Farm Week 3 Recap & Rethinking Time

Although this week has seemed to pass quickly, it began on Monday with the most physically demanding day on the farm yet. The farm has tunnels that are made with a metal half circle frame, and is covered by large plastic sheets. I'm not sure exactly what the advantage of these tunnels are, but they are used to grow things like various types of tomatoes and strawberries. My guess would be that it has something to do with the tunnel's ability to increase the humidity inside it, or maybe it has to do with the tunnel's ability to shelter the plants from damaging weather like strong wind and rain. The strawberries planted in the tunnels were harvested before I began working on the farm, but farm work is so time consuming and demanding that it wasn't until this week that we c began to clear out the old plants and weeds. The main objective when clearing a field is to remove the plastic covers that protect the crops from intruders such as pests and weeds (a technique used to ensure that all produce will grow organically). However, this is never an easy task when the field has been untended for weeks, and the plants grow stronger and thicker in openings of the covers, and this makes it more difficult to pull the covers up. Add to the fact that these rows are long and numerous, and you have a full day's work load of just pulling up the covers in increasingly hot and humid weather.

On that day I learned that sunscreen needs to be reapplied about every two hours. It seems obvious, but that fact never registered with me until I came home with a blister on my forehead and a pretty painful sunburn. On top of that, I was soaked in sweat the entire day. It was a very challenging and uncomfortable day, and coming home to relax after work was more satisfying than any other day. A job like this really emphasizes the importance of rest - of Sabbath. Providing for a basic need of people (the need to eat) is physically demanding, and it would be impossible to continue without periods of rest. Luckily, the other two days on the farm were less exhausting. These days consisted of picking berries, picking tomatoes, and filling CSA boxes. Nevertheless, these days are twelve hours long and still require a lot of physical labor. 

Participating in a rhythm set by the patterns of nature has allowed me to interact with time differently. Any of the necessary tasks on the farm take a long time to complete. Even picking blackberries can take about half a dozen workers three or four hours to pick all of the ripe blackberries from the bushes. Yesterday we picked tomatoes from the time we arrived until it started getting dark, and we prepared to go home. While this sounds tedious and unpleasant, the truth is that time often seems to pass quickly. I am not quite sure about the reason for this, but I think it is important to take note of this fact so that I don't take the time I have for granted.

Photo taken by me of cherry tomatoes grown in the tunnels

On the other hand, the physicality of farm work also causes me to appreciate the small moments of rest during the day. The classic exemplar of the slow farm truck cruising unnecessarily slow down a country road and annoying fast drivers makes sense to me now. I appreciate those few minutes where I can finally relax, whether it is in the truck or just in the shade for a short water break. I took particular note of this appreciation of the slower pace on Monday when I went to the water pump to refill my water jug. My body seemed to delight in the simple act of driving to the water pump with a cool breeze flowing in from the window. At that moment I felt a bit of peace, and had no desire to rush back to the exhausting work of pulling the covers  in the tunnels. I, of course, did not take more time than was necessary to return to work, but I have a greater appreciation for those moments in time that offer rest. Unfortunately, I must confess that this appreciation has not completely overtaken me when I am on my way home, and I still feel agitated when people are making it difficult to get home sooner. Hopefully my demeanor will improve over time.

Despite the sunburns, muscle soreness, and heat, I am greatly enjoying my time working on the farm. Moments exist when it tests my breaking point, but the opportunity to understand how God can provide and teach through the patterns of nature are always worth the effort. Working on a farm is physically demanding, but it also helps remove me from the distractions of modern life. There is a lot of time for reflection, and there are always news things to see and experience in more natural settings. It is not surprising that authors like Henry David Thoreau and Wendell Berry (among many others) have written profoundly about life based on their experiences in more natural settings.

Farm Week 2 Recap & Community Support in Nashvile

A combination of the Independence Day holiday, and rainy weather limited my time out in the fields this week, yet I feel like I worked as hard as the previous week. Monday consisted of pulling plastic covers off the field that had weeds grown into them so that the field can be prepared for the planting of new crops. The are many rows that span a long distance, which meant hours of pulling and collecting the covers. Once this task was completed the remainder of the time at the farm was spent pulling potatoes out of the ground. The rows of potatoes are plowed so that the soil is broken up which makes it easier to dig up the potatoes, but it still meant the entire day was spent bent over on the ground digging and collecting. I am continually convinced that neighborhoods need to invest in their own local methods of food production in order to simplify and sustainably scale the amount of work for and availability of healthy, organic food.

Despite the hard work at the farm, this week was busy with hosting friends from San Diego who came out to visit and research the possibility of moving out here. On top of showing them the great places to eat at and see in Nashville, they had set up meetings with some local businesses and organizations involved in the community and the growth of small business in Nashville. I was able to tag along for these meetings, and I met people invested in the community of Nashville. Being able to hear their stories, and the positive response from their communities excited me for future opportunities here in Nashville. I am now more inspired to fervently pursue an urban permaculture, and I am convinced that I will be backed by community support. I have discovered a multitude of organizations focused on providing healthy food to all people of Nashville, especially to those who might not be able to afford it, so I know there is a rich network that will help me succeed. I was excited to just spend time with some close friends, but now I am grateful to live here in Nashville, and I feel more energized to start pursuing my calling immediately.

First Week on the Farm Recap

Being able to work on a farm has been an insightful and fulfilling opportunity. I work at the farm three days a week, and work the other two days at my other job installing custom picture frames. Some of the tasks I performed at the farm this week included:

• Trellising blackberry canes that were getting a little wild
• Picking blueberries off of the bushes to be sold at various farmers's markets
• Packing CSA boxes
• Cutting sweet potato transplants and then we planted them
• Picking and planting squash
• Driving a tractor 
• Picking fingerling potatoes

The majority of the time this week was spent cutting the sweet potato transplants, and planting those cuttings and some squash. Also, I was surprised to find out that the farm has actually been inhibited by the unusual increase in rainfall this year, because it halts the planting process and so we are working hard to put things in the ground before it is too late in the season. Farming is a great vehicle for teaching the delicate balance between too much and too little.

I am enjoying my time working on the farm, but there are some moments when the sun is hot with no breeze, and it feels uncomfortable to be bent over picking produce or cutting transplants. And it is during those moments that I like to think about the work that will be translated into meals. I am forced to imagine different scenarios where this food might bring people together over a meal, satiate hunger, be used in an offering of hospitality, or simply provide some comfort to the lonely. 

After reading Food and Faith: A Theology of Eating by Norman Wirzba and Take This Bread: A Radical Conversion by Sara Miles I have a better recognition of how food can be the centerpiece of building and strengthening relationships, which gives me the strength to continue working despite sunburns or achy muscles. I am grateful for this opportunity that allows me to work in a capacity that I  believe is an expression of my faith, and I am even more grateful for those who support me on this path I have chosen.

The Next Step Towards My Calling

My interests in growing food and promoting community have led me to take on work at a local organic farm. Yesterday was my first full day on the job, and I can attest to the hard work farming requires. The farm I work at fulfills about 900 CSA subscriptions, and also sells produce at various farmers's markets and to local grocery stores. This demand for local and organic food requires long hours, and many hands. I didn't realize the scale of this particular farm's production when I first inquired about the job, but I am grateful for the experience of growing food and the realistic look at farm life.

Many of the workers at the farm arrive at 6am and work until dark. Many of the hours are spent bent over picking produce in the sun, or packing hundreds of boxes with fruits and vegetables. I am amazed that many of these workers do these tasks for most of their lives. A lot of sweat is required to feed people local organic food, and I have a better understanding of why CSA boxes and farmers's market produce can cost more than the industrial farm produce sold at many grocery stores.

I know this job will provide crucial experience and insight to organic food production, but this type of farming is not the model I want to employ in the future. I wish to start an urban permaculture farm that will serve as a center of education about food health and social justice. This goal does not come from a desire to not work as hard. Any type of farming work or social work will not be physically or mentally easy. But for food production to be considered truly sustainable, it must be designed according to a scale that does not create waste nor deplete natural resources. I do not know how "waste" is managed at this farm I currently work at, but I have not noticed any evidence of permaculture principles being implemented.

While local organic food is important, and a far better option than industrial, chemical farming, I can't help but feel that it is not enough. Permaculture needs to infiltrate the various aspects of our lives, and it should influence the way we design our lives: from the way we design our homes to the way we organize community life. I am willing to go so far as to say that permaculture can guide us closer to living in a way that reflects the kingdom of God; especially if we bear in mind the three main permaculture principles (care of the earth, care of people, and share the surplus), and how these principles reflect the gospel message of salvation and redemption.