our garden alive and flourishing!

Simply click HERE,

choose Thistle Farms Community Garden (Magdalene House),

fill in your contact information,

then click VOTE!

Voting ends May 31st and 5:00pm (central time), so you've got plenty of time to vote and tell your friends about it too.

Here's to a bright spring and green garden!

Pictured above: Tara Armistead, Landscape Architect, members of the Garden Club of Nashville and Thistle Farms employees.

Fashion For A Passion

2011-03-23T19:36:00.004-05:00

The Owen Women's Business Association

& the Belmont Chapter of the National Association of Women MBAs

would like to invite you to

Fashion for a Passion:

An Evening of Cocktails, Conversation, and Clothes!

Friday, March 25 from 6pm - 9pm

at the Owen Graduate School of Management

(401 21st Avenue South, Nashville, TN 37203)

There will be a number of silent auction items

(including Titans tickets, designer clothing,

restaurant gift certificates, and much more...),

and a fashion show highlighting ways to

"dress outside the box, inside the office."

Appetizers and cocktails will also be served.

All proceeds will be donated to Thistle Farms
& the Christian Women's Job Corps.

Tickets can be purchased online or at the door:

Regular Tickets: $15 beforehand / $20 at the door

Student Tickets: $10

For more information, go to their Facebook page.

Hope to see you there!

We're International!

2011-03-20T12:07:00.009-05:00

Beverly, one of our top sales team members, just confirmed that she received an order from Perfect Potion in Singapore! Beverly said, "I have been working with Moh, the owner, via email for a month and she ordered Body Butters, Lotions, Shower Gels, Lip Smoothies and Lip Balms in every scent."

We are grateful to Moh for her order and look forward to making new friends across the world!

Daily Deals For You (and donations for us!)

2011-03-15T17:10:00.003-05:00

Thistle Farms has partnered with Sharing Spree (previously EZdeal) to raise funds for women in recovery, finding their way home. Sharing Spree offers remarkable daily deals - PLUS they donate a percentage of their revenue to charitable causes like us!

It's easy to sign up:

1. Register (it's free!) at https://www.sharingspree.com/Registration (pick Nashville as your city and receive daily deals).

2. Under "my account," click "my profile" and choose THISTLE FARMS as your default nonprofit.

By choosing Thistle Farms your default nonprofit, we will receive 5% of every purchase you make in the future!

ALSO -- FOR ONE DAY ONLY

(WEDNESDAY, MARCH 16):

Thistle Farms has been selected as the charity of the daily deal!
The offer is $29 for $60 worth of Exquisite Dining at The Standard.
(That's a 52% discount!)

By purchasing this deal,
you will also be donating directly to Thistle Farms.

This deal is good for 24 hours only,
starting at midnight on March 16th.

Just think -
enjoy a lovely meal
for more than half off the price
AND support your favorite local charity
without an extra cost to you.

Now, THAT's what we call a deal!

Full Circle Photography

2011-03-10T09:15:00.001-06:00

When 16 year old Anya Elizabeth sent out an email asking friends to donate money for an upcoming service trip she is taking to Nairobi, Kenya, she offered an incentive: in exchange for a donation, she will take your photos. And she's just not talking about a few snapshots on a disposable camera. Anya has been crafting her gift over the last couple of years and has an impressive portfolio to show for it.

In the spirit of giving and receiving, Anya spent some time at Thistle Farms, photographing the women making products and the products themselves. We are so grateful for the way she captured our spirit and hope that she is able to continue raising money for her trip to Africa with more photo sessions!

For more information on photo shoots or to donate to her Kenya trip, contact Anya via her blog: http://anyanairobihopenow.wordpress.com/.

Mystical Forest

2011-03-06T11:37:00.004-06:00

Spring is just around the corner, but have been lucky enough to have our own urban garden growing during the winter!

Thanks to the efforts of many, Thistle Farms is growing a beautiful green space next to its manufacturing facility. (Becca Stevens likes to call it our "mystical forest.")

Our special thanks to the following for their gifts and hard work to create the garden:

Tara Armistead, Landscape Architect
George Dodson, Sleepy Hollow Nursery
Joan & James Gallivan
The Garden Club of Nashville
Carroll Young & Frank Neiswender
Layne Fuson, The Parent Company
Jimmy Harris, Divison 2 Constructors

Come see the garden for yourself at 5122 Charlotte Pike in Nashville!

(And while you're there, come in and check out some of our great handmade products, perfect for healing dry skin anytime of the year.)

Soul Talk Radio

2011-03-01T00:23:00.011-06:00

Looking for some spiritual reflection and inspiration? Check out Becca Stevens' interview on Soul Talk Radio. The show, known as a "spiritual feast to leaven the world soul,” features Becca talking with the host, Rev. Chuck Freeman, about her upbringing, entering into the priesthood, starting Magdalene and Thistle Farms and how she keeps her "soul in shape."

Listen to the entire podcast HERE.

Calling All Book Clubs

2011-02-26T08:05:00.006-06:00

Are you a part of a book club? If so, consider choosing one of the many wonderful books by Becca Stevens and the women of Magdalene as your next book club pick! We offer a range of books that will both inspire you and create engaging conversation. In addition, we can supply dynamic speakers -- the women of Magdalene -- to come to your book club and share some of their personal stories with you. For those non-Nashville book clubbers, we can also provide speakers via Skype.

See the full line of our books on our online store and to arrange a speaker or suggest an event, please email Carole at events@thistlefarms.org.

With a waiting list of over 100 women, we are working hard to fulfill our mission: to move women from the streets into safe sanctuary. Thank you for considering the thistle for your next book club.

Photo by Lindsey Freitas, BellaLu Photography

Feed My Sheep

2011-02-24T07:07:00.001-06:00

On February 16, Becca and some of the women of Thistle Farms made a trip to Birmingham, AL and were welcomed by All Saints' Episcopal Church and the Oasis Program. As part of their "Feed My Sheep Lecture Series," Amy, a resident of Magdalene and an integral part of the manufacturing team at Thistle Farms, shares some of her story and explains what the program has done for her. You can also see it on the All Saints' YouTube Channel.

Thanks to all who participated that night and who continue to support us in Alabama!

Spring Awakening

2011-02-22T09:28:00.005-06:00

Magdalene is a Tennessee Performing Arts Center partner for the Broadway musical Spring Awakening, playing Nashville February 25 - 27. The partnership allows us to sell our Thistle Farms products in the TPAC lobby on Saturday, February 26 and gives our supporters a ticket discount.

To purchase tickets, log onto:

http://patron.tpac.org/promo/purple

for a 20% discount for performances on

Friday night, Saturday afternoon and Sunday afternoon.

Spring Awakening won eight 2007 Tony Awards including Best Musical. The show is faithfully adapted from a play written by Frederick Wedekind in 1891 and is set in that time period. Like the play, the musical explores issues through the eyes of teenagers – self-identity, sexuality, pregnancy, suicide, abuse, and more. Spring Awakening does contain sexual situations, brief nudity, strong language and mature themes. Since the show was announced, TPAC has encouraged patrons who have questions to research the musical and to call 615-782-4000 to discuss the show if needed.

Tennessee Crossroads

2011-02-17T08:19:00.005-06:00

Tonight (Thursday) at 7pm,

be sure to watch Tennessee Crossroads

on NPT featuring Thistle Farms.

It will air again on Sunday at 10am.

UPDATE:

TO SEE THE FULL STORY ONLINE, GO TO

TNCrossroadsTV YouTube Channel

Chelle's Story

2011-02-15T10:31:00.002-06:00

LaRonda Rochelle Waller, better known to her friends as Chelle, grew up in the projects of Nashville, TN. She remembers herself as a child being popular and protective of her three younger brothers and sisters. After her parents split up when she was 13, she went to live with her aunt. Hungry for attention, Chelle starting experimenting with marijuana and pursuing the “bad boys” of her neighborhood.

She was driven though and persevered. After high school, she entered cosmetology school and opened her own shop as soon as she was able. Though successful, Chelle had to close her shop because she hadn’t filed the right paperwork. To pay the bills in the meantime, Chelle resorted to selling drugs. She also starting using and soon going after paperwork to keep her shop open became less important than the drugs.

In order to support her habit, she began selling her body in exchange for money for the drugs. She was arrested several times but would always return to the streets when she was released. At eight months pregnant, Chelle found herself in jail again. When she was ready to give birth, she was transferred from the jail to the hospital and had her daughter in shackles. It was at that point, she knew she had to stop.

In 2003, Chelle entered Magdalene and graduated in 2005. She was a perfect example of the benefits of the program: she worked at Thistle Farms part time, she saved her money which was doubled at graduation and she opened her own hair salon. But as time went on, Chelle’s involvement with Thistle Farms dwindled and she found herself trying to handle life on her own again. Over the next few years, Chelle slowly started to retreat to her old ways of selling drugs and eventually, using again.

This dangerous cycle stayed true to its nature and Chelle found herself, once again, in front of a judge. As part of Chelle’s probation, she was ordered to go to Magdalene three times a week… which was just the home she needed.

Chelle will be clean two years in May and returned to Thistle Farms as the Administrative Assistant to the Managing Director over a year ago. Chelle says, “You’re never alone when you’re in Magdalene. Once you come in, you’re a sister for life. You’re always welcomed back – and I’m living proof!”

story and top & bottom pictures by Carolyn Snell

middle picture by BellaLu Photography

We're Reba's Top Pick

2011-02-13T00:30:00.001-06:00

At the Academy of Country Music Awards last April, ACM Lifting Lives converted the traditional artist gift lounge into a space where artists could give back to an organization of their choice, instead of receiving gifts themselves. Artists gave a direct-to-camera message about their favorite charities. This month, “My Cause: Country Cares for Women” is highlighting causes that support the women we love. Reba McEntire, host of the ACM Awards (and winner of 12 ACM Awards!), chose Thistle Farms as one of her favorite charities! Check out the video below from Reba and go to ACM Lifting Lives website to see the option of donating directly to Thistle Farms.

Thanks to the Academy of Country Music for your great program. And special thanks to Reba for her support... we love you!

Take Heart, Daughter

2011-02-10T19:23:00.003-06:00

This weekend, Morning After Ministries presents Take Heart, Daughter, a conference featuring workshops, panel discussions and speakers on sex, body image, intimacy and healing. The conference, held at The Anchor Fellowship, is on Friday ($15), Saturday ($20) or you can come for the whole weekend for $30. There is a local ministry spotlight on Saturday from 11am - 12pm, featuring Thistle Farms. We hope you can stop by and hear some powerful stories from local women, including Tracey and Stephanie!

A NFocus On Thistle Farms

2011-02-08T00:09:00.006-06:00

NFocus, Nashville's Social Scene Magazine, recently came to Thistle Farms to learn more about the local business empowering women. The February issue can be found throughout Nashville including both Whole Foods locations and Hot Pink in Brentwood (where you can also buy Thistle Farms products!) or you can read the entire article HERE.

Thanks to Ellen Nelson for a great story and Eric England for beautiful pictures!

Christening Of The New Candle Machine

2011-02-06T02:48:00.008-06:00

Attention all Thistle Farms Handmade Candle Lovers: we've got a new and improved way of making your favorite Tuscan Earth, Lavender Healing, Tea Tree Mint and Citrus Vanilla candles!

The christening of our new candle making equipment allows us to increase productivity and capacity. It also standardizes the candle fill volume for improved candle quality.

In on other words: without the equipment we were using multiple small pots to heat the wax, so we had to spend lots more time weighing ingredients. Now we can place everything in one big melter pot, and only have to weigh ingredients once, so this speeds up our process. The melter holds up to 150 pounds of wax, compared to being able to do 32 pounds of wax at once previously. With the machine we can get the candles filled the same every time, which is important to our quality for our customers. We can make at least double the amount of candles in one day than we could before.

Above, Amy makes the first batch of candles with our new machine, while Jim, Tracey and Jennifer show their support! To the right, Tracey makes sure each and every candle gets the exact amount of wax (and love) for each and every customer that buys it and supports Thistle Farms. Check out the video below to see the whole process in action:

photos & video by Julie Cantrell

Celebrate Nashville

2011-02-02T08:19:00.005-06:00

When Ashley from Ashley's Bride Guide listed the five trends for your 2011 Nashville wedding, her top pick was Celebrate Nashville. We think Thistle Farms is a perfect fit for this, considering our natural bath & body products are handmade by women in recovery right on 51st and Charlotte! Looks like others think so too because we were featured in the February issue of HER Nashville magazine and on Better Nashville on WSMV when Ashely talked about her top picks.

Special thanks to Ashley, Kim Green, Heather Pierce and Jude Ferrara for helping us Celebrate Nashville with lots of love!

Wartburg College

2011-01-29T15:23:00.004-06:00

Last fall, Wartburg College in Waverly, Iowa welcomed a group of Thistle Farmers into their community with open arms. Rev. Becca Stevens spoke for their convocation and Katrina, Chelle and Penny gave testimony to the students about the gift of community in their lives.

Ramona Bouzard, Dean of the Chapel at Wartburg College, had the following reflection on the event:

"Becca Stevens and the women from Magdalene House who visited the Wartburg College campus energized our entire campus community. The message of love and hope that Becca brings is a perfect fit for a college community whose mission includes a focus on faith, learning, leadership and service.

By the time the convocation at Wartburg College was over there were lines of students waiting to speak to Becca about the ways they could connect with Thistle Farms and the work of Magdalene House. A winter term service trip was immediately planned as part of our 2011 service trip program and two of Wartburg’s faculty are making plans to visit during the summer in order to connect with the work and learning opportunities.

The opportunity to connect with the fine women leaders who came with Becca Stevens helped students explore their own sense of vocation and gave them new ears to hear God’s call to live out their faith in their own lives as they contribute to communities based on the renewal and power of love.

Becca’s preaching and presence in Wartburg College’s weekday chapel was an added gift of grace in the lives of our worshipping community. Our students are hungry for the hope that the good news of the gospel brings, especially when it is incarnated in the lives and stories of women who know how hard the work of love can be."

Student Haley Flores was present for the gathering and said, "They are a valuable testament to how people truly are capable of change. Through honest and heartbreaking testimonies, these women spoke of past struggles I couldn't imagine enduring. Through Magdalene and Thistle Farms, they chose to turn their lives around and share their inspiring success with others around the country."

We are incredibly grateful to everyone's hospitality at Wartburg College and look forward to your visit this year!

For more information on college and university visits, please email deb@thistlefarms.org.

A Night Of Music At Fanny's

2011-01-20T17:26:00.005-06:00

You're invited to Fanny's House of Music on Saturday, January 22, for a big ol' live music party! For only a suggested donation of $10, stop by this cute East Nashville house starting at 5pm with live music by Amanda Williams, Glen Philips & Doberman Clinton. DJ Scott Southworth The Music Row Show will be officiating.

Also, Jennifer & Gwen from Thistle Farms will be on hand to talk a little bit about their experience and, of course, selling our natural and handmade bath and body products... perfect for your dry winter skin!

Fanny's will be featuring a Silent Auction benefitting Magdalene & Thistle Farms, with items including:

A Waterstone guitar or bass

Art from the Art and Invention Gallery

Jewelry from Wonders on Woodland

and salon gift certificates

...just to name a few!

Put on those snow boots and make your way over to 11th & Holly Streets this Saturday and support the first and only female-operated full-service music store in Nashville.

Thistle Farms To Be Featured On CNN This Sunday

2011-01-20T08:59:00.003-06:00

Thistle Farms will be featured in a CNN News special debuting on Sunday, January 23, 2011 at 8:00pm ET (7:00pm CT). CNN correspondent Amber Lyon has led a yearlong investigation into the US sex trafficking industry and visits Magdalene/Thistle Farms in conjunction with the successful administration of its “John School.” The Magdalene/Thistle Farms Prostitution Solicitation School (John School) teaches new behaviors to criminals convicted of soliciting prostitutes and is administered on a volunteer basis every six weeks by Kenneth Baker, Program Director of Behavioral Treatment Providers.

“The John School has generated over $500,000.00 of funding for Magdalene/Thistle Farms and helped us to provide housing, medical care, education and job training to enable women to leave a life of prostitution on the streets,” commented founder the Reverend Becca Stevens.

CNN filmed part of this documentary at the newly renovated Thistle Farms, Magdalene's social enterprise, where residents hand make bath and body care products. The CNN team interviewed and filmed some of the 30 women employed at Thistle Farms. Katrina Robertson, a graduate of the program and National Sales Representative for Thistle Farms, discussed how the community had made it possible for her to leave a life hustling on the streets and enter a fulltime career.

Stevens added, "This CNN feature will provide the greatest exposure to the vision and work of Thistle Farms to date. We hope that people will see the program and recognize that purchasing our bath and body products, online or in stores, is a great way to make a difference in the lives of women who have been directly impacted by prostitution and sex trafficking."

Be sure to watch this Sunday and let us know your thoughts!

The CNN Team interviews Magdalene graduate and Assistant Resident Manager, Shelia Simpkins-McClain, for the special Selling The Girl Next Door.

photo by Carolyn Snell

Take A Trip To The Farm

2011-01-11T08:55:00.004-06:00

Last spring, I read a post by a native Nashvillian, now living on the west coast. She is a photographer (a really, really good photographer) but took the time out of her busy schedule to give us some love. I contacted her and invited her to Thistle Farms the next time she was in town so we could give her some love back.

A few months later, Lindsey Freitas of BellaLu Photography did stop by for a visit -- and she brought her camera. In just a couple of hours, Lindsey captured the beauty of the women creating natural handmade bath and body products. She graciously donated her time and amazing skills and left us with lovely photographs to use as we wish.

We're excited to share these with everyone we know, because they truly give you a sense of who we are and what we do! We've put together a little slide show of them on our Flickr account which you can enjoy here.

Thank you, Lindsey!

Epiphany

2011-01-06T00:11:00.004-06:00

In western Christian tradition,

January 6 is celebrated as Epiphany

or Three Kings’ Day,

in which it remembers the coming of the wise men

bringing gifts to visit the Christ child.

It is often viewed as the last day

of the Christmas season...

which is why it's the perfect time

to post one last picture from the festive season!

This picture was taken at The Farm at Natchez Trace

as they hosted the 3rd Annual Magdalene Christmas Party

for all residents.

The women look forward to this amazing experience every year.

One resident said she received her first perfume

and another said she was now for sure spoiled.

It is one of the highlights of the year

for the community of women

and we are thankful to everyone at The Farm

for making this possible once again for another year!

A Christmas Moment

2010-12-25T18:45:00.002-06:00

Christmas comes in moments more than seasons. It comes in moments we feel love wash over us and sweep us up. It comes in dreams like Joseph’s where the line between earth and heaven fades into a vision of hope. It comes when common things take on new beauty and, for no reason, a streetlight on the drive home looks like it has taken on a haloed glow.

This year, the moment of Christmas came to me on a bleak midwinter morning driving down Charlotte Avenue. Several months ago, thistle Farms, the bath- and body-care company run for and by women who have survived lives of addiction, prostitution and violence, moved to the corner of 51st and Charlotte. The location is less than a mile away from St. Luke’s community center where my mom worked for decades before she died in 1997.

My childhood memories of Christmas are filled with delivering Christmas baskets and running the toy store in the neighborhood. The smell is a blend of the mulch company and other industries that I always associate with struggling families and my mom’s work. It’s humbling to me sometimes to think that I have ended up less than a mile from where she worked and I still smell it all.

As I drove down Charlotte, a statue of Mary sitting in a lot caught my eye. She was carved from stone, maybe limestone, and seemed fairly common. She was designed to look holy with downcast eyes and open hands. It was easy to imagine a hundred other Marys just like her, bought at rock-bottom prices and scattered around the country.

She would have never made it up against the high-end statues, but was the Mary made for yards and people who just want a reminder that hope is close by. As I drove past, I had a fleeting vision. I imagined Mary returning to dust and an eon of wind and water freeing her, reforming her back to her unrefined self.

There in limestone, in repose under the earth, her power to serve and save would be natural. Then, the image of all the limestone just beneath the surface of the pavement felt like a solid mantle of love holding up the whole city and beyond.

The depth and power of love was as big and solid as limestone itself. It doesn’t matter where we are — we are standing on love. I felt like crying or singing, and so grateful that for a moment Christmas came my way like a star in the east or an angel in a field.

Mary, the beloved who birthed our savior, was still cradling humanity as her own. All of us have moments of vision where sight is filled with grace and love comes down and sweeps us up in its wake. Those are Christmas moments when we can believe Emmanuel, God is with us.

The hope of Christmas lies in the truth that such fleeting visions are enough to carry us through long nights of hardship, injustice or separation.

Joseph’s dream carried him through to Bethlehem and into Egypt. Mary’s vision kept her faithful. The gift is, we have all we need to have a moment that inspires us to be more loving and faithful pilgrims, as we walk over the limestone paths ahead.

by Becca Stevens

via The Tennessean

Celebrating With A Little Bling

2010-12-22T11:54:00.006-06:00

As Thistle Farms' employees wrap up the end of the year, one of our new friends added a little bling to the celebration with beautiful pieces of costume jewelry from her own line of fashion accessories, Xovo Designs.

Each woman got a unique piece (including necklaces, bracelets and earrings) and were able to exchange with each other.

Following are some fun photos from the jewelry surprise:

Thank you, Cara! We are so grateful for your generosity and adding a little sparkle in our lives.

Saving Lives One Purchase At A Time

2010-12-15T15:58:00.001-06:00

During the holidays, it's easy to forget the real reason for the season. There's a lot of hurrying, long to-do lists and last minute shopping to complete. As you choose your Christmas gifts, consider the fact that purchasing Thistle Farms products will actually help you save a life. Each and every penny spent on hand lotions, candles, lip balms and books go back into the program which helps women come off the streets and into sanctuary. Not only will you be giving all-natural and aromatically delicious gifts, but you will also be supporting the very women that make these products with love, by hand.

You can order online at store.thistlefarms.org, by calling 615-298-1140, by stopping by the Thistle Farms manufacturing building at 5122 Charlotte Pike in Nashville or by visiting one of our 140 national retailers.

From Amy, Peggy, Cynthia, Katrina, Tammy, Monique, Phyllis, Peggy, Terry, Val, Beverly, Angela, Tara, Tiffany, Chelle, Rita, Tasha, Doris, Gladys, June, Sherry, Yolanda, Penny, Karlee, Tony, Nina and everyone at Thistle Farms -- thank you for your support!

photo by Lindsey with BellaLuPhotography

Musing Over Thistle Farms This Thursday

2010-12-15T08:50:00.005-06:00

Muse Boutiques is having a Thistle Farms party on Thursday, Dec. 16th at both of their stores in Cool Springs and on West End Ave.

Stop by either location from 5pm - 8pm and say hello to Chelle and Tasha in Franklin (545 Cool Springs Blvd, Suite #125,) or Bev and Tara in Nashville (2525 West End, Suite #2505).

A portion of Muse Boutique's sales proceeds during this event will be donated directly to Thistle Farms.

Support A Graduate By Getting A Massage

2010-12-14T12:43:00.007-06:00

Julie Lowery is not only a Licensed Massage Therapist, but is also a graduate of the Magdalene program (2006). She works at Body & Sole in the heart of downtown Nashville and is offering some great deals for the holiday season!

Massage and gift certificates are only $50 for an hour and $25 for half an hour. Buy 10 get one free. For downtown workers, Julie offers free chair massage on Thursdays from 9:00 am- 11:30, first come first serve. Deals are good through January 3, 2011.

Located at:

162 Fourth Avenue North, Suite # 104, Nashville, TN 37219
with free valet parking provided at the Courtyard Marriott

Julie is a graduate of the Natural Health Institute in Nashville, TN. She is licensed and certified in Tennessee, and a member of AMBP (Associated Bodywork and Massage Professionals). Julie is also a certified nurse’s assistant and entered the massage world as another way to care for those around her. She believes massage is very healing for the mind, body, and soul, and strives to bring a healthy, therapeutic touch to the community.

As a compassionate person, her main goal is to reduce pain, stress, and greatly lower the need for medicine. She believes in a holistic approach and strives to learn all she can to help those she meets, incorporating deep breathing, stretches, and acupressure into her massage sessions.

Julie is an individual who cherishes life and the lives around her, and she wants to share healing through massage therapy with the community.

Congratulations to Julie and all of her success!

We'll be featuring other graduates and ways you can support them in the coming future.

Weekend Shopping Alert

2010-12-08T18:38:00.003-06:00

If you are shopping in Cool Springs this weekend,

Thistle Farms will be selling product at

Off Broadway Shoes

from 10am-2pm on Saturday 12/11.

Stop in to say hi to Gladys & Stephanie,

stock up on Thistle Farms holiday gifts...

and get a great pair of shoes!

545 Cool Springs Blvd

Franklin, TN 37067

Thistle Visitors

2010-11-29T20:35:00.000-06:00

One of the goals at Thistle Farms is to spread the vision of Magdalene to other communities and states. In this way, we become a voice in the dialogue that promotes women's freedom, while at the same time encouraging other places to start their own communities. Many friends have stopped by this fall for a tour and visit to our new Thistle Farms Building. We have had visitors from Dayton, Dallas, Atlanta, Charleston, Raleigh, Florida, Scotland, Hendersonville, and Pennsylvania. One friend was an old classmate of mine and she is taking the message that love heals back to her home church. She claims now to be a Thistle Farmer and spent part of her weekend after her visit collecting thistles. Thank you, Kate.

With gratitude,

Becca Stevens

Pictured: Rev. Kate Kelderman from Gettysburg, PA and Rev. Becca Stevens from Nashville, TN.

Holiday Gifts

2010-11-27T10:52:00.003-06:00

According to the Nashville Scene, this year, stop wasting your time and give gifts that matter. We couldn't agree more, especially since we have a some perfect holiday gifts for everyone on your list!

Check out these holiday-specific gifts and great deals, all handmade by the women of Thistle Farms:

Winter Survival Kit

Take care of all your skin and body needs for the winter months ahead in one beautifully-packaged kit! Each is filled with a bath tea, body polish, body balm and lip balm. The cotton drawstring bags are hand-made by women from the Lwala Community Alliance in Kenya.

Holiday Candle

Made with soy-bean based ecowax and the finest ingredients of the earth. Totally vegan. Completely holiday.

Holiday Room Spray

Fill your home with love and spray it with this fine mist. A fabulous alternative to heavy, chemical sprays. Our all-natural spray will refresh and revive your rooms with scents of the season. Over 750 sprays in one bottle!

Holiday Sachet

A holiday smell for the entire home! Enjoy these seasonal aromas while they last.

Lotion & Soap Combo

Our all-natural hand soap uses sunflower seed and coconut oils to gently and effectively clear away dirt. Our lotion also uses olive and grapeseed oils, plus honey and pure lavender essential oil to nourish and soften dry skin. For the holidays, save $5 by buying them together as a perfect pair.

Don't forget to check out our entire product line at our Online Store!

PLUS - if your company is thinking of buying gifts for its employees and/or vendors, know that Thistle Farms offers corporate discounts for volume orders over $500. Show your colleagues your support for local business and belief in the real meaning of the season. Contact holli@thistlefarms.org for more information.

God Is Good

2010-11-25T13:50:00.005-06:00

We sing because we're happy.

We sing because the fire is hot in our bellies.
We sing because the wind is cool on our faces.

We sing because God is wonderful.

We sing because God is faith.
We sing because faith is hope.
We sing because it frees me.
We sing because freedom is a gift I love.

We sing because it makes the world go round.
We sing because I am a child of correction.
We sing because I am teachable.

We sing because God likes my voice.
We sing because God blessed us.

~ by the women of Magdalene

Happy Thanksgiving from everyone in the Thistle Farms and Magdalene community!

Sewanee Alumni of the Year Award

2010-11-16T17:24:00.010-06:00

Becca Stevens, mathematics major in the Class of '85, was honored at Sewanee's Homecoming this year with the Distinguished Alumnus Award. She was the youngest recipient of this award and its first female recipient.

Becca had the following remarks on receiving the award:

Thank you so much to the alumni association for this honor. I am humbled by it. Both of my parents are buried on this mountain and to accept this award in such close proximity to them feels very special to me. The foundation for the work I have done for the past couple decades was laid long before I came to the mountain. It was the early death of my father and other childhood experiences that set the stage for having a desire to serve women with criminal backgrounds in addiction and prostitution, who on average were first abused between the ages of 7 and 11, most of whom knew the backside of justice, the underside of bridges and the short side of economics long before they knew the inside of prisons. While that foundation was built, it was here on this mountain that I learned the necessary skills and theology to put those experiences into a context and a ministry. It was here that professors like Dr. Spacerelli not only taught me Spanish but offered books like “the hovering giant” that questioned the balance of power in this part of the world. Math professors like Dr. Croom, Dr. Puckett, and Dr. Alverez not only gave me a structure to solve problems, but taught me that mathematics was a universal language that could be translated into developing language about God. Professors like Dr. Smith, Dr. Potter, and many others gave us the freedom to question religion and the environments we were surrounded by. The administration under Dr. Ayers offered us opportunities to develop our leadership and give us a platform to learn to speak our truth. Since my graduation have been meandering mostly on side roads for the past two and a half decades. During this sojourn I have learned that love is the most powerful force for social change, that we can love the whole world a person at a time, and that the most radical form of love is to love without judgment. The lessons have left me with little energy for the politics of religion, and need buckling grateful that I get to be part of communities that remember that serving one another is not a side issue, but central to the gospel and to living out our faith. I still have so much more to learn and this community reminds me that we are life-long students. I am grateful to so many people, classmates and colleagues and friends and my husband Marcus and our sons Levi and Caney and Moses that keep the communities I serve going. My prayer is that we all keep taking the lessons of this community back into the world and speak our truth in love with conviction always. Thank you so much.

Share Your Birthday With Thistle Farms

2010-11-13T15:20:00.012-06:00

When Susan from Nashville was planning her birthday celebration, she remembered hearing about Thistle Farms though her job at HCA.

Susan tells us: "I decided after 44 years of birthdays and trying to come up with something different to do, I thought it would be fun to have a home party for my birthday. People are going to buy gifts or pay for your dinner so why not let them spend their money on a worthy cause? I realize birthdays are suppose to be all about 'me' and I couldn't think of a better way to feel that way than to know I was part of something so special. Through my party, I gave my friends and coworkers a the reason to come and witness the women and see the products."

To book the party, Susan got in contact with our Events Coordinator, Carole "It was extremely easy," Susan said. "I emailed Carole who made me feel so good about doing this from the start and all I had to do was give her a few logistics and off we went. The whole thing was taken care of with just a few emails. Let’s face it -- I am not as much of the technology generation but even I have to admit it is nice not to have to deal with set up through a 1,000 phone calls."

Susan thought her guests all seemed to enjoy the party. One of them was quoted saying: “It was an inspiring and fun event – those ladies are so very strong and have conquered such obstacles in their lives. I only hope if I were ever faced with an obstacle that difficult I would respond with that type of courage and perseverance. Thank you for doing this!!! I loved it.”

Happy birthday Susan! We loved spending your special day with you.

If you are interested in planning a birthday party with Thistle Farms, email Carole at events@thistlefarms.org for more information.

Love Stories

2010-11-05T13:37:00.017-05:00

Love Stories

by Becca Stevens

from the Magdalene Fall Fundraiser: Love Stories of Hope, Surrender and Courage.

When "us" and "them", however we define those words, cease to exist, a love story ensues. This is a love story. Every single person in this room (and reading this right now) is a beloved character in this story. It is our story of becoming us. It is the story of learning to speak our truth in love and telling the story through our actions. Thank you for helping write this story.

Love stories teach us how rich life can be. Two years ago, we realized we had become thistle farmers and that the whole world is our farm and that we could harvest thistle anywhere we traveled. We learned we could write our stories on our own ground up thistles we found on roadsides, abandoned mountain tops, and in flood-devastated lands. A group of thistle farmers traveled to Africa that same year and found thistles on the edge of a memorial erected to commemorate 258,000 people killed during the genocide in Rwanda. There are enough thistles in this world to cover all the love stories we could write and they are a perfect offering for this evening.

By the summer of 2009, Thistle Farms was making healing oils with geranium oil we learned about from Rwanda and wrapping them in our thistle paper. We took these beautiful oils and paper around the country and began offering them as part of our line of thistle farms products. During this same time we also began a prison tour, funded by the Cal Turner Foundation, to take our message of hope and healing into the women’s prisons. Into each prison we brought the book, “Find Your Way Home,” written by Magdalene and inscribed with a message of hope.

The last prison we visited a couple months ago was outside of Houston, Texas. It had no air-conditioning and the smell of women who had worked all day in the turnip fields permeated the prison. We took 300 books for the prison women. It took so long to inscribe the books that we missed the deadline for shipping them and had to check them in with the luggage. Since I had to check the bag and pay the fee, I brought along some geranium oils that I couldn’t carry on the plane.The next day we unloaded the books into bags, carried them through the prison security and passed them out to 300 prisoners. A woman leaned over to me after she opened the book and said, "This book smells so beautiful. You would be surprised, but small things make such a big difference.”

Love stories surprise us. It was miraculous to me that a drop of geranium made its way from a group of women in Rwanda who embody hope as they go out to fields to grow new crops even after they have known such devastation. Then that drop of oil made its way to Nashville where another group of women who have survived lives of abuse, addiction and prostitution embody hope and go to work each day to make healing products that say on every label, Love Heals. Finally, that drop of oil made its way into the pages of a book written about hope, passed through prison walls and found its way to a woman who was open to breathing it in its hope and beauty. In the scale of love a drop in the bucket is plenty.

There are many love stories this year to share---26 women have entered the program since last year to come and live free in one of the six residential houses. 18 have successfully graduated from the Intensive outpatient program, 15 have completed their computer courses, 35 women are currently employed at Thistle Farms where we still need to triple our sales to make sure women can work living hours. 11 women graduated the two year residential program in June. 50 women were served through outreach efforts.

But our love stories are not a fairy tale where we get to live happily ever after. There are still a hundred women on the waiting list. Friends were sentenced to prison terms that will cost years of lives and millions of dollars. Most of those women saw the backside of injustice long before they saw the inside of a jail. Three women we know where murdered on the streets, including a graduate of Magdalene named Rosalyn. She was a beautiful sister who in an abusive relationship, lost her job, her home, and succumbed to addiction before her tragic death. She, too, is part of our love story and grieving her is not a burden, but a luxury as we remember every person in the world is a beloved child of God and in a love story, grief won’t break us, but instead gives us renewed strength and the impetus to start writing a new chapter of the story of love in all our lives. Despite all the mess ups I have made this year and all the mess ups people in our community have made---there is still love and there is still hope for all of us.

This is a year where our love story, like all love stories will unfold, not in words, but in deeds. It will unfold not in people praising us, but joining in the effort to help change a culture that still buys and sells women, that holds the secrets of abuse as sacred and turns a blind eye to the needs of sisters on the streets. Our goal tonight to keep the houses open and the business running is to raise $225,000; it is so doable.

Beyond that we need everyone to buy and use our products to spread the news. Don’t have anything else in your bathrooms at home or at your business but Thistle Farms products. Light a candle and say a prayer for this work. This year we need to renovate one of our homes, increase our retail accounts to over $10,000 a month, solidify our relationship to Whole Foods, visit another 100 congregations here and around the country, visit more prisons, and teach another fifty groups who will visit Magdalene from other cities how to adapt this model.

Our goals are no loftier than you would expect in a love story. Love stories are truth. And truth can be more harrowing than fiction. It will be the unbelievable story and we are the heroes.

Sugarland Live-Streamed Show Benefits Thistle Farms

2010-10-18T09:32:00.003-05:00

Tonight, country music stars Sugarland will air a live-streamed concert from New York City as part of the AmEx Unstaged series. 100% of the ticket proceeds go to an organization of the artist's choice. Jennifer and Kristian have chosen Thistle Farms!

The show will air at 9pm ET/6pm PT (that's 8pm for everyone in Nashville!) on Sugarland's VEVO channel, straight from NYC's Best Buy Theater into your living room.

Thank you, Jennifer and Kristian, for this great gift and we wish you luck tonight!

Belmont Students Win International Award

2010-10-13T12:01:00.007-05:00

As we reported before, Belmont University’s Students in Free Enterprise (SIFE) team were the champions in Atlanta for the SIFE USA Regional Competitions.

This month, they took 3rd Place in the SIFE World Cup! Belmont represented the United States in a competition where students were judged on the business projects they developed to bring about positive social change in their communities.

One of Belmont SIFE’s projects involved working with Thistle Farms and students provided computer and financial training for the women in the program.

Congratulations to all of the participating students!

photo by Michael Krouskop

Lip Smoothie Crowned Best of Nashville

2010-10-08T09:17:00.000-05:00

According to the October issue of the Nashville Scene, the Thistle Farms Lip Smoothie is Nashville's BEST LIP GLOSS of 2010!

From writer Sean Maloney:

It's last December and we're looking for stocking stuffers. The young lady behind the counter at our local tchotchke shop leans over and says, "This is the best lip gloss ever." So we buy it, Festivus comes, and our recipient declares, "This is the best lip gloss ever!" Then our giftee leans in for a kiss, and we're like, "Whoa! This is the best lip gloss ever!" Smooth and tasty without being too thick or waxy, and all for a great cause — helping local women in need overcome lives of violence and prostitution.

Thanks, Nashville Scene and everyone who voted! If you haven't tried out our creamy, shimmery, buttery pomegranate treat for your lips yet, you'd better get on it before the winter wind hits. You can find it online or at some of our favorite retailers in Nashville which you can locate HERE.

Tracey's Journey

2010-10-07T10:39:00.009-05:00

Tracy's smile can light up a room. Her compassion and perseverance are innate qualities that were never squelched despite the hardships she endured while growing up in public housing in Nashville with her parents and two younger brothers. Her first experience of a relationship was watching her Dad abuse her Mom and cheat on her with other women. “I thought that’s what love was,” Tracey says.

Eventually, Tracey’s Dad left the family and Tracey began acting out by drinking, smoking marijuana and being promiscuous. When her youngest brother was killed in a drive-by shooting at age 13, Tracey’s grief-stricken mother started using drugs as well. Their now-shared habit only pushed Tracey and her mother further apart.

At 17, Tracey dropped out of high school and in a short time she had three children. Her drug use escalated when her curiosity and feelings of abandonment led her to crack cocaine. “I remember seeing a woman I knew always laughing and seemingly happy and I wanted to feel the same way. She told me, ‘I’ll put it down and if you pick it up, you’re on your own. I don’t want anyone to say I got you started.’ That was my first experience of smoking the pipe and it took me on a loop where I could have never imagined it would take me.”

To afford her habit, Tracey got into a cycle of prostitution and selling drugs for nearly 16 years. Becca Stevens, the founder of Magdalene, talks about Tracey in her book, Hither & Yon:

“One evening, in a haze outside of a crack house, a horrible scene unfolded. In a midst of a fight, a man was shot and she was charged. After living in the Magdalene community for almost a year, the woman was charged with second degree murder. At her sentencing, she was surrounded by a community of women who had lived with her and helped her fight her case. The judge ruled that she would serve no time. He sentenced her to eight years of probation and allowed her to live another year in Magdalene, in a home that is striving to show that love is the most powerful force for change in this world.”

Tracey has been clean since October 2004, is a graduate of the Magdalene program and is the Manufacturing Manager at Thistle Farms. In addition, she is the Supervisor for Housekeeping at TPAC, lives in her own apartment and is a grandmother of three.

She says, “I love my life today. I try not to beat up on myself. I’m doing the best I can in whatever I’m doing. I’m grateful to have gone through what I had to in order to get where I am today.” She is a gift to all people that need to remember that we can all find our way home.

Photos 1 & 2 by Carolyn Snell

Photo 3 by Kate Medley with Whole Foods