I work for an organization that does community development internationally, and am on the board of an organization that does it in the United States. And yet I have trouble defining what exactly “community’ is.
The women in the photo above are learning about nutritious foods. I met them when I was visiting Bangladesh in 2004. Right before I left on the month-long trip, I bailed my first husband out of jail for the second time for a DUI. Two things really hit me on that trip. One, that even though my life seemed impossibly messy, it could be a lot worse–I wasn’t wondering where my next meal would come from and was allowed to leave my yard. Two, that while we in North America are rich materially, are are lacking in the “community” department.
During one of our listening sessions, the women asked if we have poor people in America. The translator and I tried to explain that even though we have food banks and shelters, people are often poor spiritually. That people can live right next door to each other and not know their neighbor. That was unbelievable to them. Of course, it’s easy to encourage community when it means being able to grow enough food for the whole year by working together. It’s another thing entirely to encourage community when having to deal with others is merely an inconvenience.
You might be wondering where I’m going with this. Well, yesterday I mentioned the discord within our CSA. Today, I went out to the upick field. It was very quiet. There was ample okra and peppers for the picking. One of the interns waved at me as I headed out to the field. It was just me, the weeds, the gigantic okra plants, and pepper plants. Oh and the crickets and bugs that make those funny rattling sounds. But mostly just me.
As I was picking, I reflected on what Michael, the farmer, wrote in his latest newsletter.
Around 14 years ago I was living with a bunch of bright, recently graduated, and nearly graduated college students. We were all keenly aware of the issues of the day, and we were all trying to figure out how to apply our college experiences to our impending “real lives” in a meaningful way. Every once in awhile we would let ourselves dream and would conjure up an ideal community of artists and writers, and the context was always some sort of farm, though none of us knew anything about farming, only the experience of our small backyard garden. Our biggest concern, as we looked out into the world, was a lack of community. As usually happens, we all moved on and some moved away.
Then Anja came into my life carrying similar concerns, and a shared desire for a meaningful life. The CSA concept dropped into our radar, and our first child, Zoe, arrived. At the same time, my grandfather was ready to sell the family farm. It all came together and into focus–my love of the outdoors and gardening, the farm, the family–and we struck out into our first very intimidating CSA season with no experience. We began our journey to try and do what we felt was right and important for this particular community, at the same time hoping to make a living doing it. This was different than the “artist colony” concept, but seemed more grounded in reality, like it could actually happen and we could support our two children as well. The community around the farm grew, and it was exciting, yet still intimidating (not much has changed!).
CSA farming is a very personal endeavor. We try to communicate what is going on in our lives as it relates to what is happening on the farm and in the world around us. We share as a way to open up communication and encourage understanding in all of us. Through the farm’s transformations, additions and growth, we remain focused on the primary goal of creating community.
I still can’t explain what exactly “community” is, but I do know it can accomplish many things. It is good. It’s why I choose to be part of a CSA rather than growing my own garden or just going to the farmer’s market. And I smile, as I realize that I am learning about nutritious foods just as the women in Bangladesh were. In community.
I want to leave a comment because that was amazing – but I don’t know what to say. So just; wow.
Jen, I never thought I’d see you speechless! 😉
Well spoken, Wendy. I, too, have pondered Michael’s letter and the going’s on of the past week. Heartbreaking, to say the least. But I know where I stand. My farm “is” community to me. I may only get to meet a few face-to-face, but I feel connected to all. Well, almost all!!!
And I’d have never met you without the farm, right???
This is true. I do love to see familiar faces. It’s only my second year so I don’t know as many folks as I’d like to. I really want to make an effort at going to more of the events. I’m glad we met!
If you’re ever near the Four Corners area, come by and visit Heartwood Cohousing. You’ll experience community here! Also check out http://www.cohousing.org to learn if there is a cohousing community in your area.
Cheers,
Heather
We do have lots of co-housing in our area, unfortunately we’re already upside down on our mortgage. If anyone in the Grand Rapids, MI area is looking for an intentional community to live check out the Franklin Farm. My friend owns it and they always have great food!
Hello,
What is community, there are many kinds, but for sure we are made to smile and hug a real live person and be touched by them. So I’m going to make sure I go see my almost 90 year old neighbor, we both love gardening in our front yards. I’m so pleased to see many of you young people connecting while digging in the dirt. Growing up ,my first community was my family and my best memories are those where we were either outside gardening or outside camping. Blessings, Erin
I love this post. I live in a tiny neighborhood where most the moms stay home which I do but I work. I’ve never felt more isolated in my life! It’s only been by taking out the front yard for a garden and starting a blog about it that I feel a greater community, only it’s not my next door neighbors. They are great but it’s my online like-minded community. Today food can really unite or divide. Online it’s united me with many others. In real life, it’s divided me more than ever with friends and family. I’m just hoping others follow so we can be united again. Thanks for linking this in to Simple Lives Thursday!
It’s certainly a challenge when friends and family don’t share your food values. I struggle with this too.
I have to say that the farmers market has its own community, too, at least the small one where I’ve been selling things this year. I’ve been getting to know the other vendors and meeting people from area as well as from around the US and a few from overseas (there’s a resort near the market that brings visitors in). Sharing and swapping produce w/ friends and neighbors has also helped build my sense of community. I’ve been finding that since I started working with natural healing through diet and herbalism, that has brought even more people into our lives to a greater depth. I never expected to be talking about the topics I’ve discussed (which I will leave unmentioned), but people are looking for better options than more pills with worse side effects than the original problem. Real food and natural health has truly become a life changing, community building experience for me.