Growing up in two cities, Chicago and San Francisco, in dense neighborhoods and apartments, growing food was a quaint notion to me. In my stunted notion of farmers, I imagined big guys in straw hats chewing on straw, churning dirt, picking corn and banjos. Aside from my horribly stereotypical idea of farmers it never occurred to me that I could grow something, pick it and eat it myself! Last year, under a rash impulse spurred by countless containers of lettuce starts, cabbage, kale, corn and zucchini as I left the market in Anacortes I thought I would try to grow something I could eat! The lavender start became a bush! The rosemary sprig became a tree. The oregano snippet became an untamed monster destined for pesto! Sarai gave me garlic starts. Then the bed of greens growing now under a cherry, plum and apple tree. The love I feel for the earth and her dark unruly creepy crawly denizens grows each time I tend my little patch. Suddenly up springs too much arugula or sweet peas or raspberries and suddenly I want to share my largesse with others. This verdant abundance given to us by the earth is a gift to cherish. Getting my hands into the dirt makes this a very real proposition. Growing my own food, close to home, reduces fossil fuel use, improves nutrition and brings me closer to others through sharing knowledge and abundant food. As we move into a new and unknown post industrial era, developing greater resilience and self reliance, with greater reliance on one another at the very local level, we can create a world based on abundance, love and compassion for all living beings. As the ancients said it, "as we think so shall we become." Add to that, that "now is our last chance to get the future right", as Ronald Wright so bluntly put it, engaging with Chuckanut Transition and the Bow Little Market allows me to contribute to making a better future for all! For that, I want to, with great sincerity, thank you all!
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