About two months ago I was walking through the fields of Clean Greens Farm in Duvall, WA with a group of twenty-somethings from around the country. The cauliflower stood in rows of brilliant orange, purple and green under a solid grey western Washington sky. We were exploring the idea of "EcoJustice" and this seemed like the perfect example of environmental justice intersecting with the disparity of economic realities in our society.
The farm had been established to address the problem of "food deserts" in Seattle's Central District, places where healthy foods are inaccessible for any number of reasons: price, distance, hours, education, etc. But as its founder, Rev. Robert Jeffrey spoke of the project's importance, he spoke more of poverty and community development than he did food justice.
So as we walked between the rows of squash and green beans, I asked Pastor Jeffrey why he chose this project, when it was clear his heart was not for agriculture but for people. Why a farm and not an arts center or a farmer's market or a legal services center? He replied, "If you want to develop a community, you've got to give them back the means of production. And food is easy to produce."
He was pointing to the simple reality that producing something gives you power. Sometimes that power is a simple sense of accomplishment, the hope that you have potential in your own hands. Sometimes it's a moneymaking venture providing stability and independence. And sometimes it's simply the power to say "no" when somebody is trying to sell you something.
This Christmas, I'll be saying "no" to Christmas consumerism and declaring this year a Producer's Christmas. I'll be making Thanksgiving and Advent and Christmas by hand. I'll be giving of my hands and my potential and sharing a bit of myself with the people I care about. I'll be planning ahead and saving things to be used in making presents. I'll be considering deeply my feelings toward the people I love and reaching deep within for something personal to let them know. I'll be taking my time. I'll be waiting, I'll be watching, I'll be hoping, and I'll be crafting.
I still think of the Advent wreath we all made at the WordsMatter train the trainer...that was a fun project! Looking forward to what other ideas come up!
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