Recently, while looking for a plant identification book for completing these vegetation surveys, I stumbled upon a book called Food Not Lawns. The subtitle of this book is, How to Turn Your Yard into a Garden and your Neighborhood into a Community. This got me thinking.
Being raised in frosty old New England my concept of community is somewhat jaded. At this moment in my life I find that this word strikes the same cord in me as "self actualized", "inner-child", and whole host of other jargony catch phases that make me feel a little queasy. I don't know that I believe community is possible without radical change, change that far exceeds food choices and even ecological choices.
Maybe I am wrong about this. Unlike inner-children, I want to believe that community is possible. I think Corvallis, while not a "community" in this new-agey sense, does have a unique culture evolving within its borders. The agriculture/food centered culture that exists within this town is unlike any I've ever known, and it seems to be a site of genuine creativity. This gives me hope.
Another thing I've been mulling over lately is elitism. I think that ultimately community fosters elitism and maybe I am ok with that. To be honest, I think my way of doing things is good (though not the only good way), I think it could be improved upon, but I decidedly feel that there are other ways which are not good. I don't mean not good for me. I mean immoral, wrong, not good. Does this make me an elitist? Perhaps, I'm still sorting this out. Opinions are welcome. At any rate I think a group of people who share enough resources and values to be a community will by virtue of those shared resources, values, and collective identity be expressing their sense of a superior way of life that they have found or created.
I don't know. What I do know is that the sustainability journey here at Casa Colibri is going reasonably well. We're deciding to unplug the tv altogether one day per week (it should totally be more, but I have come to love some mindless tv). We've also been put up large quantities of plums, and have harvested many more tomatoes. We've only filled our gas tank once this month (12 gallons), and we're down to 1-2 gallons of trash per week (not compacted).
The beat goes on.
8 comments:
you should also mention that we only watch tv from 8pm, until we go to bed :)
i really liked that book you showed me..it raised some good points. It also made me think...have you thought about a food not bombs type group. It might be a good way to tap that culture that i agree does seem about here?????
do you think the inner-child is the same as the ego?
do you think the inner-child is the same as the ego?
Your making me very hungy! big difference in the soil in the great notrhwest and NE.Someone once said that if America was settled from west to east instead of east to west NE would still be uninhabitaed!
this settlement comment is likely true. although NE has much to offer in the way of resources (although settlers quickly disposed of them) the soil of the far west and mid west is excellent for the type of cultivation Europeans desire(d). Of course I am 100% container gardening because my tiny apartment has no soil of its own to speak of. boo
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Thanks for the link and kind words. We also struggle with the notion/stigma of being "elite", but realize in the end what matters is serving the best food we can to whomever wishes to come to the table.
Warm Regards,
Ocean Liff-Anderson
Proprietor, FireWorks Restaurant
ps: Are you coming to the Southtown Street Party this weekend? It'll be a hoot!
Yes I think so. We've been talking a lot about it so I think we will certainly be there.
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