In California, I feel that every day that passes; I slide deeper into the melancholy of mediocrity. I casually drive by my neighbor drastically overwatering his lawn, judging the entire scene and yet ensuring my own lawn has the water it needs. I ignore the wretched amount of trash I see alongside the road and yet continue to bag my groceries in plastic bags. I despise food waste and yet I pick through only the finest produce selection at my grocery store for only the “best” choices.
These dichotomous feelings often gnaw at my sense of sanity –combined with my sense of reality, and make me wonder if I really am a hippie at heart. Why do I have this innate desire to want to save the world –and yet utilize its vast resources whenever I can? I think that answer may be best summed up by saying that at heart –I’m a farmer.
Yes it’s true that we farmers ensure our fields are watered, but we also make sure that our neighbors have enough water too (mostly). We also use bags for seed and other products –with hopes that the end result is a well fed world from our use of these bags. We also despise waste, and truthfully, I don’t think we waste much.
We enjoy knowing that our precious resources will go around and come back again. In total truth, there just isn’t enough of everything to go around; water, air, land, nitrogen. So being the best land stewards around is something that farmers –agriculturalists, have perfected over the years.
So I guess in summation, it may be best to say –that we’re all hippies at heart.
Anja K. Raudabaugh
Executive Director
