I’ve been particularly enjoying spring this year. The emergence of redbuds and daffodils seems magical after what has felt like the longest, darkest winter. The changing of the seasons is a clear reminder of the cycles of the natural world, but we are a part of natural and energetic cycles in ways that are less often appreciated.
While studying for my doctoral degree in Ecology, years ago now, I had the opportunity to learn about the adaptive cycle. It describes how complex systems, from cells to human societies, organize energy over time; you can learn more about it here. One of its innovations from an ecological perspective was to highlight the importance not just of periods of the accumulation and stasis of energy, but periods of energy release and reorganization. In the last couple of months, I have found myself reflecting on this model, finding it a helpful framework for understanding the chaos and dissolution on display in our national politics. While destructive, our present moment can also be seen as a kind of energy release.
Working Landscapes is encountering the shifts of energy in our society, if you will allow me the latitude to characterize it as such, in several acute ways. This includes the loss of multiple team members due to illegal federal funding cuts and funding freezes, and the disappearance of funding for healthy, local food that has benefited everyone involved, including dozens of small farmers in our community and hundreds more across the state. This is devastating, and there is no point in pretending otherwise. However, it also signals the inevitability of reorganization. I interpret these disruptions as an opportunity for us to create systems, patterns and roles that are more regenerative, more connected, and more life-affirming.
We need your partnership in this reimagining and reorganization: please join us this spring in crafting community-scale responses improve our adaptability and connectedness.
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Chris Feller, a Working Lands Conservation Corps fellow, joined the Working Landscapes team in September. Chris has been a huge asset to the Working Landscapes team. She collaborated with our Climate-Smart team on livestock and soil health projects. Her independent project utilized GIS to identify parcels in Warren County that would benefit from regenerative practices, with a goal of contacting landowners to create a peer-to-peer network and host workshops about implementing regenerative practices.
Chris shared that her favorite part about the job was being part of so many different projects, learning many new skills, and having the opportunity to improve her GIS skills. She also loved the farm visits, especially building relationships with local farmers.
Unfortunately, Chris’s work was abruptly cut short due to federal funding cuts in the new administration. Chris has been a valued team member at Working Landscapes in many ways and will be missed. Her last day was mid-March, and we hope she can continue this important work in the coming years.
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One Soil Farm is a farm for everyone, with the unique quality of being led by Jewish farmers and rooted in the local Jewish community. Through their CSA program, they deliver beautiful, sustainably grown vegetables to convenient Durham, Chapel Hill, and Hillsborough locations. All these locations are open to everyone!
They are truly a community-based farm committed to building personal relationships with their customers, offering Jewish farming education, and connecting the Jewish community with their agricultural heritage through seasonal events on the farm. They follow organic farming practices that improve the land they grow on.
One Soil Farm enrolled in our Partnerships for Climate-Smart Commodities program in July and hit the ground running, signing up for four different practices, including cover crop, mulching, soil carbon amendment, and conservation crop rotation. Many of these practices are familiar to them, and they have been practicing some of these for years. During these years, they have been rewarded with great production and increased biodiversity of the life on their farm. All of these practices are performed on a small area of land, and they are only going to show that it is not only possible to implement them in a small area, but they can also help the farm become successful.
We are thrilled to congratulate our farm partner Fairport Farms, owned and managed by Madeline and Elvin Eaton, for winning the N.C. A&T State University Small Farmer of the Year Award! Fairport Farms is located in Kittrell, NC, where Madeline and Elvin utilize climate-smart farming practices on their vegetable farm such as compost (they make their own, using compost tea!) and high tunnels. We have purchased their vegetables for our produce box program and even collaborated with them on field trips for high schoolers (pictured above!) and biochar burns.
Did you know that Working Landscapes has a beautiful community space in downtown Warrenton? The Hive is located at 108 S. Main St., Warrenton. We and other local groups host public events in this space each month. Here’s some that are coming up, along with other programs from our food hub partners across North Carolina!
Hive Open Hours
The Hive is now open from 3-6 p.m. every Tuesday through Friday! Stop by to enjoy complimentary coffee, tea, and espresso drinks; free Internet; access to books, art supplies, and coloring sheets; and a cozy place to work or catch up with friends!
Earth Week at Working Landscapes
Working Landscapes invites you to join us for a week-long series of events celebrating the Earth, hosted at the Hive (108 S Main St) and ByWay Foods (221 W Franklin St) in Warrenton. Here’s what’s on the schedule:
- Monday 4/21: Community-wide trash pick up in Warrenton (meet @ hive) & found object art workshop @ The Hive
- Tuesday 4/22: Earth Party @ the Hive featuring a plant-based potluck, free tea and coffee, and the opportunity to add to a new community art piece
- Wednesday 4/23: Bio-blitz plant ID workshop (kid-friendly activities provided too!) @ Byway Foods; optional drop-off time for swap-o-rama @ Hive
- Thursday 4/24: Swap-o-Rama @ the Hive – bring clothes, home goods & decor, books etc. in good shape to give away or swap with others, or come to find things you need that people are giving away for free!
- Friday 4/25: Foraging workshop @ the Hive; kids & parents night out (free babysitting / kids movie night @ the Hive)
- Saturday 4/26: Food for Thought (high school program) presentations & refreshments @ the Hive; Working Landscapes selling produce boxes & merch @ Bluebird Festival downtown
- During Hive open hours all week: Drop off electronic waste @ the Hive for recycling!
Keep an eye out on our Facebook for a complete schedule of events and to RSVP! All activities are free to attend, but donations to Working Landscapes are always appreciated.
Warrenton Repair Cafe Interest Form
Want to help build a more creative, resourceful, and resilient community? Consider joining our forthcoming repair cafe! See flyer for more info, fill out our interest form here, and share with friends and neighbors who might be interested.
First Friday Poetry Night
Join the Warren Artist Market on First Fridays to hear local poets, storytellers, artists, and musicians! This event happens every first Friday of the month from 7-9:30p.m in the Hive, with the next event taking place April 4.
WNC Biochar Loan Program
The WNC Biochar Loan Program provides FREE kilns for farmers to borrow in the Asheville, Spruce Pine and Boone regions. With so much woody debris leftover from Helene and the need to rebuild soil, biochar offers a great opportunity for farmers and we are looking forward to being able to provide more kilns to more farmers. See the attached flyer for more information and feel free to reach out to Rachel@workinglandscapesnc.org with any questions!
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