I’m standing at my kitchen counter, eating carrots that were pulled from the ground this morning. They’re crooked, and have little root hairs emanating from their knobby sides. There’s dirt in their cracks. I didn’t grow them — they are from my CSA box, which I pick up weekly from a local farmer named Sophie. CSA stands for community-supported agriculture, and I’ve never felt the community part of that more than when I stop by a neighbor’s house to grab our food for the week.
A beautiful and moving story about people, the land, what the Earth produces--carrots, figs, olives (all good)--and why there is such a strong connection to the bounty.
Thank you for taking us from peace, to war and back on the merits of plants grown with wisdom and tenderness.
I am slowly figuring out how to grow on my ancient red soil. In the meantime, my farmer is Vannah. You are so right, the vitality in food picked that same day is meant for all beings. I'm so glad you connected your positive health results to your CSA. Bless the farmers, and those who treat them well.🌱
Beautiful, Rebecca. You draw a lovely line in the soil from your farmer through health and family and neighbors and war. Really nicely done. May the soil continue to feed you well.
What a beautiful, poignant read. Thank you! CSA is something we all desperately need. I'll keep my fingers crossed for the figs and olives to flourish 💚
Wow, you're such a beautiful writer. And I didn't know you live in Oregon too. I live in Lane County. Maybe we should grab a cup of tea sometime! The whole story of what the Kurdish peoples have been through and are trying to build is so heartbreaking and inspiring at the same time. So many people are unaware that there is a beautiful grassroots democratic feminist ecological movement happening in the heart of the Middle East, trying desperately to create a new beautiful world from the ashes of the old.
I am aware of Nadia Lawton's work in Jordan and I find her so inspiring. She's like a seed that sprouted into a beautiful tree after decades in the soil, and now she is sending seeds out from her branches. She is definitely the human equivalent of the mother tree. :) I'd love to know more about this movement so if you have time to share some names or writers, I'd be so grateful! Might be a good topic to include in an essay here at some point.
Also, love the tea idea! We are away for several weeks but I'll send a message when we're back, to plan something.
This is lovely & so interesting yet sad to hear about Ahmad & Syria. He sounds like he’s found a place there. I love fresh veggies, we have a veg garden & I’m not that great but everything tastes so much better from it than the supermarket.
CSAs are wonderful and seem particularly American. As I’ve traveled through Asia, fresh fruits and vegetables seem abundantly offered at market after market. Even in Hong Kong, the thin streets off the main streets are filled with vendors. In the US we are so cut off from our food sources that we need our fresh veggies delivered in a box. But it’s what we’ve got so I agree we should take advantage when we can.
I was thinking how different our farm situation is than even that of Western Europe. When we were in rural France, we were shopping in the small Carrefour (massive chain) neighborhood market when a farmer walked in with his tray of butter lettuces, roots still on, and sold them to the produce manager. It's something we've lost in the US. We do have a nice farmer's market here, which I guess would be the closest analog to what you've seen as common in Asian cities. But even still, they're one day a week, centralized, and usually require a car ride to get to. Anywho, we have a lot of work to do here.
This is beautiful—all of it, but especially the connection you make with Ahmad and his home land. The figs and olives offer a much deeper story and I imagine his fig trees and your fig trees growing near each other, roots touching with no borders; the neighborly hope for the olive tree, all the love in that gesture.
Michelle, thank you ... and it feels like there is a root network growing here (In internet or substack land), of people from across the world speaking together of their love for the earth. It's such a joy, isn't it?
Yes it is! And you are doing such a generous labor in service to that, Rebecca! Thank you for all the hours you have spent gathering, compiling, and formatting that catalog. As one of the many represented, I truly appreciate it! 💖 Anything we can do to serve love and care in this fraught world is important work.
I just read this beautiful mother's day ode (late to the party, I know) -- an ode to fig trees and olive trees and healthy soil and carrots and radishes and farmers and farming and place and healing and health and to life-sustaining earth. I imagine those fig trees and olive trees surrounded by conflict in Syria, standing strong, playing the long game as they always have. I picture the olive branches reaching out, symbols for what we can learn from trees. Thank you @Rebecca.
This is so moving Rebecca -- thank you
Thank you, Jan. 💚
A beautiful and moving story about people, the land, what the Earth produces--carrots, figs, olives (all good)--and why there is such a strong connection to the bounty.
Thanks, Perry. I appreciate you stopping by!
Beautiful post on Mother’s Day. Thank you, Rebecca.
Thanks, Heidi. Doing my little part to honor the mother energy that grows!
Thanks, Rebecca! I also live in a small city in Oregon, perhaps we are neighbors.:)
I love this one especially, Rebecca.
Thank you for taking us from peace, to war and back on the merits of plants grown with wisdom and tenderness.
I am slowly figuring out how to grow on my ancient red soil. In the meantime, my farmer is Vannah. You are so right, the vitality in food picked that same day is meant for all beings. I'm so glad you connected your positive health results to your CSA. Bless the farmers, and those who treat them well.🌱
Oh, Vannah! I love knowing the name of your farmer. :) May we all know (or be) our farmers one day.
Beautiful, Rebecca. You draw a lovely line in the soil from your farmer through health and family and neighbors and war. Really nicely done. May the soil continue to feed you well.
Thank you, Jason. High praise indeed from one of the masters of the 'through-line'! :)
Beautiful, and moving, and profoundly true. Thank you.
Thanks so much, Margi. I am loving your work, btw.
Very good - thanks
Beautiful, Rebecca, thank you.
Thank you, John, for stopping by. :)
What a beautiful, poignant read. Thank you! CSA is something we all desperately need. I'll keep my fingers crossed for the figs and olives to flourish 💚
Thanks, Ramona! I have high hopes for the figs. The olives ... well, if they survive at all, then that will be just fine. :)
By the fig and the olive.
I know, right ... it's a phrase (a prayer, really) that will stay with me for life, now. 💚
Wow, you're such a beautiful writer. And I didn't know you live in Oregon too. I live in Lane County. Maybe we should grab a cup of tea sometime! The whole story of what the Kurdish peoples have been through and are trying to build is so heartbreaking and inspiring at the same time. So many people are unaware that there is a beautiful grassroots democratic feminist ecological movement happening in the heart of the Middle East, trying desperately to create a new beautiful world from the ashes of the old.
I am aware of Nadia Lawton's work in Jordan and I find her so inspiring. She's like a seed that sprouted into a beautiful tree after decades in the soil, and now she is sending seeds out from her branches. She is definitely the human equivalent of the mother tree. :) I'd love to know more about this movement so if you have time to share some names or writers, I'd be so grateful! Might be a good topic to include in an essay here at some point.
Also, love the tea idea! We are away for several weeks but I'll send a message when we're back, to plan something.
Sounds great!
Beautiful writing, an unforeseen joy in my Monday inbox. Thank you.
Oh goodness, thank you Michela. I feel the same way when one of yours pops in.
Oh thank you, that makes me happy Rebecca.
This is lovely & so interesting yet sad to hear about Ahmad & Syria. He sounds like he’s found a place there. I love fresh veggies, we have a veg garden & I’m not that great but everything tastes so much better from it than the supermarket.
It's remarkable how much better fresh-grown food tastes, isn't it? I am glad you have the joy of that. :)
So much better 💚
CSAs are wonderful and seem particularly American. As I’ve traveled through Asia, fresh fruits and vegetables seem abundantly offered at market after market. Even in Hong Kong, the thin streets off the main streets are filled with vendors. In the US we are so cut off from our food sources that we need our fresh veggies delivered in a box. But it’s what we’ve got so I agree we should take advantage when we can.
I was thinking how different our farm situation is than even that of Western Europe. When we were in rural France, we were shopping in the small Carrefour (massive chain) neighborhood market when a farmer walked in with his tray of butter lettuces, roots still on, and sold them to the produce manager. It's something we've lost in the US. We do have a nice farmer's market here, which I guess would be the closest analog to what you've seen as common in Asian cities. But even still, they're one day a week, centralized, and usually require a car ride to get to. Anywho, we have a lot of work to do here.
This is beautiful—all of it, but especially the connection you make with Ahmad and his home land. The figs and olives offer a much deeper story and I imagine his fig trees and your fig trees growing near each other, roots touching with no borders; the neighborly hope for the olive tree, all the love in that gesture.
Michelle, thank you ... and it feels like there is a root network growing here (In internet or substack land), of people from across the world speaking together of their love for the earth. It's such a joy, isn't it?
Yes it is! And you are doing such a generous labor in service to that, Rebecca! Thank you for all the hours you have spent gathering, compiling, and formatting that catalog. As one of the many represented, I truly appreciate it! 💖 Anything we can do to serve love and care in this fraught world is important work.
I just read this beautiful mother's day ode (late to the party, I know) -- an ode to fig trees and olive trees and healthy soil and carrots and radishes and farmers and farming and place and healing and health and to life-sustaining earth. I imagine those fig trees and olive trees surrounded by conflict in Syria, standing strong, playing the long game as they always have. I picture the olive branches reaching out, symbols for what we can learn from trees. Thank you @Rebecca.