Today’s Task:
Pay attention to the messages that you’re taking in
Think about how everything that surrounds us carries energy. And how energy also carries messages.
Examples:
- Beverages we drink
- Food we consume
- Information we take in (News, social media, etc.)
- People we surround ourselves with
Then go deeper. Notice how the meals that have been cooked with love are stellar, versus how the things that were thrown together without much attention to the flavor combos or making adjustments along the way can be super bland. How do you feel after you watch the nightly news versus how you feel when you take a week off of listening to the news altogether.
When we think about the quality of the soil – the nutrients that are there and what they are telling our bodies, it’s quite incredible to see the impact of the foods grown in high quality soils, their effect on our health, and how that translates to our overall well-being. I remember a while back talking to a friend who studied Geology in the University of Kansas, and he told me that one of the things they learned in class is that the people who were selected in the highest quantities for serving in the war (I can’t remember which world war, one or two) all came from the midwest in the United States. The reason was that they had the highest levels of health. And the finding was that the nutrients found in the soils of the midwest were either more varied or more available for processing in our bodies than those that could be found in other parts of the country. So people’s muscle mass and overall health was better. Of course, that would result in people who are better suited for combat.
When you think about culture today and which parts of the country have the healthiest individuals, I actually think that the places that are doing the best are those who have created a culture in which physical activity is part of the norm and outdoor recreation is a mainstay of the fabric of the community. Many communities in Colorado, for example, pride themselves on having a ton of recreational opportunities, as well as the infrastructure to support it. Bike paths are everywhere, there’s tons of state parks, and more. And while Colorado may not be the most agriculturally productive place, they have a deep culture of supporting local producers. My experiences there have always been that of feeling like everyone in Colorado is an environmentalist, because of the way the environmental ethos pervades the products for sale in the retail space, the bumper stickers, and more.
For example, Colorado has some of the most beautiful landscapes in the country, and because these destinations are so visible to us, it makes it somewhat easier to protect or at least to recognize when they are deteriorating. Places like Kansas, where the wealth is tied up in our soils, and all we have to show for it is open fields of wild grasses and soil core samples with long root systems, have a much harder time instilling the same cultural norm. With less land put into protection for recreation through state parks, for example, sometimes it can be hard for us to see the beauty in our own state. Of course, I say this as a Kansan, speaking on behalf of myself and myself only.
This is my theory of how all of these things can fit together:
Soil health → Human Health → Community Health → Abundance/Opportunity/Cooperation
AKA when we invest in protecting our soils and the land around us, seeing it as a reciprocal relationship (the more we give to nature, the more it gives back to us) versus an extractive one, we reap the rewards through increased productivity, better quality and flavorful food, which allows us to focus more on other needs than the basics of eating (think Maslow’s hierarchy of needs). Having people who are pulled out of scarcity mindset/behaviors allows us to focus on things outside of ourselves, helping others, thinking about the greater good. This is where service becomes part of the norm. When many people in our communities are able to focus on helping others, versus making sure they have something to put on the table at night, I’d like to think that community health overall would be better. When communities are doing well, that means that they possess more of an abundance mindset, they seek to create more opportunities for people locally, and they are more open to cooperation rather than seeing themselves as in fierce competition with others. They understand their competitive edge as a community, and have no fear that other places will take their resources.
In a recent conversation with a friend, he said that he actually believes because we live in such a well-resourced country, and we can be so independent of each other, we don’t tend to share or cooperate in the ways that we used to. And that farmers could put a halt to the country in a short amount of time if they worked together. But when you’ve got 1000 acres and that’s how far your neighbor is away from you, and you don’t share equipment, it makes cooperation a lot harder. He said that what’s required for us to cooperate is for us to be forced to, out of some kind of disaster. 😀 I think there’s definitely some truth to that. People often don’t change unless they’re forced to.
When I think about the applications of wealth-building and leveraging physical assets in the planning space, rural communities have the most to gain from decades of underinvestment. I’d like to think that their natural resources are probably their biggest asset, aside from people. The beauty of the place draws people there and makes them want to stay. At least that’s what happened for me. I’m still struggling with the culture, but it could be that I just haven’t found the right community yet.
The question is, are rural communities that have learned to treat their land with respect the ones that are doing the best financially? Socially?
Which rural communities have the smallest disparities when it comes to ethnic and racial difference, or socioeconomic status? Which communities are those where more people can benefit from the amenities, rather than just the elite few?
I say this having lived in the Twin Cities at a time when I was a graduate student, where 65% of my income went towards rent, three part-time jobs paid for my living expenses, sleep was hard to come by, and I rarely took time to do something fun for myself. It was grueling. And it was frustrating to me that all the things that people would suggest to do for fun cost money. Let’s go out to eat! Let’s go out to this new bar! Let’s go and see a show! I had a hard time communicating to others that I really just didn’t have the money to spend like that.
Granted, I found ways to enjoy myself and the company of others through long walks and bike rides by the river, and having friends over for brunch, but many times I felt trapped, like I was living in this place of seemingly endless opportunities, but no real moolah to enjoy them. I can imagine there are many people living there today who feel the same way, always working to get ahead and then finding that the realities of the cost of living sort of dampen your aspirations.
I’ll admit, I don’t think that being a graduate student is generally a time when people are at their most financially abundant, and it may have been unrealistic to expect that I could live lavishly. To be honest, I didn’t have that desire. But I certainly wanted to eat out more often than I did, and treat myself to something nice every now and then. I’ll also be fully transparent and share that while many other students were taking out thousands of dollars worth of loans each semester, I had the honor and privilege of attending school on a full-ride scholarship. The most I had to worry about was the cost to live. But without much in savings, I didn’t have much of a buffer, and it was still an incredibly stressful time for me.
When I finally made the decision to move into a different apartment to reduce my living expenses, life was so much easier. I wasn’t constantly concerned about how many hours of work I had gotten in that week because what I paid in rent was cut by almost 50%. My new living arrangement was one of the best experiences I ever had and I’m grateful for every minute of it. I still have a great relationship with my landlord, and often will check in when I’m in the Cities.
Anyways, today’s task was inspired by a video from Martha Higareda, which related so much to this challenge. I appreciated how the two sisters she interviewed talked about how their course works to teach people to identify what they already know. This is one of my favorite concepts, and something that Aligned Farm Design is also all about. Teaching people how to listen to their bodies, their intuition, and learn to trust it as a guide when making decisions. You have all the information you need, when you need it. And if you feel like you don’t, you’re probably rushing the process anyways.
I continued to work on my digital portfolio by watching the tutorial about how to create a GIF using Canva. Slow and steady wins the race, right?
Keep up the good work! You’re almost 50% of the way through the challenge.
Today’s resources to keep you inspired:
Barras de Access – Una Forma para crear realidades ft. Cecy y Lucy | Infinitos Martha Higareda
