November 2025 NEWSLETTER
Written By David Whitaker
With the complexity and speed of life today, I like to practice reducing each day to one question, "How can I leave this day better than I found it?"
I bring this intention to the way I interact with others, my work at Windermere, and my inner state. A lot of the time, this looks like cleaning up. I either focus on my inner environment, getting current on email and text communications, cleaning up the house and around the ranch or some combination of all of these. I like this low hanging fruit when it comes to leaving it better than I found it and it fits with something David Allen said to me, "When in doubt, clean up."
I realized recently that cleanup is one of the easiest volunteer events to host because the prep work is already done.
Another facet of this came from our backhoe operator, Mel, he said, "When you have a place like [Windermere], you don't have to look for work, you're surrounded by it."
Recently, leaving Windermere better than we found it has looked like:
Learning about the wells and water systems - Ted Drake, John Floyd and I have done a systematic review of all of the wells at Windermere over the last month. Part of this effort culminated last week with the repair of the Grewal well, the only well on the property that existed when IIWP purchased it in 1986. The well has been nonfunctional since 2019 and to see it come back to life was a sight to behold. We're using the water from the Grewal well for our animals and to rehabilitate the beautiful ponds at Windermere (see the above photo).
Planting some citrus trees and tending the garden. An investment of energy that always seems to bear fruit (and vegetables).
Setting up for emergency preparedness by deepening our relationship with the West Camino Cielo Firewise community and the larger Wildland Residents Association.
Adding fun and connection to our weekly Windermere community meetings by incorporating a seminar and potluck.
Expanding the herd of brush goats and connecting with other non-profits that are practicing sustainability. This month, we welcomed Klamath, a Nubian goat from Quail Springs in the Cuyama Valley near Ojai, CA. We also met Jan Smith, one of the founders of Quail Springs and formed new connections with the community and permaculture taking place there.
Raising funds for the Windermere Garden. On November 15th, we're launching a Seedmoney fundraiser for the garden, to help us purchase more fruit trees, improve our watering system, and expand our footprint. We eat food out of the garden throughout the year and share it with our numerous day visitors and overnight guests. The garden is also a gathering place where we hold our meetings and share meals (weather permitting).
The fundraiser goes live on November 15th and we can get bonuses for a strong start and a strong finish. If you're thinking of making a year-end donation to Windermere, doing it through Seedmoney is a great way to make your dollars go further. Mark your calendars, and we'll send out an email when the fundraiser goes live. In the meantime, you can join our Facebook event for the Seedmoney Fundraiser.
Last year, I—Ashley—wrote an article in the Meanwhile at the Ranch Newsletter titled “Too Many Pumpkins?” I ended it by saying, “Next year, be on the lookout for Windermere Pumpkin Pies for sale.” Well, that time is here! We had another abundant pumpkin crop this season, and we would love to share it.
We are hosting a small Pies for Peace fundraiser. If you live in the Santa Barbara area, we will have 10 pies available for purchase ($50 each). You can select either pumpkin or rhubarb pie. They will be prepared on Wednesday, November 26th and available for drop-off or pick-up on Wednesday afternoon and Thursday morning.
To learn more and reserve your pie, please sign up here:
Photos & Videos!
Enjoy these photos and videos from Windermere Ranch.
Album: November 2025
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