I know we are all feeling it. Whether it's the emotional weight of coronavirus uncertainty, the physical exhaustion of sleepless nights and personal reckonings, or the conversations we are having with our children about racial inequities. It's hard right now to see beyond your footsteps. Today, as with most Fridays, I'm alone on the farm to tidy up projects from the week and make estimates for harvest the following week. Today two things caught my attention that I wanted to share with you.
The first, while listening to a live stream of speakers celebrating Juneteenth by sharing their work on equitable agriculture, youth-led farming models, and land liberation, a family who receives a weekly box of veggies and volunteers every week on the farm, popped by to pick up their produce. When they arrived, they asked if they could spend 20 minutes (all 6 of them) helping me pick the beautiful and bountiful beans. I gratefully accepted and they picked an entire row so quickly I was at a loss for words. But more so what hit me was the subtle metaphor that's been on my mind: To change our systems which oppress some and bouy others, we must start at home and we cannot make these changes alone. It only works if WE work TOGETHER. Thank you to Drew, Lacy and family for your contributions today!
The second, was when two of our past interns, separately reached out to come volunteer and visit the farm next week. I can get lost in the details of economically sustaining our little teaching farm project or worry about our yields and soil quality and supplies we are running low on... but it's the relationships that bring me back in focus. People build meaningful relationships with each other, with the land and with their ancestors, when they cultivate the land in a peaceful way. That is what we will always pledge to do. We are farming on the land of Prince of Peace Lutheran, in a neighborhood steeped in peaceful traditions in spite of the wounds that have been afflicted, and it is our promise to grow vegetables and relationships peacefully as well.
For those of you interested, the link to the recorded live stream is here: https://www.facebook.com/AGrowingCulture/videos/1181113425601653/
Hoping you find peace within yourself and in your life this weekend,
Lilly
