I have a wish as we return to more “normal” lives: that we all redefine normal after such a year. That we remain committed to our communities and those who feed us, and leave behind the thoughtless consumer behavior that has caused so much damage over these past decades to our land, climate, those who feed us, and those who care for us.
From climate change to ethical farming practices, raising and eating meat is one of the thorniest questions we face. But, as families who care about their own health and the health of our shared environment, we know that eating less meat, and the highest quality meat, is essential. This doesn’t mean seeking out the most expensive cuts… what matters is the quality of how the animal is raised. Hamburger from a healthy animal is as beneficial as the filet mignon. No difference.
I heard a report today on the radio about the amount of soil we have lost in the Midwest. The estimate: one third! What remains, primarily on hilltops, is subsoil—or soil that is so lacking in organic matter that it cannot grow quality food or crops. It is, for the purposes of agriculture, dead.
Soil is directly associated with our health and the planet’s health. It moderates surface temperature, absorbs precipitation, and provides structure and a home for the trillions of microbiota that feed and nourish us. Healthy topsoil is also a massive carbon sink—meaning it can sequester atmospheric carbon dioxide—and therefore carries great potential for climate change mitigation.
Today the sun rose at 6:42am and will set at 5:25pm. Not only are the days getting longer—they are increasing at a faster pace as we approach the spring equinox. Right about now the birds are starting to sing again, the sun is sharing more warmth as it rises higher in the sky, and the beginnings of spring are stirring under a deep blanket of snow.
Pretty soon winter will loosen its firm grip on the process of growth and seeds, roots, animals and insects will begin to break free of their trance. Lambs, calves, and kids are being born and the hope of life and abundance is renewed.
Fourteen years ago, I moved to Vermont. My plan (you know how those go) was to find a farm and build an innovative new farming model that could serve as an example to young farmers. But then life happened, and Farmers To You happened, and now fourteen years later… I’ve finally found my farm!
