Everything Under The Sun: Farming For Social Justice

Instruction in using mulch, right on the growing field.

Now here's a farm that's out to make a difference. Located in Grafton, New York, SOUL FIRE FARM has made a major commitment to end racism and injustice in our food system. They are doing this by bringing together people of diverse backgrounds to share their skills in such areas as sustainable agriculture, reverence for the land, natural buildings, and the wisdom of ancestors. The knowledge gets passed down to a younger generation, who would then be empowered with the skills to be both farmers and activists.

Just last month, the TRINITY ALLIANCE AND REFUGEE COMMUNITY HEALTH PARTNERSHIP invited Soul Fire Farm to teach a composting workshop to the Karen people, who cultivate a garden in Albany. They grow such produce as Burmeses sourleaf, tomatoes, beans, maize, and amaranth in raised garden beds, which supply a number of families with their bounty. When Soul Fire Farm went to work, they constructed a single bin, cold compost unit, and instruction in its use was provided in Karen and English.

Often, when you are part of a farm community, other farms reach out to each other for assistance when one falls on bad times. The owner of another farm, ROCK STEADY FARM AND FLOWERS, had been injured and the staff had become quite behind on regular work tasks. So, Soul Fire Farm staff came out to give some needed help. The crew worked beside Maggie, harvesting and curing onions. While they were working the two groups exchanged information about business models and the ability to provide local jobs.

Then some of the staff were off to a weekend spent at the NOFA CONFERENCE, where Leah presented a program on 10 Steps to End Racism in the Food System, complete with slides. That keynote presentation led into a panel discussion on Emerging Solutions For a Racially Just Food System, with panelists Diana Robinson, Karen Washington, and Leah Penniman. That brought up a discussion about alliance campaigns for food worker rights.

Once back at the farm, there was the preparation for the BLACK LATINX FARMERS IMMERSION (BLFI) to be completed, when natural events got in the way. A powerful thunderstorm came along and knocked out the power, felling trees in the surrounding forest. Fortunately, there was back-up generator power, but still, there can be damage from a storm like that.

Several local leaders attended this BLFI. One of the themes turned out to be nature as teacher. The conduit for this theme happened to be the need to prune tomato suckers in order to allow the apical meristem receive more energy. In the same way, human beings can refocus their energy to the points in their lives that need it and trim the attention to peripheral issues that tend to occupy our energy.

Constructing the compost bin in an Albany community garden, with Karen immigrants.

Now, that was Soul Fire Farm's schedule of events for just one week in August, not the entire month. From there, they keep on going, spreading their word through various forms of outreach and even have time for neighborly sharing. That's quite an accomplishment!