EDITORS’ LETTER
We the natural world into focus and challenge the notion that saving the bees alone is enough to sustain our ecosystems (“Buzzing Toward bring an Ethical Plan B,” p. 118). Art enters
A
GRICULTURE IS MORE THAN the act of growing food — it’s the foundation of our communities and our traditions, and it’s the way
UP BEFORE THE ROOSTER THE FARM WON’T WORK ITSELF A SUNRISE KALE HARVEST BOOTS PRINTS IN THE RICH SOIL DIRT UNDER THE FINGERNAILS PROOF OF A QUALITY LIFE
we connect to the land. Across generations and continents, farming has shaped culture as much as culture has shaped farming. From the ancient practice of seed saving, which we explored in Issue 1, to the modern push for regenerative techniques we celebrate daily, the way we cultivate the earth is a direct reflection of what we value, how we live, and who we are. In this issue, we tell the stories of farmers who see their work as an extension of heritage (“Agriculture as Culture,” p. 52), chefs who champion seasonal ingredients as an act of resistance (“An Empowered Plate,” p. 46), and innovators weaving new technologies into time- honored traditions (“The Diamond of Dates,” p. 134). These are not just stories about food; they are stories about people, resilience, and the evolution of our relationship with the land. At a time when industrial farming and imports threaten biodiversity and food sovereignty, embracing agriculture as culture reminds us of what’s at stake
the conversation as we introduce a world-famous painter whose upstate New York farm — funded in part through collaborations with fashion brands — grows and donates more than 100,000 pounds of food a year to nearby underserved communities (“A Farm in Fashion,” p. 20; “An Artist’s Harvest,” p. 144). Long before food was a commodity, it was a lifeline, a ceremony, a story passed down through generations. From the terraced rice fields of Asia to the milpas of Mesoamerica, from the pastoral traditions of Africa to the regenerative practices of indigenous communities across North America, the way people grow, harvest, and share food has always been an extension of their identity (“The Society of Soil,” p. 8). Agriculture isn’t just about sustenance; it’s about survival, storytelling, stewardship, and adaptability — returning to old ways of farming that just might stall what goes into a landfill (“The Fix for Food Waste,” p. 150). Each story in this issue is another chapter in uniting communities across America, taking a closer look at regenerative practices, and ensuring an optimistic outlook on how we all can participate — even through something as simple as buying clothing (“Our Sustainable Future in Fibers,” p. 96). We believe empowerment comes in many forms, often through the smallest actions, and we invite you to explore more. Thanks for reading and sharing. Stay rooted. Stay elevated. — THE ROOTED JOURNAL EDITORS
on the Hawaiian Islands (“Sowing Food Sovereignty,” p. 12). It urges us to support the hands that feed us (“Father Nature,” p. 138), honor the ecosystems that
sustain us, and reconnect with the roots — both literal and figurative — that ground us. After all, how we farm is how we live, and the future of both depends on the choices we make today, especially as we educate the next generation to dig in the dirt and carry on tradition (“Natural Curiosities,” p. 70).
MOUNTAIN PASS
4
Made with FlippingBook. PDF to flipbook with ease