Aargh, burned my toast while reading some ruddy farmer’s riveting words: “Profit describes a fiction of surplus enabled by distancing human life from its sources and then converting a landscape of miraculous gifts and weighty responsibilities into a set of commodities.” Wow. That should be engraved on the Statehouse’s marble walls. Now “I’ve got to get myself back to the ga-a-a-a-aaaaaaaar-r-den!”
The "arguing" of the turning of the seasons, especially this year in the northeast where we have, indeed, had a proper winter, makes the gratitude for the warming days and rising green shoots a little greater. I am grateful, Adam, for your poetic manner of reminding us of the simple and easily unnoticed things for which we might remember our gratitude. Thank you! We are ALIVE! and the seeds we plant today for a more generous and convivial future are sure to grow. Please and thank you.
I really like the dark edge to this essay, the part about profit that is. It fits perfectly with the late March snowstorm we are about to receive in New England. Profiting/subsisting, taking/provisioning - these are the trade offs I too struggle with in my practice of agriculture. The trade offs seem particularly important as we as a society draw down our historical stock pile of resources. And how to advise the next generation, it’s vexing.
How to advise the next generation. One of my teachers suggests that at least we could set down our victory story and admit that we're handing them a whole lot of messes to clean up that we didn't intend but accumulated anyway. Honest might be a place to start. A less fictional account of the current state of the culture.
I feel the “shorn sheep shiver dance” as I battle this bronchitis!! Poor little lovey beasties, as I recall from old Wallace and Gromet shows of past!! 😁 🐑🐏🐾🐑🐏🙏🏼
Not sure why, but the sadness of our current state of affairs really got to me during this reading. Your words never fail to elicit something meaningful… this week it appears to be a healthy serving of grief. Blessings on you wise sir!!
Man, I love what you do, what you say, what you write.
I did build a house from the forest around it... and I learned that the trees were missing in the woods. Instead they were the house... ... Relationship.
My dream would be to run/start a programme at the educational institute of the chamber of farmers to study colonialism and the history of rural people, for understanding how we have lost ( and are loosing ) our pride, dignity, generosity, sense of community and anchordness to the land as farmers. How we need to bring it back. How we need to speak about these things.
Farming is so unthinkably broken here. Either sold out or given up. It is the situation of all peoples who belong to the land, with the land. Farmers ( small farmers) are just next in line. But there is really no understanding here ( Austria) how farmers are victims of colonialism, no knowledge of the bigger deeper picture. There is not even proper anger anymore. Just depression, deep resignation, sadness, hopelesness.
Shame of being a farmer is sooo covered up that the pride of the whole thing ... the possibilty of a wild, indigenous kind of pride of working with animals and on the land, is out of reach.
There is also really no solidarity between farmers anymore it seems to me. Not really. Not a heartfelt one. Its all more than heartbreaking.
But I think education could help. Understanding our history. To speak about our history. Not just damn history.
"...profit tells a story that humans ‘make’ and then ‘own’ Life. As such, it will be a short-lived experiment in human storytelling" That's great. Also, I very much appreciate your reference to both Ivan Illich and Wendell Berry. Their writing isn't dated. We're barely catching up with it.
Aargh, burned my toast while reading some ruddy farmer’s riveting words: “Profit describes a fiction of surplus enabled by distancing human life from its sources and then converting a landscape of miraculous gifts and weighty responsibilities into a set of commodities.” Wow. That should be engraved on the Statehouse’s marble walls. Now “I’ve got to get myself back to the ga-a-a-a-aaaaaaaar-r-den!”
Great stuff, Sally. Thank you for the enthusiasm. A laugh between cries keeps the heart strong.
The "arguing" of the turning of the seasons, especially this year in the northeast where we have, indeed, had a proper winter, makes the gratitude for the warming days and rising green shoots a little greater. I am grateful, Adam, for your poetic manner of reminding us of the simple and easily unnoticed things for which we might remember our gratitude. Thank you! We are ALIVE! and the seeds we plant today for a more generous and convivial future are sure to grow. Please and thank you.
Yes to the seed planting. We've got a new dusting of snow on the ground here, so the outdoor beds will have to wait a bit. Best to you, David.
I really like the dark edge to this essay, the part about profit that is. It fits perfectly with the late March snowstorm we are about to receive in New England. Profiting/subsisting, taking/provisioning - these are the trade offs I too struggle with in my practice of agriculture. The trade offs seem particularly important as we as a society draw down our historical stock pile of resources. And how to advise the next generation, it’s vexing.
How to advise the next generation. One of my teachers suggests that at least we could set down our victory story and admit that we're handing them a whole lot of messes to clean up that we didn't intend but accumulated anyway. Honest might be a place to start. A less fictional account of the current state of the culture.
I feel shivering in the vibrations made through sounding "freshly shorn sheep shiver in the shed" words alound. Wow!
I get a little thrill from alliteration, obviously. I'm glad that got to you, my friend. Best to you, Vesna.
Much wisdom and insight here. Grateful start to the week. Thank you sir.
Thank you, Adam.
Love your writing style, Adam!
I feel the “shorn sheep shiver dance” as I battle this bronchitis!! Poor little lovey beasties, as I recall from old Wallace and Gromet shows of past!! 😁 🐑🐏🐾🐑🐏🙏🏼
Thanks, Tricia. May that we be gathered in song before long.
Adam, so good as always. I hope the shearing went well!
Thanks, Leon.
Not sure why, but the sadness of our current state of affairs really got to me during this reading. Your words never fail to elicit something meaningful… this week it appears to be a healthy serving of grief. Blessings on you wise sir!!
Man, I love what you do, what you say, what you write.
I did build a house from the forest around it... and I learned that the trees were missing in the woods. Instead they were the house... ... Relationship.
My dream would be to run/start a programme at the educational institute of the chamber of farmers to study colonialism and the history of rural people, for understanding how we have lost ( and are loosing ) our pride, dignity, generosity, sense of community and anchordness to the land as farmers. How we need to bring it back. How we need to speak about these things.
Farming is so unthinkably broken here. Either sold out or given up. It is the situation of all peoples who belong to the land, with the land. Farmers ( small farmers) are just next in line. But there is really no understanding here ( Austria) how farmers are victims of colonialism, no knowledge of the bigger deeper picture. There is not even proper anger anymore. Just depression, deep resignation, sadness, hopelesness.
Shame of being a farmer is sooo covered up that the pride of the whole thing ... the possibilty of a wild, indigenous kind of pride of working with animals and on the land, is out of reach.
There is also really no solidarity between farmers anymore it seems to me. Not really. Not a heartfelt one. Its all more than heartbreaking.
But I think education could help. Understanding our history. To speak about our history. Not just damn history.
Thanks Adam .
Would really really like to meet you one day.
"...profit tells a story that humans ‘make’ and then ‘own’ Life. As such, it will be a short-lived experiment in human storytelling" That's great. Also, I very much appreciate your reference to both Ivan Illich and Wendell Berry. Their writing isn't dated. We're barely catching up with it.