“We have lived our lives by the assumption that what was good for us would be good for the world. We have been wrong. We must change our lives so that it will be possible to live by the contrary assumption, that what is good for the world will be good for us. And that requires that we make the effort to know the world and learn what is good for it.”
-Wendell Berry
I have great respect for Wendell Berry, and at the same time he often makes me angry. Like any great teacher or true friend, he has a knack for pointing to the thing I don’t really want to see or deal with. And he does not shrink from telling me to change my ways or perspective.
For years I found him very difficult to listen to. After all, I was farming conventionally and doing my best to ignore my conscience and intuition, which were screaming at me to find another way.
This quote of his is a remarkable challenge for us to change our perspective, and align with the needs of this Earth that cares for and supports us – before we destroy it. So many choices are beyond our control due to embedded systems and structures that make it nearly impossible to do the right thing. But by concentrating on those choices that we can make, we will begin to shift the tide. One of those choices: supporting the people who feed us in a way that also heals the Earth. Farmers To You was created to make this possible. We looked at one embedded system – our industrial food system – and created a better model so you could have a choice.
If you are one of our partner families, then I want to thank you for the change in perspective, and the difficult choices you took on to create this community. Together we are bringing our food production practices ever closer to “what is good for the world.” You know that choosing food from farmers who care deeply for their land, people and animals supports the right kind of agriculture and Earth care. You know that ordering consistently gives them stability (and a rare bit of predictability) in a job that is filled with risk and loss. You know that any good partnership brings both benefits and responsibilities, and that doing your part really does benefit all of us in the end.
To know the world and learn what is good for it is a lifelong effort. Thank you for joining Farmers To You on this journey, and for your commitment to healing the Earth through food and farming. You have shown me how powerful our choices can be.
Greg
