Happy Earth Month!

While turning compost on our farm a week ago, I took a moment to really take in my environment. Our farm is on one of the busiest streets in the city, just a few blocks from downtown, yet in these moments, surrounded by nature, I felt stillness, connected and whole. Our connection to Mother Earth is sacred, and our care for Mother Earth is crucial. 

We celebrate Mother Earth and care for our planet as an act of healing for Mother Earth, the local food system, and ourselves.

Reducing food waste is another area where Earth Day and food sovereignty intersect. The immense amount of food wasted each year has a significant environmental impact, from the resources used in production to the methane emissions from landfills. Food sovereignty emphasizes using all parts of harvests and minimizing waste. Prioritizing local food and composting are acts that heal Mother Earth. 

As we shift away from industrialized, globalized food systems that harm the environment and invest in agroecological and other low-input farming methods that work in harmony with nature rather than exploiting it, we heal our local food system. Using these methods, locally-grown produce has a smaller carbon footprint, mitigates climate change, and helps make fresh produce more accessible to everyone. 

We heal our collective being when we connect with Earth in these ways.

Gardening, composting, and being in nature have reduced stress and increased mindfulness. When I spend time on the farm, I practice mindfulness by listening to nature with gratitude for how Earth sustains our existence. Mother Earth sustains everyone; without a healthy Earth, there can be no healthy humankind.  Investing in our planet is a pathway to fulfillment and wholeness. 

Thanks for being Earth Keepers with us. 

In solidarity,

Julius