A Farmer's Perspective

Unity In Community

It has been hard to concentrate with all of the news coming from our nation’s capital these past days. Each media outlet that I find myself following seems to only be focusing on the extremes of each side. Unfortunately this leaves little space for dialog or commitment to resolve the issues at hand. And there are many, occurring at the intersections of wealth inequality, climate change impacts, public health, homelessness and substance abuse, to name only a few.

Happy New Year To All!

One of my New Year’s resolutions is to increase my positive impact on my community and the planet, through looking at the second- and third-degree benefits or harm my decisions, choices and purchases have on the world. I am already a bit confronted by how unconscious I can be at times.

The Gift Of Community

This has been a very trying year, and what I always notice when I look back on trying times is that there were also beautiful gifts revealed.

You have all given me a very special one this year: community. Not the sound-bite, social media-amplified, paper thin kind of community. Rather, the kind that looks out for you, brings you food, makes sure you are okay. The kind you can lean on and that makes you feel whole.

The Healing Beauty of Nature

Up here in Vermont, this season of winter has the potential to be something wondrous or something to endure.

Even in normal years winter can be difficult for those who lack a strong connection with the outdoors, whether through their work, farming or joyful recreation. This year, concerns about health and social responsibility have kept even more people inside.

Good For The World, Good For Us

“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.”