Reconnect with Mother Earth!

At some level, we should reconnect with Mother Earth. If we have land (from a small yard to a few acres) we can provide some of our own food. Some cities and towns are allowing, even encouraging limited urban farming, including chickens and more. Even in an apartment, one can grow some produce! Many cities are sponsoring Community Gardens, where local residents subscribe to membership and actually prepare a garden plot, work it, and harvest the crops for the season. A bit larger of a project (overall) is Community Supported Agriculture, or CSA, where members subscribe to the project run as a regular farm operation. Their membership allows them a share of the farm's bounty (or loss), without the time and labor investment.

Here is an excerpt from USDA's website on CSA......
 

Community Supported Agriculture consists of a community of individuals who pledge support to a farm operation so that the farmland becomes, either legally or spiritually, the community's farm, with the growers and consumers providing mutual support and sharing the risks and benefits of food production. Typically, members or "share-holders" of the farm or garden pledge in advance to cover the anticipated costs of the farm operation and farmer's salary. In return, they receive shares in the farm's bounty throughout the growing season, as well as satisfaction gained from reconnecting to the land and participating directly in food production. Members also share in the risks of farming, including poor harvests due to unfavorable weather or pests. By direct sales to community members, who have provided the farmer with working capital in advance, growers receive better prices for their crops, gain some financial security, and are relieved of much of the burden of marketing.

As we get closer to spring, we will be discussing many opportuntunities to renew our relationships with our food source including gardening at many levels.