Reflecting on Go Bag Week: Lessons Learned

Well, Go Bag Week has come to a close. I had a heck of a time chatting it up with you all. But I mostly proved in real time what I already suspected: That I can not keep up with an event like that without undoing my normal routine, such as it is.

While I juggled all the daily work and family commitments—and also tried to remain flexible and available to life’s curveballs—I missed a few days of content creation. We were able to cover the basics but I wasn’t able to address what I feel are the more nuanced, less often addressed, social and cultural particulars of “go bagging”, as I’ve come to call it, as weird as it sounds.

We covered the important yet traditional topics, “What kind of bag should I use?”, “What should be in my bag?”, “Where do I get a checklist?”, etc.

But next year I’d like to cover topics like “Less obvious go bag items”, “Items for bartering”, “Discussing segments of the population who simply can not afford to divert any funds toward luxuries like go bags, AKA Making go bags less classist by sharing the bounty”, etc.

Capacity and Pacing

But my biggest take away is a study in my own capacity and pacing. I’d love to do Go Bag Week again next year. And I will most certainly record, write and produce much more ahead of time. I’m okay with not having run a pristine online event like this.

There is so much out of our control. What’s more, I’m grateful for so many of the things that kept me from pulling off a “perfect” event. My family, keeping the lodging running, the work I do at the McElroy House as their garden manager, building our long over due (and first permanent) greenhouse all keep me very busy. Life is better when you know and embrace your roles, even the ones that “hold you back” from your favorite work. This week I embraced my roles and despite a clumsy week of content, I wouldn’t change a thing.

I’ll keep the post short and sweet, as even now I’m finding my self pressed for time. Thank you for joining us! Please subscribe to our newsletter below and join the growing number of folks who have hopped on for the ride!

Join us at Instagram, Facebook and our new Threads account and revived YouTube channel!

And as always, book a stay at one of the two houses. We’d love to have you this year so you can see the fledgling stages of our educational food forest and meet the animals!