These two feelings were omni-present for me as an introspective and inquisitive boy who would take long walks into and through the hilly woods that stretched through a sandy valley of rural Aiken County (South Carolina, USA).
I would think about how old the trees were, the depth of their roots, the language that they spoke in, the way they process light and darkness, the rate that they took in water, et alli. And, I would imagine other rural youth all around the globe exploring the landscape afoot and thinking about the very same thing at the very same time.
I played disregard to the posted signs indicative of private property. Still today, I have no idea who owns the land I walked. And private land wasn't something I gave much consideration to. When I did, I questioned why it was that anybody owned this land. As a naive white male, I was privileged to be able to wander without fearing the consequences of trespassing onto private property. I was aware that most of my Black and Latino friends/classmates did not have this privilege. (These are areas of knowledge, awareness, and understanding that I will never stop exploring, my privilege and decolonization.)
Every now and again, I would get very lost and often return home past nightfall. If I was fortunate enough, Luna's light shined down and split through the trees. She gave me encouragement to move forward. (Today, she moves me!)
Despite knowing of my Mother's worries about my own safety, she nurtured my adventurous spirit knowing that I was deepening a bond with True Mother. Today, I acknowledge that this bond is life-defining. It is my deepest bond with you.
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When I discovered Slow Food while perusing the web-o-sphere sometime during my early adolescence, I was struck by a feeling of connectedness. Here was this information of a global movement of people committed to peace and justice through relationship with food. Wow!
A lot has happened between then (age 13) and now...
Attending Terra Madre for the first time and its theme being “Loving the Earth” is a true blessing. I will inquire with others about what the theme means to them and how they have come to realize the true love that True Mother has for each of us.
I know that Slow Food philosophy and the ever-growing community that cultivates a spirit of connection are part of the compass that guides me home.
I do not have the words to express this being my truth. Today, I feel. Someday, I will find the words.
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I came to Slow Food Vermont after lengthy involvements with my university chapter and the local convivia Slow Food Seacoast.
Currently, I'm fulfilling a dream of completing 2nd straight term of domestic AmeriCorps service through the Vermont Housing and Conservation Board. I have learned a great deal about the community land trust model, and hope to be engaged in CLT for many years to come but with a focus on agrarian economy. So much more to learn! I am greatly inspired by the work of Terre de Liens (France).
In the meantime before I leave for Italy, I will continue to produce food for a local food pantry, which is something I’ve been doing for the past five growing seasons. I’ll be volunteering on a super awesome social enterprise project called the Good Food Truck and continuing to participate in crop mobs to glean field crops and redirect them to people's stomachs!
I'm crossing my fingers that I will secure a grant to help kickstart a sustainable supply of 30+ varieties of garlic for the Burlington Area Community Gardens. It will cut costs, educate about seed agro-biodiversity, and build community throughout the year and at an event showcasing the incredibly tasteful food produced in my vibrant and diverse community.Additionally, I will be traveling throughout Vermont to interview young farmers, producers and chefs, and others who inspire me. More to come on this, so stay tuned on Slow Food Vermont’s social media!
If you have any interest in so graciously offering any amount of financial assistance towards the journey to Terra Madre, I invite you to consider doing so. If not, please do consider sharing the link to this fundraising page.
Here is a link to my fundraising page.
I will be making very regular updates before and during the journey! :)
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Final spotlight!
I would like to express GRATITUDE FOR FARMERS AND FOOD PRODUCERS, specifically those so courageously and adventurous small-scale producers, those who are fighting for their human rights, those who are fighting to reclaim their land rights, those who are fighting for scale-appropriate policies and regulations, those who are challenging consumers to diversify their palate, those who are so efficiently utilizing scarce resources, those who are effectively playing a most critical role in the advent of a regenerative economy, those who are committed to the education of the next generation and future generations, those who are participating in a democratic, cooperative form of business, those who are and are considering continuing the family farm, reimagining it, and remaining grateful to their ancestors tireless efforts, those who are reclaiming land in urban centers to build resiliency, those who are working without recognition, those who are historically and currently marginalized and oppressed, those who hold a 2nd, 3rd, or even 4th job and/or mothering children AT THE SAME TIME, those who are committed to saving and sharing seeds! Oh my, so many more roles you all play. I can't exist without you. I thank you all, and I can't ever stop. You are such an immense source of inspiration to me! Wow. Just wow.
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Thank you for spreading peace, thank you for spreading love!
To High Summer!
Evan
@food_citizen