Good Work Transcends Our Differences

This morning I was continuing to theorize on yesterday’s notion regarding a consumer return to our symbiosis with nature, when I fell headfirst into race relations and systemic injustice in land use, agriculture, and small-scale sustainable farming. I was researching management-intensive rotational grazing, which is paramount as far as symbiosis in agriculture goes, though I readily admit that I’m actively seeking more information on this subject because it remains an obscure practice. Nevertheless, obscure practices tend to elicit skepticism and criticism, which is why I’m not surprised to have been immediately confronted by the issues above, the bulk of which stemmed from a feud between an(im)famous farmer within the sustainable agricultural community (he’s a white libertarian from Virginia), and an up and coming farmer, if one could be considered as such, on the Virginia coast (he’s Black and Native American).

     I will not be addressing any of the viewpoints because I think the squabbling leads to the implosion of sustainable food sovereignty, a food system that creates as many diverse varieties of food as the methods in which are used to grow them. Both farmers produce sustainable food successfully. They may—should they ever read this, which isn’t entirely implausible—feel my characterization of their feud belittles the political stances that are important to them, and to their respective community. I apologize in advance for any perceived slight, however, what they collectively represent is far more important for humanity than the race, economic class, and community they defend, despite the injustices that may or may not be suffered. They both feed real people real food.

     And we’ve quickly reached the end of this post. I wanted to leave you tonight with the notion that doing the good work transcends our differences and will act to bring us all closer together should we allow it. Something that transcends is symbiotic, because it goes beyond itself to benefit the whole, and, by doing so, sees this benefit return.