ENVIRONMENTAL & SOCIAL JUSTICE
Farm Journal: Chronicles of a Farming Change Agent
PHWURSROLWDQDUHDLQ$GDPV0RUJDQ DQGDUHQRZDOVRLQ%URRNODQG DQG$QDFRVWLD IHDWXULQJSURGXFHJURZQOHVVWKDQPLOHVDZD\ Two years ago, when the pandemic hit and we could not invite folks to visit the farm, I decided to broaden the farm journal concept to in- clude my memoirs and political and spiritual commentary on the way I’ve lived my life. I’ve been an activist most of my adult life. So, we’re talking more than just opinions and theories, but outrage, engage- ment, action and change. I was a Jewish boy from the housing projects LQ%URRNO\Q1HZ<RUNDQGHQGHGXSDQLQGHSHQGHQWVRFLDOO\DFWLYH RUJDQLF IDUPHU0\ IDUP MRXUQDOZKLFK VWLOO LQFOXGHVGDLO\ IDUPHQ - tries, records it all. I’m involved in a writer’s process each day. I rise at 4:00 am. I write by hand — I’ve never advanced to the digital universe — then I give my writing to Esther, who types them into her computer. As I waken, my
BY MICHAEL TABOR, LICKING CREEK BEND FARM
)RU DOPRVW \HDUV ,¶YH EHHQ NHHSLQJ D IDUP MRXUQDO²QRWHV WR myself on what works or fails with growing fruits and vegetables with- RXW FKHPLFDOV RQ RXU IDUP /LFNLQJ &UHHN %HQG )DUP ,W¶V DFWXDOO\ UHTXLUHGE\PRVWFHUWL¿HUVZKRJUDQWWKHLU³VHDORIDSSURYDO´WRFRQ - VXPHUVDQGWKHSXEOLF (DFKRIP\MRXUQDOHQWULHVVWDUWVE\GHWDLOLQJ the work of the day — a typical day on our 60-acre sustainable farm, ZKLFKKDVEHHQ³ZRUNHUUXQ´IRUVHYHUDO\HDUV Here’s a sample: , ZRUNHG DSSO\LQJ VWLFN\ JOXH WR WKH GHFR\ DSSOHV WR FDWFK DQ\ VWUD\SOXPFXUFXOLRDQGRWKHULQVHFWVWKDWPLJKWHPHUJH6RIDURQO\ RQHµVPLOH\IDFH´ELWHVSRWWHGRQWKHWUHHVDQGYHU\OLWWOH³&$5´ &HGDU $SSOH5XVW ,¶OOVSHQGDFKXQNRIWLPHWRGD\KDQGVSUD\LQJDSSOHWVDQGSHDUV IRUDGGLWLRQDOSURWHFWLRQ±ZLWKVXUURXQG OLTXLGFOD\ 9HU\PLQLPDO UDLQVLQFHWKHODVWVSUD\$OLWWOHSV\ODRQRQHRIWKHSHDUWUHHV,KDYH WR JHW ZLWK VXUURXQG 3OXV YDULRXV HUUDQGV WRGD\ LQ +DQFRFN DQG 0F&RQQHOOVEXUJEXW LW¶VHDUO\DQG,VWLOOKDYHSOHQW\RIWLPH )URP -RXUQDO :KHQP\IRUPHUZLIH0DUWKDDQG,VWDUWHG\HDUVDJRWKHUHZHUH only a handful of organic vegetable and fruit farmers in the Washing- WRQ%DOWLPRUHDUHD/LFNLQJ&UHHN%HQG)DUPZDVSDUWRIWKHPRYH - PHQWWREULQJSURGXFHIURPDUXUDODUHDWRWKHFLW\)RUWKHVHQHDUO\ \HDUVQRZLQFOXGLQJWKHODVWZLWKP\ZLIHDQGSDUWQHU(VWKHU6LH - gel, we’ve run one of the oldest neighborhood farm markets in the DC
Mike protesting at the G8 Summit in May 2012.
continued on page 26
26—PATHWAYS—Fall 21
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